No one should dispute that daily mass
shootings manifest evil in our land. Unfortunately, proposed remedies do not
address the root cause. The government facilitated the moral collapse of
America, but is not the agent to remedy it.
Why did Germans accept the Third Reich
and its extermination of 6 million Jews, or Russians accept Stalin’s pogroms
and murder of 20 million of their nation? How does evil become commonplace and
tolerated in a land? Sadly, it appears to be the same process that leads to
individual corruption. A Biblical example can be traced in Judas: a human sin,
theft (John 12:6); yielding to the devil’s temptation (John 13:2); being fully
under Satan’s Control (Luke 22:3). Trace
a modern example in the heartbreaking song by Casting Crowns, It’s A Slow
Fade (from
the sound track of the movie Fireproof). Each violation of our conscience and
the conviction of the Holy Spirit makes the next easier.
What does the individual’s path to
perdition tell us about national moral collapse? The process of hardening the
conscience of a nation is simply that of sharing our values, for good or bad,
through common channels such as media (news, entertainment), public behavior,
and ultimately social institutions and governments. What was once frowned upon
becomes acceptable, and those advocating “traditional values” are labeled,
marginalized, and ultimately ignored. Each new breach of a sin threshold
becomes easier.
But wait! You say, only a segment of
society has subscribed to that degradation. Sadly, even though only
approximately one third of Germans supported the Nazi party, very few of the
majority actively opposed their oppressive rule. Shirer’s tome, The Rise
and Fall of the Third Reich, records this sad chapter.
The current vituperation of political
partisanship parallels that of the pre-Civil War era. The issue then was
slavery. Both sides claimed Biblical support for their position, but ultimately
one side prevailed and the decision was made.[1] What issue divides us
today? Sadly, it seems that we argue about whether there is any place for faith
in, and obedience to God in our political life. Where did our government
facilitate rebellion against God? Was it Roe vs. Wade (1973)? Engel v. Vitale
(1962)?
The degradation of society can
biblically be traced via Romans 1:18-32. Professing to be wise they became
fools ... and rebelled against God. At both a personal and group level,
rebellion against God opens the door to evil.
As Paul explained to the Romans, in rejecting God’s direction, we, with
His permission, give ourselves over to vile passions and a reprobate mind, and
ultimately reap what we sow. (Proverbs 22:8, Hosea 8:7, Galatians 6:7)
Since we now harvest decades of
sowing, what hope is there of recovery? Even if we admit this root cause of
evil in the land, how do we recover? Biblical examples are bleak. Only Rahab
and her family were saved from Jericho, only Lot and his daughters from Sodom.
Remember Lot’s wife. (Luke 17:32) Since the time of Christ there are examples
of nations, including our own, that have had tremendous revivals in response to
the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit. However, it seems that modern culture is
impervious.
There is a political and social point
that bears further discussion. The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution
starts with “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...” This was interpreted in Engel v.
Vitale, using the 14th amendment, to apply to the states. Thru various
subsequent cases, this ultimately ended with a ban on student-led prayer, in
Santa Fe Independent School Dist. v. Doe (2000). Students and school districts aren’t
the Congress or a state, but dropping context allowed the Supreme Court to
legalistically bam them anyway.
Gun control as a remedy for resident
evil is a bit like taking aspirin for cancer. It may alleviate immediate
symptoms, but does not address the root cause. We may argue that the 14th
amendment was implemented in the environment of abolishing slavery and
establishing federal sovereignty for that purpose. Gun ownership and exercise
of religion are protected in the same bill of rights (2nd &
first amendments, respectively), but they are not the same kind of thing. The
legal interpretation of some rights as absolutes and others as
context-sensitive seems Pharisaical. (Matthew 23:24) The missing element is
that in rebellion against God, evil is free to flourish irregardless of legal
rights or restraining laws. We can’t legislate what is in people’s hearts. But
if we have legislated God out of the picture, we have removed the only
potential remedy for evil.
[1] The connection of the Emancipation Proclamation to the
victory of the Union is discussed in my Memorial
Day blog.
