The Shame and Tyranny of Contact Tracing | True Worldview Ep. 64

Churches as Agents of the State

Pastors and denominational leaders from our state (SC) were in on a live stream conference call with our governor, and we were told to make sure our churches do contact tracing. The first thing that needs to be said is that churches aren’t agents of the state. So, no can do. Except, I was shocked to hear a number of pastors happily comply and ask the best way to do such a thing. So much for understanding the times, or the nature of the state, or the nature of the church for that matter. So, no can do, for a few of us.

State Power

The second thing that needs to be said is that the state must not arrogate more power to itself. The Mayor of Kansas City is demanding the names, addresses, and phone numbers of every person attending worship. According to World Net Dailey, Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver said, “The new order states that by recording names and contact information, the health department will be able 'to more quickly trace, test, and isolate individuals who may have been exposed to COVID-19. The Germans did this very thing to Jews – collecting the names and locations of all known synagogue attendees - in the early days of the Nazi regime.’”

So, a friend of yours tests positive for COVID-19, and you were with him for a few minutes a week earlier. Your friend will be asked for a list of those with whom he’s been in contact, and your name will be on the list. You’ll get a call or a visit and be force quarantined for two weeks. And that’s the least of it. Your privacy will have been compromised, and you’ll be put on other lists that ban you from certain things, like travel, unless you have proper health documentation.

The reality is this move is simply a push for total surveillance. Thomas Luongo noted, “The goal is to finish off the last vestiges of anonymity and individuality started with the destruction of financial privacy during the Clinton Adminstration.” Of course, the surveillance state was ramped up tremendously after 9/11.

Another frightening aspect here is the measure is not merely for tracing and surveillance, but for ensuring social distancing. Millions of people will unwittingly download a contact tracing app on their phones ostensibly to aid with public safety. If they’re not social distancing properly, they’re apt to get a visit from the local authorities. Of course, there are those who think that’s a great idea and are unaware of the consequences of our loss of liberty and privacy.

The Scarlet Letter

Further, those who test positive for COVID-19 become social pariahs. No one wants you around if you’ve got the scarlet letter C on your chest. Even worse, if you’ve been named as someone exposed to COVID-19 through contact tracing, you’ll be punished if you don’t comply with the demands of the state. The end result is an even greater expansion of the surveillance state. As Luongo noted, “They want us snitching on each other and suspect of each other. This is the most pernicious form of social control ever devised, to distrust basic human contact and interaction because there are germs in the world. . . It’s time to end the mass hallucination that we’ve never dealt with something like this before. The mass branding of this COVID-19 as the plague is laughable, and the push for global surveillance is pathetic.” Here’s where we really need a grass roots public service campaign: just say no – to contact tracing.

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3 Simple Reasons Abortion Should Be Outlawed | True Worldview Ep. 62

Most Christians understand that abortion should be outlawed. At the same time, it’s good to have some arguments under our belt. Here are three reasons that are fundamental: it’s unconstitutional, uncivil, and unbiblical.

Abortion is Unconstitutional

First, abortion should be outlawed because it’s unconstitutional. America’s founding documents guarantee the right to life for all citizens. The Declaration of Independence is foundational for understanding the concept of rights in America. Genuine rights are not granted by government, but by God. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In the minds of the founders, there was no debate as to the special place human beings held in the world. Such truth is self-evident. Every human being possesses certain rights due to their God-given humanity. That concept from the Declaration is woven into the Constitution.

Some have argued that babies in the womb are not persons, and are therefore not in view in the Declaration nor are they protected by the United States Constitution. Some would even argue for the immorality of abortion yet argue for its legality. As such, they would argue against an unborn baby’s right to life. Roe v. Wade is rooted in such an argument. Judge Andrew Napolitano noted, “Roe established that the fetus in the womb, notwithstanding human parentage and the possession of all the genomic material needed to develop into a full postnatal human, is legally not a person.”

But, he went on to note that such an establishment echoes back to an earlier Supreme Court decision that most would now reject, “Dred Scott v. Sandford, which was in the abolitionist era and effectively denied the personhood of African-Americans.” The issue today is this: “If the fetus is a person, then it is protected from abortion by the Fifth and 14th amendments to the Constitution, which command the government to protect equally the lives of all people.” So, “What about personhood? Isn't a living baby a person entitled to the equal protection of the laws? Under the natural law, yes. Under the Constitution, yes. Under Roe v. Wade . . . no.” The fact is that Roe v. Wade is unconstitutional as is abortion. Regardless of the philosophical gymnastics behind Roe, the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and protects the lives of all people.

Abortion is Uncivil

Second, abortion should be outlawed because it’s uncivil. In other words, it militates against the nature of civil society. The concept of unalienable rights rooted in America’s founding documents places a duty upon the government to protect those rights. The fifth and 14th amendments to the Constitution are examples of that. Civil government cannot be justified if its primary role is not protecting the rights of the people. If it doesn’t do that, we don’t need it.

The idea of civil society is just that; it is a group of people existing together in a civil manner. Some regard society as bigger than the individual. However, society is not some independent entity; society it is comprised of real individuals. When the welfare of the group becomes overarching, the rights of the individuals are lost. They are forced to submit to those with power regardless of their rights. When society is conceived of as a group entity, then government gives power to a few to coerce the rest of the people. But when society is viewed as persons who have unalienable rights, then government exists to protect the private pursuits of men and women acting freely, as long as they don’t violate the rights of others.

It follows then that abortion militates against the nature of civil society as composed of free individuals. When one segment of society has its rights taken away, the society can no longer be termed a civil society. It is a society that allows at least one kind of indiscriminate murder, and the government that allows it has become an accessory. If one group is no longer protected and safe, then no group is. 

Abortion is Unbiblical

Third, abortion should be outlawed because it is unbiblical. The bible says murder is evil. The primary reason is that it is an act of murder perpetrated against God because man is created in God’s image. “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man” (Gen. 9:6). 

Some would argue that a pluralistic society like America can’t be governed by a set of morals derived from a particular religion. Yet, all religions forbid murder, at least to a certain extent. All societies forbid it. This reality is owing to the fact that people are created in the image of God. The evil of murder is written on our hearts (Romans 2).

Further, there are some issues that are moral only, and there are others that are moral and civil. Murder is both. While God prohibits murder in any context, He certainly prohibits murder in civil society to preserve such. He prohibits it to preserve the right to life He’s granted to all individuals.

