Our government is of, for and by the people. It is not a supreme entity unto itself. It is people serving people. Government's role is constitutionally limited and it guarantees religious freedom.While not a religion itself, our government is necessarily a reflection of the religious convictions of the governed. Among these convictions is a sense of humanity's dignity and destiny.
Subscribing to a way of life that ignores humanity's dignity and destiny is like taking a bus ride not knowing where it is going or how much the ride will cost. It is as if only the ride mattered. It is appropriate for lawmakers to consider humanity's dignity and destiny in making laws.
Our dignity is an issue with respect to health care. Some people, including me, hold that our human dignity demands that every person has a right to life from conception to natural death. I believe that a health care plan that funds abortions and for government involvement in end-of-life decisions violates our human dignity.
I am not interested in a health care bus ride that treats humanity with less respect than I believe humanity deserves. I might be the next victim of its expediency.
Our destiny is no less a consideration. An Oct. 17 report in The Frederick News-Post noted that the religion of Baha'i believes "the day has come for humanity's unification into one global society." It reminded me of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's thoughts about humanity evolving to an idealistic Omega Point. Chardin was a Jesuit priest whose philosophic muses ran amuck of his own church's conviction that humanity is unable to achieve such a destiny on its own merit and strength.
In his recent encyclical letter "Caritas in Veritate", Pope Benedict XVI too noted the growth toward globalization, but rightly pointed out its dangers as well as its opportunities.
I personally reject the idea that humanity can self-evolve into some sort of utopian society. Too much of what I see suggests otherwise. Evolving to an Omega Point seems unlikely in a world where so many couples seeking love cannot stay true to marriage vows and so many nations seeking peace cannot stay true to signed treaties. Power corrupts.
I think back on the simple children's story of Pinocchio who discovered the lie in worldly promises that led to servitude instead of responsible freedom. Sometimes I find more truth in fairy tales than political promises. I am comforted in knowing that the noted common-sense author Gilbert K. Chesterton thought the same.
I agree that we cannot be so individualistic as to not care about others, but I also believe that we cannot be so socialistic as to dictate how everyone should live. When it comes to politics, we should consider our freedoms and responsibilities based on our perceived dignity and destiny. We should respect differences and find common ground to live peaceably with each other if possible.
My point is that people make a mistake when they allow their political servants to make decisions apart from the religious convictions of the governed.
As you might expect, I take my advice from scripture as in Col 2:8. "Don't let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men's thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said."
mailme@devereauxs.com
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