the basic message #E277
8/1/04
"Coming soon to your town, the fabulous Ten Commandments!" I made up this headline, but it almost sounds like an announcement for a 60's soul band. The sad thing is that, while I made up the headline, the story is true. The first stop for the 5280 pound block of granite was in Dayton, TN on July 31, 2004. According to the AP article, about 75 people attended the display. In my opinion, that was good news- at least the vast majority of the public sees no need to support such a strange concept.
For those of you who don't remember how this debacle started, rewind to a few years ago when Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore made the headlines by installing the monument in the lobby of the judicial building in which he served. Moore ended up losing his job over the stunt, but gained a cult following that includes the likes of D. James Kennedy and other high profile "Christian" leaders. Kennedy will frequently cite Romans 13, which instructs Christians to abide by the civil law, yet he seems to have granted a Chief Justice, of all people, the right to reject the very law that he is sworn to uphold. But, of course, Kennedy has never bothered to let the facts hinder his efforts to put America in alignment with what he perceives to be the "will of God". Kennedy may be my "favorite" fundamentalist in America, though the distinction is dubious. Let's get back to the subject of the week-
After Judge Moore lost his battle to keep the Ten Commandments monument in his lobby, discussion ensued as to what should happen to the display. A group called "Americans Standing for God and Country" has decided to take the Ten Commandment monument on the road, the high point of the tour being a stop in Washington on October 22nd. The group is also seeking congressional support to allow them to permanently display the monument in the U.S. Capitol. Is there anything wrong with the actions of "Americans Standing for God and Country"? Although I think their efforts are misguided, I share their view that freedom of religion and expression are vital to America. I'd tend to think that most of the members of the group are probably good, hard-working people. They're probably the kind of people you'd want for neighbors, but they're not the kind of people I want speaking for me when it comes to the policies of the United States Government. How can I, as creator of the basicchristian.com website not agree with other Christians that promote Christianity as the "religion of America"? I hope you'll take a few minutes to learn the reasons why.
Let's start with something that every veteran group holds dear, the United States Bill of Rights. Here's what Amendment One says:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
I think it's very odd that the average John Wayne type of American seems to ignore this very important amendment to our Constitution. Let's break out the individual elements of this amendment that every American should know quite well: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. Would you agree that having the Ten Commandments in a governmental building is a form of "respect for a religion"? If not, will you also support the placing of the laws of Islam in a governmental building if that facility is located in an area that has a high population of Muslims? Reasonable Americans realize that we are a nation of many different religions that can indeed coexist peacefully if allowed to do so. What was the main reason that the Pilgrims came to America? Religious freedom. They wanted to be able to practice, or not practice, the religions of their own choice. If there is only one word I can use to describe the efforts of the Christian fundamentalists in America, it would be "misguided". Rather than speak in vague generalities like the fundamentalists like to do, please allow me to be specific.
The AP article about the monument tour includes a mention of the Americans Standing for God and Country's October 22nd rally in Washington, which is called the "America for Jesus" rally. I'm glad they clarified their flavor of religion, since it would also be logical for them to promote the Ten Commandments if they were Jewish. What is the official position of Christians when it comes to the Ten Commandments? I don't know about your church, but I've been taught for 45 years that Christians are "not under the law", since Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. I have never, in those 45 years heard a pastor or priest make even the most remote suggestion that the congregation should be fervently trying to live by the Ten Commandments. Why shouldn't we? The answer is simple- no one has ever been able to successfully carry out the instructions of the Ten Commandments. The blood of bulls, goats and other animals was necessary, in addition to complicated religious rituals to atone for the sins of the people. The entire Old Testament of the Bible, if you're a Christian, tells you that a Savior is coming that will make the law obsolete due to one important factor- the Savior will be the fulfillment of the law. Are the Ten Commandments good? Absolutely- America would be a much stronger country if we lived according to them. If you're a "good American", how many of the 10 do you observe daily? For you to answer that, you'd have to first know all 10, which is unlikely. Did God even intend for the Ten Commandments to be publicly displayed? As a matter of fact, he did, but he never mentioned governmental buildings, which certainly existed at the time. Let's hear what God had in mind:
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk down the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
May I ask those of you who support the public display of the Ten Commandments a vital question? Would you consider having a monument in your front yard? Would you consider having a sign outside of your business listing the 10? Will you have a "10" bumper sticker on your car? Have you discussed the Commandments with your children and with your friends on a regular, even daily basis? I would tend to think that most Americans, in their misguidedness, want to impose their rules on others, yet have no interest in observing the rules themselves. It's ironically sad that America hates the terrorists we fight today, yet what is the foundation of the terrorists? Religious purity. It's all about rules and regulations and the strident acceptance and practice of the rules. America, the "Christian Nation" is also big on the rules and regulations of Christianity, yet we would prefer to talk about them and engrave them on 5280 pound blocks of granite rather than living them. Is it surprising that America is viewed, from a religious perspective, as a nation of hypocrites? We "believe" in all sorts of things, yet we chafe at even the mere mention that we should change our lives per Biblical directives. If you're in favor of posting the Ten Commandments in governmental buildings, will you promise to do your best to live up to them? If not, why bother?