Disclaimer:
This is my opinion. You may or may not agree with my perspective. I will not debate my feelings, or dispute your feelings. We can agree to disagree.
My Soapbox:
People often say/post that this is a Christian nation, our founding fathers believed in God, and we are moving away from God. I am far from an expert on the matter, but I disagree.
If our founders wanted a government intertwined with religion they would have established a theocracy. They didn't. They established a Democratic Republic ruled by a document that is able to evolve with the times. That's part of what makes the Constitution of the United States so damn awesome. It was written in 1787, and it still has utility. It's still relevant. It's still the Supreme Law of the Land.
The Constitution, folks, not the Holy Bible is the "Supreme Law" of the United States of America. I do not believe the nation was ever intended to exist in proximity to God, and therefore "moving away from God" is not legally relevant or inherently bad for the country. I would argue that our nation is moving towards its core values, and it should.
My Beliefs:
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, born of a virgin, who died on the cross, and was raised from the dead three days later. I believe that Jesus is my and all people's "kinsman redeemer." I believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Since I profess to be apart of the body of Christ, the Word of God should be the "Supreme Law" of my life and home. If I were married and/or had children, the Bible would be the supreme law of my family.
The point is that as a Christian, I should govern my life according to Biblical truths, and I should be moving closer to God. This is personal. It has nothing to do with the government.
I think we are confused.
The government should govern the land according to the Law, the Constitution, and Christians should govern themselves, their families, and homes according to the Word. For those who believe in Christ, we are Christian people living in an explicitly Democratic nation. We are not a God ruled nation. We are people ruled nation.
I was not always able to reconcile my values as Christian with our values as a nation. I thought I had to choose one set of values over the other. I thought I had to vote in a way so that the country is not "moving away from God." That is far from the truth. I have my religious and personal values, and I have my legal and political values.
"And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him."
Mark 12:17 KJV
Same-sex couples should have the right to marry. It is a legal right afforded to them by the Constitution. Same-sex couples legal right to marry does not negate Christians' biblical responsibility to be a representation of Christ and the church in marriage. You can still practice Ephesians 5.
Everyone does not celebrate Christmas. There are Christians who do not celebrate Christmas. So what? "Happy Holidays" is not a big middle finger to the Christian faith. Calm down.
Newsflash:
The birth of Jesus won't go unrecognized because the Starbucks Green Cup is focused on diversity and community. Christian values won't be thwarted by one cup. Christianity is not that fragile.
I find it fascinating that we want to the public, Christians and non-Christians alike, to recognize and respect the same God we so often disregard in private.
Maybe it's just me.
Maybe I'm the only fouled mouth, unloving sinner whose personal agenda is often so important that I don't even consider the will of God. Maybe I'm the only one who has a lot going in her life and mind that is not pleasing to God. Maybe I'm the only one who has a plank in her eye.
If we are being real with ourselves and the world, we would acknowledge that there are many Christians living with their own daily paradoxes. There many Christians who would never want their private lives under the public's microscope. There are many Christians who wouldn't want the world and definitely not their churches seeing their Internet history, reading their text messages, witnessing their interactions with their spouses and children, and the list goes on and on.
We really should stop crucifying people AND businesses for every perceived slight to our faith. We are the main offenders. We keep trying to get the world to conform to Christianity despite the fact that the Word instructs us not to conform to the world.
