[CS-FSLUG] Statement Regarding Biblical Issues in the 2004 Elections

[Fred Miller]

Statement Regarding Biblical Issues in the 2004 Elections
October 2004

A note from the Editor:

While we may choose to disagree on certain matters of public policy, or
support different political parties, the fact remains that we as Christians
have an objective standard of truth - the Bible - to base our decisions on.
No matter how complex or contemporary the debate might be, the Bible speaks
to it. That's why it's critical to spend time understanding what the Bible
says about the important issues of today - and the 2004 Elections.The
following statement - recently prepared and endorsed by more than 80
Christian leaders - is presented for the thoughtful consideration of all who
are interested in how the Bible might speak to ethical issues in the current
political contests.

A full list of those endorsing this message can be found here:
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/1290875.html

1. Supreme Court justices: People may not consider the appointment of
Supreme Court Justices to be an ethical issue, but it clearly is now because
several of the Court's decisions have imposed on our nation new policies
with significant ethical and religious ramifications.

A slim majority of our current Supreme Court -- and lower courts which
follow their example -- have gone beyond their Constitutionally-defined task
of interpreting laws passed by Congress and state legislatures, and have in
effect created new "laws" that have never been passed by any elected body.
By this process they have imposed on "the people" decrees that allow
abortionists to murder unborn babies (contrary to Exodus 20:13 and Romans
13:9, "you shall not murder"), protect pornographers who poison the minds of
children and adults (contrary to Exodus 20:17, "You shall not covet ... your
neighbor's wife; see also Matt. 5:28), that redefine marriage to include
homosexual couples (thus giving governmental encouragement to actions that
Romans 1:26-28 says are morally wrong), and that banish prayer, God's name
and God's laws from public places (thus prohibiting free exercise of
religion, and violating Romans 13:3 which says that government should be
"not a terror to good cond uct, but to bad"). In taking to itself the right
to decree such policies, the Supreme Court has seriously distorted the
system of "checks and balances" intended by the Constitution between the
legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.

It is unlikely that any elected body such as a city council, state
legislature, or the U.S. Congress, would have decreed policies like those
mentioned above, for such groups are accountable to the will of the people.
Not so the Supreme Court, which is appointed for life. And
democratically-elected members of Congress and state legislatures are
helpless to change those Court-mandated policies unless the makeup of the
Court is changed. We believe the ethical choice is a President and U.S.
Senate committed to appointing judges who will follow the original intent of
the Constitution -- interpret law, not create it; enforce the will of the
people, not thwart it -- rather than candidates who have often voted to
block such judges in votes in the Senate.

2. Defense against terrorists: A fundamental responsibility of government is
to "punish those who do evil" (1 Pet. 2:14) and thus to protect its
citizens. We now face a unique challenge, because terrorists who will
sacrifice their own lives in killing others cannot be deterred by the usual
threat of punishing a criminal after he commits a crime. While Jesus
instructed individuals not to seek personal revenge but to turn the other
cheek (Matt. 5:39), the Bible instructs that governments are responsible to
"bear the sword" (Rom. 13:4) and use force to oppose violent evil. We
believe the ethical choice is support for a candidate who will pursue
terrorists and, when necessary, use force to stop them before they strike
us; not for a candidate who only promises to respond if we are attacked
again.

3. Abortion: The Bible views the unborn child as a human person who should
be protected, since David said to God, "You knitted me together in my
mother's womb" (Psalm 139:13; see also Psalm 51:5; 139:13; Luke 1:44), and
strong penalties were imposed for endangering or harming the life of an
unborn child (Exodus 21:22-23). We believe the ethical choice is for
candidates who believe government should give protection to the lives of
unborn children, and not for those who assert that people have a right to
murder their unborn children.

4. Homosexual marriage: The Bible views marriage as between one man and one
woman, for "a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his
wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:31). Because our
courts have shown a troubling tendency to overturn the laws that have
already been passed concerning marriage, we believe the ethical choice is
for candidates who support a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as
between one man and one woman.

5. Embryonic stem cell research: Creating more human embryos for the purpose
of harvesting their stem cells is contrary to the command, "You shall not
murder" (Exodus 20:13). There is a logical and superior alternative: using
adult stem cells for medical research, because this does not destroy the
life of the adult whose cells are used. We believe the ethical choice is for
a candidate who has decided he will not allow government funds to be spent
to create more human embryos just to take their stem cells.

6. Natural resources: God put human beings on the earth to "subdue it" and
to "have dominion" over the animals (Gen. 1:28). We value the beauty of the
natural world which God created, and we believe that we are called to be
responsible stewards who protect God's creation while we use it wisely and
also seek to safeguard its usefulness for future generations. The Bible does
not view "untouched nature" as the ideal state of the earth, but expects
human beings to develop and use the earth's resources wisely for mankind's
needs (Gen. 1:28; 2:15; 9:3; 1 Tim. 4:4). In fact, we believe that public
policy based on the idealism of "untouched nature" hinders wise development
of the earth's resources and thus contributes to famine, starvation,
disease, and death among the poor. We believe the ethical choice is for
candidates who will allow resources to be developed and used wisely, rather
than for candidates indebted to environmental theories that oppose nearly
all e conomic development in our nation and around the world.

7. Should Christians speak out and try to influence our nation on these
issues? God's people in the Bible often addressed ethical issues with their
governmental rulers. Daniel told the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar to
practice "righteousness" and to show "mercy to the oppressed" (Dan. 4:27);
several Old Testament prophets speak to foreign nations about their sins
(Isaiah 13-23; Ezekiel 25-32, Amos 1-2, Obadiah (to Edom), Jonah (to
Nineveh), Nahum (to Nineveh), Habakkuk 2, Zephaniah 2); and Paul spoke to
the Roman governor Felix "about righteousness and self-control and the
coming judgment" (Acts 24:25).

As Christian leaders, we agree that the primary message of the New Testament
is the good news about salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. But the
primary message is not the entire message, and another significant part of
the New Testament provides instruction regarding how people should live. In
addition to the issues already mentioned, the Bible also teaches us about
the types of laws and regulations governments should pursue and enforce.

The laws of a nation have a significant influence on that nation's moral
climate, for good or for ill. This is because laws can either restrain evil
or encourage it, and because laws also have a teaching function as they
inform people about what a government thinks to be right and wrong conduct.

Therefore we urge pastors and Bible study leaders to teach on these crucial
ethical issues facing our nation. We urge all Christians to remember their
moral obligation to learn about the candidates' positions, to be informed,
and to vote. We urge all Christians to pray that truthful speech and right
conduct on both sides would prevail in this election. We also encourage
Christians to consider doing even more for the good of our nation, such as
giving time or money, or talking to friends and neighbors, or even serving
in office themselves. Such influence for good on the direction of our
country is one important way of fulfilling Jesus command, "You shall love
your neighbor as yourself" (Matt. 22:19).

This statement has been affirmed and endorsed by more than 80 Christian
leaders. A full list can be found here:
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/1290875.html

-- 
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to 
have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the
vote." - Benjamin Franklin 1759