Now think here: the fact is, there is no civil society apart from God. Once God is rejected, then relativism is the default position. On that worldview, the ones who have the power make the rules, and the concept of rights is rejected. Such is the case in America today. That’s why unconstitutional arguments have won the day in favor of legalized abortion. Only when the connection is made between a civil society, the rights of the individuals who make up that society, and the role of government to protect those rights, will persons see once again the concept of unalienable rights granted by God.

Abortion must be outlawed for the glory of God, the good of the unborn, and even the ultimate freedom of those who fight for its legalization. They fight for their own civil destruction without realizing it. Again, abortion is unconstitutional, uncivil, and unbiblical. Regarding pro-choice? We have no choice but to remove the scourge of abortion from our land, for the sake of everyone.

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Rethinking Social Distancing (Part 2) | True Worldview Ep. 61

Be Optimistic

Part of how we navigate the world God’s given us is through right thinking and right attitude. We suffer, life is hard sometimes, but Christians should basically be optimistic because God has redeemed us, has given us things to do, and is with us in those endeavors. Optimism drives how we plan and make decisions. At the same time, we must recognize we’re living under the sovereign and providential hand of God. We live in light of James 4: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’;  whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil” (13-16). So, we make our plans submitted to the sovereign decree of God. We’re optimistic in those plans: seeking to multiply the “talents” God has given us (Matt. 25:14-30) while resting in God’s providence for us. We must have a can-do attitude.

Be Proactive

Is our outlook one of fear, or confidence? Do we proceed on the basis of knowledge, or what is heaped upon us by the government or mainstream media? We know both of those entities routinely manipulate information to create their own narrative for a variety of reasons. Do we sit back and wait for the government to save us, or do we trust the Lord and seek to solve problems on our own? Think about Prov. 22:13: “The lazy man says, ‘There’s a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” The point is clear: the lazy man sees a danger and shelters in place. He hunkers down in fear. But God has not given His people a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7). He’s given us the ability to think and reason soundly: to come up with solutions. The implication of the Proverb is that a righteous man sees the lion, the problem, and devises a plan to overcome it. We need to trust in God and figure out how to defeat the virus, keep the economy buzzing, and work in social community the way God has designed us to, all at the same time. Specifically here, we’re rethinking social distancing.

Nine More Reasons to Cease from Social Distancing (For the first seven, see Part 1).

Here’s an eighth reason to cease from social distancing: we’re fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14), and our immune system is resilient. The current focus on the virus itself, the futile effort to halt it’s spread, and the dictatorial sentiments behind the production of a vaccine, all discount the “terrain” of our bodies. In addition to combatting the spread of the virus in other ways, we must focus on ensuring the health of our immune systems. The way Dr. Fauci and the mainstream media have discounted certain things like making sure we are not Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc deficient is criminal. Actual studies in the field, real numbers, tell us that Hydroxychloroquine, Zinc, and Azithromycin is an effective treatment for a majority of COVID-19 patients. Yet this treatment along with one or two others are demonized by Dr. Fauci, because they don’t fit their carefully constructed narrative. There is recent evidence that many routine procedures such as putting patients on ventilators when they shouldn’t, among other things, are leading to an increased number of deaths.

Ninth, extreme social distancing, like a lockdown, hinders the development of herd immunity. “Herd immunity is where enough people – most of whom will have very minor, or no, symptoms – contract COVID-19, develop antibodies against it, and recover. Since those who have the antibodies can neither get, nor pass on, coronavirus, it runs into more and more ‘dead ends’ as it tries to spread. ‘It finds it harder to get to a host where it can survive and it dies out,” Dr. David Katz says.

Tenth, in light of the way viruses spread through aerosolized particles, does anyone believe standing six feet apart is a real solution? As Dr. David Brownstein noted, even facemasks don’t work.

Eleventh, I mentioned a can-do attitude. Such an attitude is rooted in several biblical principles. Here are two. First, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil. 1:13). That doesn’t mean we can’t get sick. But it does mean that we have the spiritual ability to handle whatever comes our way. That’s the attitude part. Second, we’ve been given a mandate to subdue the earth (Gen. 1:28; 9:1f). That’s the tackling the problem part. We’ve not only been given the mandate to find workable solutions that take into account fending off a virus while not tearing down the superstructure of civilization we’ve built up over the last six-thousand years, we’ve been given the brain-power and resources for innovation and efficiency. But old and political models have us cowered in a corner. It’s time to be image-bearers and get to work.

Twelfth, God has given all human beings certain unalienable rights. They include the rights to life and liberty. They’re enshrined in America’s founding documents. No one has the right to lock down entire groups of people, cities, or a nation. No one has the right to keep us from assembling with one another. Moreover, we have the right to make medical/health decisions for ourselves. While the spirit of technocracy is alive and well in our world, we must not succumb to its tyranny. Our basic freedoms including our religious freedoms have been trampled. Forced social distancing is nothing short of criminal.

Thirteenth, Christians don’t run from people or trouble, they run toward it. While people ran from lepers, Jesus reached out and touched them. Christians in eras gone by ministered to the sick and dying and those who’d been abandoned in the streets when various plagues descended upon them. The pagans hid indoors, while the Christians demonstrated the love and power of Christ. Yes, many of them died as a result. But they actually knew and felt that living was Christ, and dying was gain (Phil. 1:21).

Fourteenth, Christianity is not about isolation but community. The gathered community of faith is mandated and puts God’s glory on display (Heb. 10:25; Hag. 1:8). The church breaks down barriers that divide people (Eph. 3:10). It doesn’t create or foster division. Christianity is about fellowship with God and with one another. You can’t experience that and social distance at the same time. We all know that livestreaming and zooming is not church.

Fifteenth, while we Christians can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, even bear with a lockdown, there are millions who cannot, because they don’t have Christ. Many have already died because of the lockdown by being hindered from getting needed medical treatment or by committing suicide. There will be many more. Some will die of starvation. The tragic results of the lockdown, and many predict it’s certainty, could be far worse than the virus itself. People don’t do well in isolation.

Sixteenth, the fact is that 99% of those who contract the virus recover. A majority of us may have already been exposed. Most who get the virus experience minor symptoms and many don’t even know they’ve had it. The lockdown and social distancing really makes no sense.

We weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15). There are those who have died from COVID-19, and it’s truly tragic. And, if someone is in a high-risk category, or is sick and would endanger others, then by all means, they should take the proper precautions. But despite what we’re being told, that all of us are carriers of a virus that’s a death warrant for those who contract it, nothing cold be further from the truth. The facemasks, the fearful looks, the suspicious whispers, and the snitching neighbors all tell the tale. We’re not carriers of the plague. We’re not lepers, and we can’t treat each other as such. It’s time to rethink social distancing.

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Rethinking Social Distancing (Part 1) | True Worldview Ep. 60

A Lament

There’s a verse that describes our situation in this political crisis connected to Coronavirus: “How lonely sits the city That was full of people! How like a widow is she, Who was great among the nations! The princess among the provinces Has become a slave” (Lam. 1:1)! While our context is different from ancient Israel’s, our cities feel lonely and empty as everyone is under stay-at-home orders. The city is like a widow. The heartbreak is palpable, not only for those who have died and lost loved ones, or for those who’ve lost jobs, but also for those who’ve suffered and died as a result of the shutdown, as well as for what’s coming. While no one really knows what the ultimate economic fall-out will be, we’re already told to brace for food shortages. That’s a dynamic most of us have never had to face. The cracks in our nation are showing. And the sad fact is that it didn’t have to be this way, but you’ll never get the perpetrators to admit it or be held accountable. We’ve become slaves.

A Precaution

But I want to speak briefly to the issue of social distancing, and in particular, I want to urge all of us, but especially Christians, to reject it out of hand. Let me say quickly that if you are in a high-risk category, then by all means, please take every precaution, and protect yourself. If you visit anyone in a high-risk category, you should take care not to endanger them. And that’s not true for a coronavirus only, that’s true for the flu or anything else. Those in high risk categories are in danger from everything, and there are many viruses more dangerous than COVID-19. But, generally speaking, there are reasons for the rest of us to cease the social distancing.

A Plea: Seven Reasons to Stop Social Distancing

First, God Himself is trinitarian by nature. He is one God who’s revealed Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. His very nature is community. We’re told in John 1 that the Father and the Son have face-to-face fellowship from eternity. The Christian community is a reflection of God. We’re created to be in community with God and one another.

Second, God said in Genesis that it’s not good for man to be alone. In context, He makes Adam and Eve husband and wife: life-partners. But the principle is true for all of humanity: it’s not good for us to be alone. When people live in isolation, certain spiritual, social, and even physical problems develop over time. Prov. 18:1 says, “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.” A person who isolates himself has rejected community for whatever the reason. The picture couldn’t be more graphic. “He rages against all wise judgment.” It’s not wise to force people into isolation. We know the tragic results, and it’s sheer hypocrisy for our government and the mainstream media to do so in the name of a virus that’s relatively harmless to most, and even less threatening to persons in high risk groups than the flu.

Third, that’s not to say that COVID-19 is not a danger to high-risk persons. It is, and those in that category should self-isolate, as we’ve said. But everyone else should proceed as normal so that herd immunity can develop, the virus can run its course, and then even high-risk persons can come out again.

In fact, a group of doctors put out a piece entitled Coronavirus Truths. Among other things, they say we’ve been lied to. We’ve been told we don’t know much about the virus, but we do. We hear daily that the virus is more infectious than the flu. It’s not. In fact, the flu is much more virulent. The flu is actually far more dangerous despite the fact we’ve been told the opposite. We’ve also been told COVID-19 is more dangerous because you can have it without knowing it. That’s true of all viruses when they’re being shed, and COVID-19 is far less contagious than the flu. And yes, the virus is more dangerous to the elderly and immunocompromised, but so is everything else, as we’ve noted. We see daily numbers of infections and deaths, and yet the books have been cooked. The media, say these doctors, has grossly misrepresented this disease, and they will continue to manipulate us by predicting a spike in deaths if we open the country too soon. They’re already doing just that. Though we’ve been told the opposite, not every country has shut down their economy, and none of those countries have suffered higher rates of death. The medical community has failed us they say. This virus has been treated as a world-ender, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Fourth, social distancing is the world’s answer, not God’s. It tears community apart. It’s tearing our nation apart. Have you noticed how people look at you in the grocery store with fear and suspicion? And how about those who report their neighbors for taking a jog? That’s not American, and it’s certainly not Christian. It’s Satan who tears apart. God, the gospel, and the church bring people together (Ephesians 3).

Fifth, the government is picking winners and losers. Walmart will survive, even thrive, but a large number of mom-and-pop operations will not. Home Depot will thrive, but many restaurants will never re-open. The State has no right to say who’s essential and who’s not. We’re all essential; we all make up the economy. The State has no right to prevent people from earning a living. The surveillance and subsequent police raid on a woman cutting hair in her Texas home should cause all of us to collectively shout, “Enough!”

Sixth, there’s the inconsistency. We’re told that only x number of people can be in the store at one time, yet we stand in the parking lot shoulder to shoulder until we’re released into the vastness of Lowe’s. We’d be better off if all were allowed inside to start with. We’re allowed to congregate in the Lowe’s parking lot, but we can’t go to church or worship from our cars in the church parking lot. Our overlords at the national and state levels can stand shoulder to shoulder in the daily news briefings, but if you’re the lone person shooting baskets in the park, you’ll be arrested. For the life of me, I can’t understand how any of this is being tolerated.

Seventh, the government would have us believe that every American is the carrier of a deadly virus. Criticizing out-of-work protesters who were pleading for the lockdown to end and rightly saying that some things are worse than the virus, namely a decimated economy and the devasting results, Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York, replied, “What could be worse than the virus? The virus is death.” Yes, some have died. And that’s truly tragic. But the virus is not death. Ninety-nine percent of people who contract it recover. Most will not contract it, and those who do will suffer mild symptoms, and many won’t even know they had it. But this is the official narrative, and the people have been sold a lie. Psychological warfare is being waged against this country.

These are only a few of the reasons why social distancing must end. We’ll highlight a few more in Part 2. But suffice it to say, it’s not God’s way, and it’s far worse than the virus. It’s a nation-killer.

