The Glory of St. Thomas Aquinas, detail. Paris, Musée du Louvre.
The following is
From time to time, I mention in these writings that I am non-religious. This has always been true of me; I am not a “converted” or “lapsed” or “apostate” anything. But many of my fellow conservatives are indeed deeply religious, and sometimes express disbelief or even disdain that a non-theist could support American conservative beliefs.
I have written elsewhere about the separation of church and state; to me, this should not be a large bone of contention. The point that seems to come up frequently involves the phrase “inalienable rights” in the Declaration of Independence and how it is to be understood.
Natural Law
A key element of the difference has to do with this famous line in the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
To a non-theist, there is another passage nearby that helps clarify:
“… the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them …”
This line suggests that, at least to the writers (mostly Thomas Jefferson) and acceptably enough to the signers, “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” is blended together in a way that makes the resulting laws arguably a single body. This concept has been referred to by religious and non-religious alike as “Natural Law,” which addresses both moral and legal concepts. (continued here)
Why
I would like to address something you said.
I make no secret of the fact that I am not religious at all. Citizen Tom often asserts that only by accepting God, or sometimes Jesus as personal savior, can conservatives hope to save the country. To this, I disagree, obviously, but I don’t attack him for this, I simply remind him that there are others fighting the same fight with him that, despite their different religious mindset, are potent allies. We equally revere the Constitution and Declaration of Independence and the nation thus founded, and we are equally concerned about the damage done to this nation.
Christians don’t win anyone to the faith by either judging them or attacking them personally. We may object to certain forms of conduct, but God, not man, sorts out eternity. And God does not use the label we put upon ourselves.
What often passes for conventional Christian wisdom says that if we have heard the Gospel and refuse to accept it, we are damned. That may be true in part, but I don’t think we understand exactly how Jesus will judge us. The Bible does say Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46), and it seems He will keep those who love their fellow man.
What seems to matter to God is what is written in our heart.
Romans 2:12-16 New King James Version (NKJV)
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
When we choose our friends and allies, what people say they believe does matter. However, when someone who refuses to call himself a Christian still behaves like a Christian, something of Christ must be written in their hearts. And when someone who calls himself a Christian, but behaves like a greedy thug, what is written in their hearts must be foul and dark. Yet only God is fit to judge for only He can see what is written in our hearts.
So why do I say we need a Christian revival? No matter what we do, our nation will pass away. As far as I know, the Bible does not even mentioned the United States. However, the growing decadence of our nation provides ample evidence that too many do not know of Christ. These are souls in peril of damnation, souls who need to hear the Word.
We have Bibles everywhere, but our schools and the corporate mass media have told children for generations that the Bible does not matter. What I want those who believe what they were taught — what I want those who take the corporate mass media seriously to understand — is that the people who told us the Bible does not matter are dead wrong.
Anyway, it seems to me you represent yourself honorably. So I welcome you as a political ally. I wish you would openly accept Christ, but He left that choice to us. Yet if you have allowed the words of our savior to be written upon your heart (even if you have trouble believing in Jesus), I suspect that is what matters to Him, but it is God who knows the heart of man. We cannot understand God.
Luke 16:15 New King James Version (NKJV)
15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
(from here)
When the Apostle Paul wrote Romans, the New Testament was still being written. The Jews then had all of God’s Word. Yet unless they allowed God to write that law in their hearts they would not obey it, but who can see what is written on someone’s heart?
Do some obey God and still deny they know Him? That is a question God only can answer. All I know is some say they know God, and I see no evidence of it in their conduct or in their words. So I think it wiser when I choose my friends and allies to set labels aside consider a man’s character in word and deeds.
Filed under: Constitution, Culture War, Declaration of Independence, history, Philosophy, religion Tagged: america, bible, christ jesus, christianity, constitution-2, culture-war, Declaration Independence, declaration-of-independence, freedom, history, human-rights, Natural Law, Nature’s God, philosophy, politics, religion, St. Thomas Aquinas, theology, Thomas Jefferson, United States Declaration of Independence
