Controversy is SO MUCH FUN!

August 2, 2007 by David.

Anyone who knows me - or one of the historical variations of me - knows I’ve had a tendency to dive headfirst intro controversy. It’s not that I like arguing (I do) or that I’m highly opinionated (I am), it’s mostly that I like to challenge the status quo. I like for people to think - to examine further the things they say they believe. For me, the best way to do this is to invoke a little controversy. Sure, it can cause some heightened emotions, but it’s just so much darn fun!

Now, consider for a moment the following scenario: You’re told that you and your children will now be legally required to kneel five times a day to bow towards Mecca. If you don’t, they can be arrested and thrown in jail. Or, consider this: You’re told that you and your children will no longer be allowed to eat any meat or dairy products. Doing so could also result in arrest and jail time. How about this: You and your children can be arrested and thrown in jail for eating more than a set number of calories in any given day.

This examples may seem extreme, or patently absurd, but there is a reason I’ve used them. They involve personal choice. You don’t want someone dictating to you that you have to kneel towards Mecca. You don’t want someone telling you what you can or can’t eat, or the quantity thereof. If you want a ding-dong, by golly, you’re gonna eat a ding-dong! And you shouldn’t have to be fearful that the government is going to knock down your door for your poor eating choices.

Yet, whereas most people would agree that they don’t want government to make these activities illegal, Christians have gotten into the rut of demanding that other types of things be made illegal. Yup - I’m about to open that can of worms. I hope you’re ready.

Disclaimer: Anything said from this point forward is likely to offend standard Christian sensibilities. If you’re completely content with those sensibilities and can’t read on without a) developing a desire to kill me b) feeling the need to correct me c) feeling the need to pray for my lost and dying soul or d) all of the above, then please don’t read on anymore. You and I will both be happier for it.

OK, if you’ve made it this far, you’re either open to a different opinion, or you already have it out for me. Either is fine by me.

As I see it, this opinion can apply to a multitude of issues, but I’m going to reference just a few in particular because they are “hot-topics” right now in the Church. These issues would be 1) The Ten Commandments on Government property 2) Prayer in schools and 3) Abortion (hehe).

First off - the Ten Commandments. Surely, David, as a Christian, you can’t say you don’t want them in our Courthouses and other government institutions? Actually, that’s exactly what I’m saying. I know people are absolutely convinced that the good ole’ US of A is a “Christian” nation. Nevermind the fact that several of our founding fathers weren’t Christians or the fact that many of the ones that were are not cut in the same mold as a Bible-belt Christian is. Many of them thought that, even though there was a God, He did not intervene or involve himself in the daily lives of humans. It’s true that portions of our founding documents were written with Biblical principles in mind, but I challenge you to find one of those documents that specifically references Jesus Himself. Go on. Look for it. It’s not there. Not only that, but I don’t want to head to the local courthouse one day to see that the Qur’an is now displayed in prominence. Don’t think it can happen here? Take a look at the immigration issues Europe is having and tell me how we’re immune.

Secondly - prayer in schools. NO - David, you can’t say you don’t want your children to pray! That’s too far, you hell-bound heathen! Actually, I love it when my children talk to God. It reminds me of how shallow my prayers can be. But no, I don’t want the government mandating that my children pray, even if it is a “generic” prayer. Frankly, I’d rather they NOT pray a “generic” prayer as I don’t see that as anything more than religious practice. I want my children to talk to God - not follow some indoctrinating incantation that summons the magical genie in the sky. And I certainly don’t want a government employee telling my kids how to have that conversation. Plus, I don’t want them to come home one day to tell me that they have learned all about Allah and his one true prophet Muhammed, or to tell me that they’re now following Tom Cruise on the path of enlightenment or how the Dali Lama is their new best friend. When it comes to spiritual matters, I won’t hesitate to be the leader in that area for my kids.

Ahh - last, but not least, the issue that will surely get me shot before I turn 40. Abortion. I’ve seen churches tell their people to vote for particular candidates based on this issue and this issue alone. In fact, I believe many people would vote for Lucifer himself if he came out as a pro-life candidate (there would be some irony there). The underlying concern is the saving of an innocent life. To be honest, there’s a strong hint of hypocrisy here, as pro-war hawks that are also anti-abortion would have a hard time justifying the loss of innocent life in a war against the backdrop of abortion. Let me be clear - I’m not pro-abortion. I don’t savor the idea of a child going unborn, when adoption is a possibility. What I don’t favor is the government enforcing my morals on the general populace.

What I am saying is two things.

First, inviting the government to enforce your moral code is a slippery slope. Even if you are in the majority now, giving them that power means not having it for yourself. So, the moment a NEW majority arises, the power you gave to use for your purposes can THEN be used against you. The government should protect us from just a few things - those who would do us harm, those who would take fiscal advantage of us and those who would wage war against us. All else should be personal responsibility. I shouldn’t ask the government to protect me from myself.

Secondly - and even more importantly (and related to my other writings, to be fair) - is the notion that as Christians, we are willing to turn over our morals to be enforced by a potentially violent (government can use guns to enforce laws) force that is cold and uncaring. We’d rather throw a girl in jail for pursuing an abortion than be there for her? How is this in-line with what Jesus lived and said? Why don’t we think about WHY she wanted it in the first place? We’d rather force our kids to pray than teaching them how to have a real relationship with their savior? Are we encouraging religion? Do we really want the nanny-state teaching our kids about what we believe?

I’m afraid that the church has sadly relinquished it’s rightful role as a light. Instead, we’re rampant with political involvement, funding candidates who are anti-abortion but pro-war and turning a blind-eye to the true source of the problem. We’d rather donate money to political action committees than soup kitchens. We’d rather imprison desperate young women and bomb another country’s children then involve ourselves in their desperate lives. We’d rather cast the homeless and hungry off our streets than clothe and feed them.

The truth is, the issues above matter little to me. What matters to me more is the fact that the modern church is FOCUSED so keenly on these things. I’m indifferent to whether abortion is legal or not. I’m indifferent to the display of the Ten Commandments. And I’m indifferent to prayer in schools.

What I am not, and will never be indifferent to, is the ever-pervasive trend of the church removing herself from the responsibility of being a source of healing in a hurting world. THAT is the true controversy.

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