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It's Time for the Shutdown to End (Part 1) | True Worldview Ep. 57

Unprecedented. That’s one of the few words I can think of to describe the times we’re in, not because we’re in a health crisis rivaling the plague – we’re not – despite the job the main stream media and other bad actors have done to convince us that such is the case. I’m talking about the evisceration of our liberties – our God-given rights – and the power grab to which the State has availed itself. And among the population, Statism is alive and well just as it was in the first century under Caesar. The masses are looking to the State to be their savior from a manufactured crisis manipulated to evoke that very response. It’s not that COVID-19 is not a deadly virus, it is, though it’s not that different than seasonal flu, if at all. The real issue is this: it’s the end of America as we know it if the people don’t make their voices heard.

Loving Neighbor

For Christians, our priority is to glorify God in all we do. That involves of first priority spreading the gospel. We’re to love God and neighbor. And yet, we have to define those terms biblically. It’s common among Christians in these uncommon times to say those in favor of ending the shutdown, or going to church, or going to the park for a jog, are not loving their neighbors. “Which of your family members do you want to die,” they ask. I could just as easily respond by saying those in favor of maintaining the shutdown don’t love their neighbors. The longer we go the more will lose their homes, their ability to feed their families, and so on. Many will die from suicide or a lack of health insurance, and any number of other devastating results are already apparent. But such accusations are not only unbiblical, for we love our neighbors in many ways, but they are rooted in a false dichotomy. All Christians love their neighbors, and all Christians make decisions on the information available to them. I would never accuse a genuine brother of not loving his neighbor simply because he disagrees with me on the oppressive response of the State in this situation. And I urge my brothers not to accuse me of not loving my neighbor simply because they believe the shutdown is the way to go.

Principles, not Platitudes

Further, regardless of where one stands on the issue of how serious a health crisis COVID-19 is, we need to react to it based on principles, not platitudes. Neither we nor government can base decisions on pragmatic considerations. Principles are inviolable; no one has the right to take away the liberties that God has given. No one has the right to shut down businesses, force people to stay in their homes, or limit church attendance. The Constitution forbids it, but more importantly, the Scriptures forbid it. Before the State could forcibly quarantine someone, it would have to prove in a court of law that an individual is an imminent threat to others. The State has no right to simply impose stay-at-home orders on persons in a given area.

Religious Freedom

The issue is freedom in general, and yes, it’s also an issue of religious freedom. Some churches in certain areas are being targeted. This development should cause all of us to raise an opposing voice. And while most other churches are not being targeted per se, those Christian leaders who tell us this is not an issue of religious freedom are doing us a great disservice. At the very least, any lockdown order or limitation on church attendance is a direct violation of the First Amendment which guarantees that the free exercise of religion shall not be prohibited.

Romans 13

Moreover, Romans 13 does not teach that government exists for the general welfare. That phrase from the Constitution is being imposed on the biblical text. Paul is saying that God has ordained government, even the persecution of Christians by Nero Caesar, for our spiritual good in a Rom. 8:28-30 sense, that is our sanctification. We submit to government because they do not hold the sword in vain. In other words, they will imprison or execute you if you resist them. We also submit for conscience sake, or as Peter puts it (1 Peter 2), for conscience toward God. By that he means there are times when we generally submit to government so as not to be accused by unbelievers as being evildoers. When they do accuse us as such, it should be because we’re obeying God as opposed to being engaged in criminal activity. While we didn’t at the beginning of this crisis, we now have Christian leaders and Christian denominations calling for civil disobedience. One can’t call for such and have the common view of Romans 13 at the same time. My point is not to say civil disobedience shouldn’t be on the table. On the contrary, it most certainly should be. But only a biblical view of Romans 13 will allow for it before God, not the common misinterpretation most Christians hold.

Finally, we’re having a serious discussion about grave issues in momentous times. It’s time to end the shutdown. May we continue the dialog and come to a unified conclusion in the very near future.

Part 2 to Follow

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Identity Politics and the Sovietization of America | True Worldview Ep. 52

Identity Politics & the Sovietization of America

Identity politics is more destructive than we realize. While the purveyors of woke culture tell us they’re seeking a level playing field, the reality is they’re making a power play. Intersectionality is rooted in the philosophy of might makes right, and the trickle-down is pervasive.

Turning Co-Workers into Enemies

Paul Craig Roberts talks about a college professor who came to the US from the former Soviet Union and warns us of the Sovietization of America. She’s not talking about economic socialism but the censure of reasoned discourse. She sounds the alarm that identity politics allows “people to hound and persecute with impunity. People love it because it allows a little person to completely destroy somebody who has done something great.” Where she teaches, they “have this bias response team that prowls the campus looking for signs of non-compliance. We had the same thing in the Soviet Union. Right now they’re on campus, but eventually, they’re going to be in every workplace. In the workplace as well as in the educational system, the culture created by diversity and sensitivity training turns co-workers into enemies.”

She’s right. One need only look at the “Me Too” movement and the underlying assumption that every woman must be believed regardless of the evidence or facts. The professor’s further point is that populations are easy to manipulate and control when people are set against each other. “That’s what it is like under totalitarianism.” 

In the Soviet Union, the government was built on an atheistic worldview. Controlling people was part of their function. So too now in our culture. Don’t miss that. It’s not merely governments moving to control people; our culture wants to do the same. That’s the power play. Identity politics is not about equality but power.

Turning Scholarship into Slogans

The professor also highlights the elimination of reasoned discourse in academia. In the “Soviet Union when you were a student and assigned to write a paper, you knew that the thing to do was to go straight to the correct books in the library and copy the relevant articles, word for word, with no deviations. ...When I entered the university in Canada, the teacher really did want me to think for myself…It was so weird, but so liberating. Now, I’m seeing young people who are just like we were in the Soviet Union. They are afraid to think for themselves. They only want to know what the “right” answer is, and repeat it.” She laments that graduate students are not able to produce scholarship but only a “collection of woke slogans.” Students are not only incapable of critical thinking, but they’re afraid. If they come to an out-of-step conclusion, they’ll only be cancelled. Woke culture is cancel culture. If you don’t repeat their mantra, you’re anathematized. That’s our future.

What we need instead of the Sovietization of America is the Kingdomization of America. In one sense, it’s the rekindling of the old concepts of freedom of speech, religion, and association. It’s the notion of a truly pluralistic society rooted in old-style tolerance and liberty and justice for all. These are Kingdom principles for civil society – the outworking of the gospel. For those things we must labor.

