They Don’t Believe In God, Yet Fear Christ?
A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet
It makes no sense to me. Atheists declare they do not believe in the existence of God, yet they demonstrate an attitude of something akin to fear towards God’s Son, Christ, especially during the annual celebration of Christ’s birth.
Every year, Christians around the world celebrate “Christ Mass” or Christmas. And, every year at that time, those who declare there is no God demonstrate the depth of their “insecurity in their disbelief” by attacking those who celebrate the love and grace of a God who, Christians believe, sent his son into the world to provide a path to eternal life in what they believe is paradise or heaven.
Somehow, this poses a threat to the “God deniers.” I have yet to figure out how.
In my view, the annual attack on Christmas is nothing more than tyranny by a minority. The US is one of the only countries on earth where such a minority could affect the faith and traditions of the majority.
Look. If you choose not to believe in God, that’s fine by me. It’s your soul and you can do with it what you wish. But attempting to destroy the hope and joy your fellowman finds in Christmas -- out of your own bitterness -- is just wrong!
Oh, don’t throw the old “separation of church and state” argument at me. If it were in the constitution, then I could, and would, support it. But nothing is said in the US Constitution about separation of church and state. The constitution simply forbids the government from establishing a “state church” as some of the old European governments STILL have today. (Even some early American states had their own state religion.)
And NO, I do not support a theocratic form of government. If you really want to see what a theocracy will do to a country, take a look at the Middle East today.
Frankly, I am not sure I even believe in freedom of religion in America, anymore. That is a stark statement, I know. But I fear that it will come back to bite us in the rear -- and soon.
The American Muslim community is growing by leaps and bounds. Their belief in Sharia Law is, in my opinion, a direct threat to the national security of the United States of America. I further believe that political correctness is masking this threat, as I perceive it, and in the near future, America will pay a heavy price for choosing not to see what is before our very eyes.
Over the centuries many, many, wars have been fought over religion. Even today, in some parts of the world, “religion wars” continue to rage. I do not want to see that happen in America, but, honestly, I believe that it will. In fact, I believe that it has become inevitable.
If the Christian church in America had not lost its passion for the faith, the annual attacks on the celebration of Christmas would not exist. If the Judeo-Christian community had not retreated in the face of adversity, then the attacks on the Menorah at Hanukah and/or a manger scene at Christmas -- on public property -- would have been a non-starter. It would have been nipped in the bud.
As a Christian I have read the Bible through several times and I must tell you, the actions of Jews and Christians, as depicted in the scriptures, do not mirror those of modern day Christians and Jews. Today’s Judeo-Christian community faces many, if not most, of the same types of adversity as did their forefathers in the faith. Yet, where our founders of the faith stood their ground and refused to be intimidated by the forces arrayed against them, we, today, too often fold our tents and steal away unwilling to stand and fight for what we SAY we believe in.
In his letter to the early Christian church at Ephesus, Saint Paul, the Roman Jew and Apostle of Christ (The early Christian Church was a Jewish Church. Paul found himself in a world of hurt with the early church fathers in Jerusalem for taking the Gospel to the Gentiles.), credited with taking the Christian faith to the Gentiles of the world, instructed the devotees of the Christian faith thusly: “Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13 (This quote is from the American Standard version of the New Testament)
The 2010 version of the Aramaic Bible in Plain English interprets the same scripture this way: “Because of this, put on all the armor of God that you shall be able to confront The Evil One, and when you are ready in all things, you shall stand.”
The Great Reformer, Martin Luther, lived out his life under a death sentence from the Church in Rome because he would not recant his belief. The Protestant Church was born because Martin Luther literally put Saint Paul’s instruction to the church at Ephesus into action. When commanded to recant, he replied – I’m paraphrasing here) “I cannot. Here I STAND. May God help me.”
I disagree with Bro. Martin on a number of things, especially his hatred of the Jews, but I have to give him credit for his courage to stand up for what he believed. In doing so, he changed the world.
If today’s practitioners of the Judeo-Christian faith continue to retreat in the face of adversity, such as the annual attack on Christmas, the continuing attack on the truth of the scriptures as they pertain to sexual abominations, prayer in public places, and so much more, we can be assured our adversary will have no mercy and will give no quarter.
It is time to “stand.”
Longstreet's confusion about why someone would object to government Christmas displays brings to mind the commonly heard canard that this somehow is about people easily offended or faking offense. We’re not talking, though, about the freedom of individuals to say or do something others find offensive; we have that freedom. We’re talking about the government weighing in to promote religion. Under our Constitution, our government has no business doing that--regardless of whether anyone is offended (and regardless of how many or few favor or disfavor any particular religion or religious event). While this is primarily a constitutional point, it is one that conservatives--small government conservatives--should appreciate from a political standpoint as well. While the First Amendment thus constrains government from promoting (or opposing) religion without regard to whether anyone is offended, a court may address the issue only in a suit by someone with "standing" (sufficient personal stake in a matter) to present the court with a "case or controversy"; in order to show such standing, a litigant may allege he is offended or otherwise harmed by the government's failure to follow the law. The question whether someone has standing to sue is separate from the question whether the government has violated the Constitution.
ReplyDeleteThen the Athiest's attempts to destroy my Christmas pleasure injures me and gives me and the majoeity of Americans STANDING.
ReplyDeleteFaultline,
ReplyDeleteYou jest, I suppose, but nonetheless I'll note that "the Atheist" is an individual, not the government, so he or she is free to speak things that offend you--and vice versa.
I have a solution for the Christmas displays on public lands (where there should be free speech). Just put an Athiests Here sign with an arrow pointing to a hole in the ground. Wouldn't that satisfy everyone?
ReplyDeleteYou're on to something. If a government allows anyone to display religious views, it should equally allow others to do so--in which case, a participating atheist could choose his own sign (perhaps not the one you suggest for him).
ReplyDelete