Here
are some questions I have been asked to discuss several times recently.
Here are the answers in written form:
Q: CAN A CHRISTIAN BE A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY?
A: Of course.
Many are. I would rephrase the
question: Should a Christian be a
Democrat?
Q: CAN A CHRISTIAN BE A MEMBER OF THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY?
A: Of course.
Many are. I would rephrase the
question: Should a Christian be a
Republican?
Q: AM I DISENCHANTED WITH BOTH POLITICAL
PARTIES?
A: That is an understatement. On a national level the Democratic Party has
taken positions on moral issues such as abortion and gay marriage which I
believe are anti-Biblical. On a national
level the Republican Party waffles about on these and other issues and is, in
my opinion, useless.
The
solutions to the problems that we face as a country are not going to be
resolved politically. In a system like ours, politics is ultimately driven by
votes not values. That means, all too
often, political matters are settled with compromises and deals. Pragmatically, from a power and control point
of view that may work just fine. But
from a Christian point of view, it stinks.
Compromise and deal making get budgets passed and highways built. Compromise and deal making also get unborn
babies killed and gambling legalized. We must not forget that our battle, as
Paul reminds us, is not against “flesh and blood.” (Eph 6:12). We are in a battle that is very much about
values and belief systems. You don’t win
that battle politically. You win it
spiritually. You can’t just change
people’s votes, you must change their hearts.
Political parties’ values morph over time (look at the two major parties
now and fifty years ago). Biblical
values are transcendent and unchanging.
The baptistery will change this country a lot more than the voting
booth.
Q: WHAT ABOUT AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS?
A: To me, there is a Biblical principle which I
believe is very apropos here but has been neglected or ignored in the discussion
of this highly emotional issue. The
principle underlies Biblical teaching on a number of matters. For example, I believe it is the basis upon
which “thou shalt not steal” (Ex 20:15) and “thou shalt not commit adultery”
(Ex 20:14) are both founded. Expressed
simply, it is the principle that each human being has the right to possess
exclusively that which he/she would call his/her own – be that money, property,
family, etc. To take that which is
another’s is morally wrong. Thus, based
on this principle, the Law condemns my taking another man’s watch or his wife (Biblical teaching on marriage is deeply
rooted in the fact that my mate is my
mate – not someone else’s. I have
exclusive rights to her. Another man is
to leave well enough alone). In fact,
this is such an important matter that the tenth commandment (Ex 20:17) tells me
not to even allow myself to covet that which is the possession of another.
I
believe this principle to be very germane to a discussion of amnesty for those
who have entered this country illegally.
Prov 15:25; 22:28; 23:10 all
emphasize the importance of respecting property markers and not moving them to
take advantage of the weak or powerless.
Those boundary markers represent the personal property of individuals and
to tamper with them is stealing. Collectively,
nations have always had boundary markers. Crossing those borders without permission has
severe ramifications for the violator.
It must be so. A clear
delineation of property lines is critical to an ordered life. If those lines can be crossed without
consequence, then ownership of property becomes meaningless and only chaos can
result.
Illegal
aliens are here illegally. This recognizes, in contradistinction, that
many foreigners have entered this country legally. They have secured visas and whatever
documentation necessary for them to remain here. The difference is very
important. There is a world of separation
between an individual who enters a home in the middle of the night without the
owner’s permission, and a guest presenting an invitation who is attending a
party at the same address. One is a
trespasser and possible thief, the other a guest.
While I
have very mixed feelings about how we should respond to the plight of illegal
aliens in this country, I am convinced we should not, must not, forget they are
here illegally. We need to show
mercy. We must reflect agape to
all. At the same time, we also need to
make it clear that one must not, cannot, seize or enter another’s property
without securing the right to do so. It is illegal. It is sin.
While our heart may well be touched by the plight of a thief or his
family, he is, nevertheless, a thief. If
thievery goes unpunished, especially if it begins to appear to be rewarded, we
open a door to a plethora of consequences, many of which we are already facing.
I have
no idea as to the solution to this mess – and a mess it is. But I do know that ignoring this Biblical
principle concerning ownership of property has cost us dearly and will continue
to cost us until it is enforced. Closing
our borders is not mean-spirited or bigoted, on multiple levels it is necessary
to our survival.
Dan
Rouse
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