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COVID-19 and Freedom in America | True Worldview Ep. 51

Coronavirus & Freedom in America

Perhaps the biggest question that needs to be asked during this time of crisis is can the government restrict our movements as they have? Judge Andrew Napolitano, a former judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey who’s written nine books on the U.S. Constitution says “freedom is the default position.” The rights that we have come not from the State but are rooted in our humanity. We know they come from God, but that’s just the point.

Imbedded in the US Constitution is what philosophers call the non-aggression principle. “All aggression against persons and property even by government is immoral.” Individuals have the freedom to do as they please as long as they don’t violate the God-given rights of others. So, the question remains, can the government “confine persons against their will in order to protect public health?”

Let’s think biblically as we wade into an answer. Can we lock someone up for committing a criminal act like theft, murder, or enslaving others? Answer? Yes. Can we lock someone up who has not committed a criminal act? Answer? No. Can we lock someone up who looks like they might commit a criminal act at some point in the future? No, we can’t do that. Can we lock someone up for being a racist? As reprehensible as racism is, we can’t do that. What if someone is hurling empty threats and insults at me as I go on my merry way? Can we imprison him? It’s no violation of my rights if someone hates me, insults me, or even hurls empty threats at me. We can’t put him in jail. But what if someone is pointing a loaded gun in my face, says he’s going to kill me, pulls the trigger, or makes an aggressive move? Can I or someone else stop him? Do I or someone else have the right to use deadly force in that instance as self-defense or in defense of others? The answer to each of those question is yes. Moreover, if the individual were stopped before he got a shot off, or if his shot missed, he would be imprisoned for attempted murder. The difference between him and the guy hurling empty threats is just that: empty threats are not criminal. But when one violates the liberty of another or is imminently about to do so, he is guilty of criminal activity and subject to imprisonment after due process and conviction at a criminal trial.

With those biblical principles in mind, hear Napolitano on whether the government then may quarantine someone for reasons of public safety. “The short answer is yes, but the Constitution requires procedural due process. That means a trial for every person confined. Thus, a government-ordered quarantine of all persons in a city block or a postal ZIP code or a telephone area code would be an egregious violation of due process, both substantive and procedural. Substantively, no government in America has the lawful power to curtail natural rights by decree.”

Why due process? To determine if one is an actual threat. Napolitano puts it this way: “Procedurally, notwithstanding the fear of disease contagion, the states and feds may only quarantine those who are actively contagious and will infect others imminently. And it must present evidence of both at a trial at which it bears the burden of proof. While the non-aggression principle permits offensive aggression in self-defense when an attack is imminent and certain, that is a high standard for the government to meet, as it should be. Freedom — even the freedom of a madman or a dangerously sick and contagious person — is the default position. Infringing upon it without procedural due process is always constitutionally impermissible.”

In another piece, Napolitano points out that the Supreme Court unanimously rebuked President Lincoln during the Civil War when he imprisoned persons who challenged a number of decisions he made. He claimed he was acting for the good of the citizenry – for public safety. The point they made was that whether in war or in the midst of a global pandemic, the Constitution protects our God-given rights “and its provisions are to be upheld when they pinch as well as whey they comfort.”

Many governors during this crisis are acting in a totalitarian way and in so doing are violating the rights of tens of millions of persons. They have no right to do so constitutionally nor do they have the right to do so biblically. Would Paul tell the Roman church they had to submit to Nero if he wanted to enslave them or kill them? Jesus said when they persecute you in one city flee to another (Matt. 10:23). Paul said if you’re converted while a slave, don’t worry about it. But, if you can be free, use it (1 Cor. 7:21). The point is that Christians do submit to government for God’s glory and their witness. They are not troublemakers but good citizens. However, our submission is not absolute. The Hebrew midwives defied the decree of Pharaoh (Exodus 1). Daniel openly disobeyed the decree of King Darius (Daniel 6). The apostles defied civil authorities and never ceased to preach the gospel (Acts 4). 

Part of our problem is a surface interpretation of Romans 13. Many Christians believe God gave government for the public, civic good, and it implements God’s righteous decrees. Yet, Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for taking their lawsuits before the unrighteous civil authorities. How dare you do such a thing he says (1 Cor. 6:1f). He also says that Jesus must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet. Those enemies include all earthly rulers (1 Cor. 15:24f). Psalm 2 says the rulers of the earth are against Christ. Daniel says that the kingdom of God will smash all other earthly kingdoms to pieces in the end (Daniel 2). The point is that earthly governments are not God’s representatives. They are his servants just like Satan is. And, they have a measure of authority, but they do not have the right to violate the rights of others. Authority and rights are two different things.

Again, Christians may submit to imprisonment or martyrdom for the sake of the gospel. But they may also flee. Jesus told Christians to flee when they saw Roman imperial troops surrounding their city (Matthew 24). Paul tells slaves to submit to their masters. Do they have authority? Answer, yes. Do they have a right to enslave others? Answer? No. Husbands have authority, but they don’t have the right to violate the rights of their wives. These principles are basic. Government has authority, but it doesn’t have the right to violate our rights. From Napolitano again: “The Contracts Clause of the Constitution prohibits the states from interfering with lawful contracts, such as leases and employment agreements. And the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits the states from interfering with life, liberty or property without a trial at which the state must prove fault. The Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment requires just compensation when the state meaningfully interferes with an owner’s chosen lawful use of his property. . . Add to all this, the protection in the First Amendment of the right to associate and the judicially recognized right to travel — both of which are natural rights — and it is clear that these nanny state rules are unconstitutional, unlawful and unworthy of respect or compliance.”

Why is this happening? Because people are always willing to trade freedom for safety. Benjamin Franklin said people who do such are worthy or neither. A lot of Christians are clamoring for the government to do what they’re doing in the name of public safety. With all due respect, you have the right to sacrifice your freedom, but you don’t have the right to sacrifice mine. 

Anthony Fauci is talking about round two of this next year. Are we going to tolerate shutting the country down on a regular basis? We need Christian leadership here. There’s a difference between being a good citizen and allowing the government to take away the freedoms of everyone. That’s not being a good citizen or loving your neighbor. Christians leaders above all should be leading here. I’m not calling for revolt. But I am calling for the church to speak with clarity and boldness; to speak up for the least of these; to bring a biblical worldview to the public square on this issue; to take a seat at the table; and to preach the gospel and it’s implications for civil government and society in this hour of need. Too much is a stake to remain silent, and way too much is at stake if we roll over and shill for the US government, something the Scripture calls a rival kingdom to the kingdom of God.

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What is God Doing in the Midst of the Coronavirus Outbreak? | True Worldview Ep. 50

Coronavirus and What God is Doing

We have questions. How dangerous is COVID-19? How far will it go? How effective is social distancing and the other drastic measures that have been imposed? Is the cost of shutting down public gatherings, restaurants, bars, and the like, resulting in businesses closing, massive lay-offs, the disappearance of personal savings, bankruptcies, supply chain derailments, and a lot more, or is the cost of simply taking ordinary precautions and letting the virus run its course greater? Knowing how viruses work and what COVID-19 is, some medical experts say the steps we’ve taken will actually make matters worse. Is that right or wrong, and how do we know?

And yet, there is still a more important question: a question of ultimate significance. What is God up to? None of this has taken Him by surprise. He’s doing something and we’d do well to ponder that.

God Is Sovereign

God is absolutely sovereign over all things including COVID-19, the economic disaster to come, and those actors who’ve added to the misery in one way or another. "If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it (Amos 3:6)?" This simple truth may shock the sensibilities of some, but who would want to worship a God who is not sovereign? God’s sovereignty does not negate His goodness and grace. His sovereignty is simply a fact. He governs all things, including our current situation. Isaiah agrees with Amos and could not be more clear when he quotes God Himself: "I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things (Isa. 45:7)." At the same time, Amos refers to a trumpet of warning. There is no doubt the Lord of all creation has many purposes in mind with a calamity of this nature and magnitude. 

Sanctifying His People

First, God is no doubt sanctifying His people. We can say this with certainty as the Scripture says, "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the First-born among many brothers (Rom. 8:28-29)." Paul affirms that all things work for the good of believers. He then defines that good as being conformed to the image of God's Son that He might be glorified. Many believers are suffering and will suffer. While the situation itself is not good, the Lord will indeed work it for their good. That is His promise. 

Demonstrating His Power

Second, it is possible that COVID-19 was sent as a demonstration of God’s power before wicked men, whether the virus itself is a greater threat than other seasonal viruses or whether the virus was used to manufacture a crisis. God superintends over it all. In Ex. 9:14 we read, "For at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth." When men shake their fists in the face of God, He sometimes moves in a mighty way to remind them of who is King. His word is clear on this point. He wants men to know that there is none like Him in all the earth.

Exalting His Name 

Third, the Lord may have desired the exaltation of His Name in all the earth. God exists for His own glory and does what He does for His own glory. He alone deserves glory and honor and worship and praise and must have such in order to be true to His character. If He did not demand such, He would not be God, or He would be an idolater. As God, He cannot give up His glory, or He would not be God. Nor can He glorify another, for that would be to give glory to something that did not deserve glory which would be idolatry. God cannot fail to glorify Himself, as His character exudes glory. Thus, His glory, His reputation, and/or His Name, must be exalted in all the earth. That is why God says to Pharaoh, "But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth” (Ex. 9:16). The God of Heaven above and the earth beneath sent the plagues on Egypt in Pharaoh’s day, and He sent the plagues of viral and economic disaster in our day that His Name might be exalted in all the earth.

Bringing Temporal Judgment 

Fourth, is it possible that God has brought temporal judgment on a wicked country in particular, or the whole world, or perhaps even the church as part of her chastening? While we must be careful not to make statements of possibility into fact, and while we must not think that any particular people deserve punishment any more than any other human being lost or saved, we may say that it is possible that God brought temporal judgment for certain reasons. Peter warns us: "[God turned] the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, He condemned them with an overthrow, setting an example to men intending to live ungodly (2 Pet. 2:6)." Conditions of this magnitude are an example to those who intend to live ungodly lives. 

What about believers in hard-hit areas or circumstances? Some were like Lot. "And He delivered righteous Lot, oppressed with the lustful behavior of the lawless. For that righteous one living among them, in seeing and hearing, his righteous soul was tormented from day to day with their unlawful deeds (2 Pet. 2:7-8)." And others were like some of the saints listed in Hebrews 11 who “had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings; yes, more, of bonds and imprisonments. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented (36-37)." This text is a call to faith regardless of the state of affairs. Our problem is that we so often fail to take God seriously, even in the church. 

Highlighting His Grace

Fifth, by these events, God certainly affords us an opportunity to put the grace and power of Christ on display through ministry. Our Lord gives us that opportunity both for our sake and the sake of those to whom we minister. Jesus said, "For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in; I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me (Matt. 25:35-36)." At the same time, as noted, His glory is on display. There are and will be countless opportunities to share the love of Christ both now and in the coming days. At least part of what God intends is that people would fear Him that they might get a sense of their own lost and helpless condition, fly to Christ, and be saved. 

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COVID-19: Danger, Hype, Opportunists, and God | True Worldview Ep. 49

COVID-19: Danger, Hype, Opportunists, and God

Danger

There is a real threat upon us with this Coronavirus. We all know that people have died, and it’s spreading. We also know that the virus is most dangerous/deadly to people who are older, who have underlying health problems, or who are immunocompromised. For most however, the virus appears to pose no greater threat than seasonal flu. More people have been infected and died with seasonal flu than COVID-19 this winter, and there are other more serious threats to some. Over one million die each year from tuberculosis for example. 

Hype

And yet, we’re all experiencing the media’s frenzied hype. There is much misinformation due in part to the drive for ratings and perhaps in part due to some who can’t resist embellishment for whatever personal reasons. One government official when on television said COVID-19 is ten times more deadly than seasonal flu. The same official stated to Congress that it’s no more deadly than seasonal flu. Of course, the media has played up the first statement. Leaders on both sides of the political aisle have run the gamut from dismissal of a threat, to making jokes about who they wished would contract it, to excoriation, to near-panic. And the media has puffed it all.

Opportunists

And then there are the opportunists. We may wonder at the differing motivations for different actors across the globe in this thing. Regardless of your political leanings, there’s one thing we can all agree on: it’s an election year, and those who have a visceral hatred of the President are using this crisis against him every way they can. As Rahm Emanuel quipped, “You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that, it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”

Some have offered credible and troubling thoughts based on different kinds of evidence. Certain insiders have speculated this whole thing is a hoax to take away more of our liberties. Others have averred it’s a test to determine how easily populations can be controlled. Some say the virus came from a Chinese lab by accident, and still others assert it’s a US bio-weapon inadvertently released. Financial experts have warned of economic collapse for some time and see global actors using the virus as cover for their failing. The fall-out for economic policy-makers would be horrendous if they were to blame and not something like a pandemic.

God  

And yet, in the end, we can trust God. We know He’s in control and that He loves His people. We know He does all things for our good – to conform us to the image of His Son. Regardless of the virus or those who would use it for hidden purposes, none of it has taken the Lord by surprise. And remember, God will keep you in perfect peace, when your mind is stayed on Him, because you trust in Him (Isa. 26:3).

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Transgenderism Up 1500% | True Worldview 46

Transgenderism Up 1500%

Here’s a shocker that’s not so shocking to those who think: transgenderism has grown by 1500% among Swedish girls between thirteen and eighteen over the last ten years. What is truly stunning is the comment from Peter Salmi, an investigator at the national Board of Health and Welfare, who said, “Yes, that the increase is clear, there is no doubt, however, we do not know what the increase is due to.” Wait, what?

Cultural Conditioning

So here we have something that is not merely a minor deviation from the norm over thousands of years of recorded history. It’s not something in the water. It’s not drug-induced. Let’s just throw this in: it’s not a product of natural selection. Alex Newman got it right when he observed, “The brainwashing and Swedish government peddling of gender confusion starting even before Kindergarten is obviously working.” That’s the reason; children are being taught. Gender dysphoria is the result of cultural conditioning. The larger culture has followed suit. For example, one news program “portrayed a confused young girl as some sort of hero for impersonating a boy, complete with adults showering the confused child with praise for her ‘bravery.’” 

Cultural Consequences

What are the implications? For one, “in virtually any other context, encouraging people to irreversibly mutilate themselves in a futile effort to make reality conform to their delusions would be regarded as cruel, if not criminal.” To subvert biology, history, and indeed reality is to impose a certain kind of death on the individual as well as the larger culture. 

Second, future consequences for the individual and society are ignored in favor of the latest political fad. Politics not rooted in principle are tantamount to slavery – or possibly murder – depending on the outcome. 

Cultural Chaos

Moreover, per Newman, “literally every cell in their body testifies to the fact that they are either male or female. By contrast, the last thing in the world they need is dishonest and insane adults cheering them on as . . . ‘doctors’ pump them full of hormones and surgically mutilate their genitals . . . It is time for the madness to end . . . As the American College of Pediatricians explained, brainwashing children to believe it is normal and healthy to impersonate the opposite sex with hormones and surgery is child abuse.”

These are strong words, but appropriate words – attention-getting words – the type of words warranted in desperate times. Ultimately, nothing short of a return to a full-orbed biblical worldview will end the madness. When there is no God, as Greg Koukl pointed out, your feet are planted firmly in mid-air. When your feet are planted there, mutilating children is brave. It’s braver still when one considers that children can’t think for themselves. Huxley’s brave new world was frightening, but not this frightening.

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What Does Render to Caesar That Which is Caesar's Mean? | True Worldview Ep. 40

Rendering Unto Caesar or God?

Yet another oft misunderstood text is, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” (Lk. 20:25). Most assume that Jesus means there are some things that belong to Caesar, or the government, and other things that belong to God. But that’s not what Jesus means at all.

Jesus Absolute Authority Over All Things

Luke has been making a case for Jesus’ absolute authority over all things. He first does so with The Triumphal entry, as Jesus fulfills prophecy by riding in on a colt for Passover (Lk. 19:28-40). It’s an assertion of His Messiahship. 

Jesus then weeps over Jerusalem because they’ve rejected Him and will be judged (Lk. 19:41-44). He’s the Judge. 

Luke next gives us an account of Jesus cleansing the temple. Jesus declares His authority as He does so by saying “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves’” (Lk. 19:46). The temple belongs to Him. 

At that point the Jewish religious leaders determine to kill Jesus. In Luke 20:2 they confront Him with the key question: “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?” Jesus deftly turns their question back on them and tells the parable of the wicked vinedressers (Lk. 20:9-19). The owner of a vineyard sends three groups of servants to procure some fruit from the vineyard, and they’re turned away each time. He then sends His Son, and the vinedressers kill him. Jesus is speaking of the Jewish religious leaders. They turned away the prophets, and they’re going to crucify God’s Son. Jesus is openly declaring Himself to be the Son of God. 

Caesar vs. God

They understood Jesus was talking about them and plotted further how they could seize Him and turn Him over to Rome to be executed (Lk. 20:19). It’s at that point they seek to catch Jesus in a trap (Lk. 20:20). He’s in the temple, and they ask Him if it’s lawful to pay taxes to Caesar (Lk. 20:22). Jesus then turns the tables on them, as He did so often. Luke tells us, “But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, ‘Why do you test Me? ‘Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?’ They answered and said, ‘Caesar’s. And He said to them, ‘Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.” If Jesus is simply saying some things belong to Caesar, and some things belong to God, why did they marvel at His words?

The Background

Jeffrey Barr points out in AD 6 Rome imposed a census tax on the Jews. Judas the Galilean led a revolt, and the Romans brutally combatted it for decades. Pontius Pilate was a cruel and brutal dictator who was Rome’s chief soldier, magistrate, and tax collector in the region. A few years prior to Luke’s account, Pilate had put up effigies of the Emperor on the fortress Antonia which adjoined the Jewish Temple. There was a near insurrection as Jewish law forbade graven images and their presence in the holy city of Jerusalem. Pilate removed the images and thus avoided a war, but Jerusalem continued to be a hotbed of political and religious fervor.

The Coin

The denarius bore the image of Tiberias Caesar as well as the imperial seal. Barr points out that “it differed from the copper coins issued by the Roman Senate, and it was also the coin with which subjected peoples, in theory, were required to pay the tribute. Tiberius even made it a capital crime to carry any coin stamped with his image into a bathroom or a brothel. In short, the denarius was a tangible representation of the emperor’s power, wealth, deification, and subjugation.” Only soldiers, Roman officials, and Jewish leaders in league with Rome would have used this particular coin. Jesus did not possess this coin.

The Encounter

The ones who confronted Jesus had this coin and produced it immediately. They’re guilty of religious hypocrisy, as they bring a profane item, a pagan coin, into the temple. Further, to do such was to violate the ten commandments as well as the shema of Deut. 6:4-5. The Jews were to make no graven images, and they were to love God alone. Don’t overlook vv. 23-24: ““Why do you test Me? Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” Jesus turns the tables here by asking them to produce a denarius, which they do. He then asks whose image and inscription it has. Image is a reference to the second commandment, and inscription is a reference to the shema as they were to inscribe it on their doorposts among other places. Of course, the image is Caesar, and the inscription is his. The inscription refers to Caesar as the worshipful Son of God. It pictures him on a throne wearing a priestly robe. Caesar demanded worship and asserted his sovereign authority over all who transacted with the coin.

In the context of Luke, the real question is clear: who is supreme, God or Caesar?  Jesus has just claimed to be the Son of God by telling the parable of the wicked vinedressers. Think of the significance of Jesus asking them to produce the coin. He didn’t have to do that to answer their question, but He did. They’re trying to trap Jesus in order to kill Him. The obvious point is the Jewish religious leaders’ assertion of Caesar’s authority over against Jesus’ assertion of His own authority. The question is what is truly Caesar’s and what is truly God’s? The point is that everything belongs to God as the Scriptures assert throughout. He has absolute authority. Luke is saying that the claims of God and Caesar are mutually exclusive.

The Conclusion

Jesus is not saying that some things belong to Caesar, and some things belong to God, so pay taxes. That’s not the point at all. This text is a power encounter. It’s a declaration that Jesus is Lord and Jesus’ confronters understood Jesus to be saying just that. This text is not unlike Joshua’s challenge: “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Josh. 24:15). Jesus’ point is no different. You can choose to serve Caesar if you like. But nothing belongs to Caesar. It all belongs to God. Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.

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Religious Freedom in Schools | True Worldview Ep. 34

Religious Freedom in Schools and a Little Lagniappe

The New Testament Vision of Civil Society

The New Testament conceives of civil society as composite: comprised of different peoples of different faiths. Religion is not tied to the State, to the ability to do commerce, to special privileges, or to anything else. While there is only one way of salvation, faith in Christ, that faith is a gift from God and cannot be forced on those who don’t have it. The gospel is persuasive, not coercive. Some men try to coerce others, not merely in religion, but in other ways. To get what they want, they steal, extort, assault, rape, and murder, along with any number of other horrible things. People have a right to defend themselves, enlist help to do so, and that help may be in the form of government. But government, from a biblical perspective in the New Covenant era, is limited to just that: aiding people in their self-defense. It is limited to protecting people’s God-given rights. So, Christians glory in a pluralistic society – not the philosophy of pluralism and not that people are unsaved – but in the freedom that allows people of different religions and values to live civilly with one another.

The First Amendment Guarantee for Civil Society

Thus, we cherish the First Amendment. The first part says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The establishment clause prohibits the government from forcing religion upon the people, and the free exercise clause guarantees the people’s right to exercise their religion anyway, anywhere, and anytime they see fit, as long as they don’t infringe upon the God-given rights of others. 

The President’s Freedom Affirmation in Civil Society

Further, because we cherish the First Amendment, we applaud President Trump and the US Education Department for “sending out memos to school leaders telling them that they cannot block students or teachers from praying in public.” At the same time, to mark Religious Freedom Day, the President “welcomed to the Oval Office a group of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim students who have experienced discrimination in schools.” President Trump is “taking action to further safeguard students' constitutionally protected right to pray in school.” New guidelines have been enacted declaring “that students are free to read from religious texts or pray outside of lessons. Furthermore, public schools risk funding if they are found to have violated the religious freedom of students.” They can “organize prayer groups, and express their religious beliefs in their assignments."

These are welcome developments. Students have always had these rights under God and the Constitution, but public opinion has moved against and even denied these freedoms due to the onslaught of progressivism and its liberty destroying worldview. A reaffirmation of religious liberty from the government is a breath of fresh air and a reversal of numerous setbacks in this area during the Obama era. The fact that federal funding may be taken away from those who violate the religious freedom of students puts teeth to the reassertion.

 A Little Lagniappe Here Concerning Civil Society

Here’s a little lagniappe – a Cajun word for something extra. If I have a God-given right to worship Him, does anyone, including government have the right to take it away? Think further: if I have a God-given right to own property, whether real estate or mere money, does anyone, including government, have the right to take it away? Government may have the authority (Romans 13) to take it away, but it doesn’t have the right. Those are two different things. To take my real-estate or my money is called stealing. To take my religious freedom is called oppression. The New Testament conception of civil society involves religious freedom for all, but more than that, freedom in general for all. Let all who violate the rights of others be held accountable, including the government.

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Christian Views of Government | True Worldview Ep. 33

Christian Views of Government

The sad fact is that most Christians don’t have a biblical or principled view of government worked out in their minds. There are a variety of reasons for that lack. One reason is pragmatism. Most simply want a government and vote for candidates who they perceive will be the best for them, usually in an economic sense. Another reason is the disagreement among theologians as to what the bible teaches about government. And yet another reason is that the bible doesn’t give a theology of government per se, let alone in one all-encompassing text. Further, people tend to think at a surface level. It seems like a good thing to give money to the poor, so government aid or welfare is a good thing, most will say, at least to one degree or another. But is it right to tax people in order to do such? That question and many more are answered in the Scriptures but not in a readily apparent way. Confusion abounds.

A Key Question

Prior to the New Testament, all societies were sacral. The State and religion were tied together in some way. No one was exempt from the State and the State’s religion. The New Testament conceives of society in a very different way. The Church, the people of God, is a people within a people. The Church and the State are not the same thing, and the Church is not co-extensive with society. The gospel is not coercive but persuasive, and thus Christianity can’t be imposed through government. Every human being has a liberty of conscience, and that conscience must not be violated. Christians call all men everywhere to repent and come to Christ, but they don’t force Christ upon anyone. This reality raises a key question then: should the Church and State be connected? The answer is no, and biblical Christianity is the only worldview that teaches, demands, and sustains the separation of Church and State. Hang on to that indispensable truth.

Four major views of government and the Christian’s relation to it have fought for supremacy over the centuries. Though different names have been attached to each of them, we’ll call them Theonomy, Divine Right of Kings, Pacifism, and Liberty of Conscience.

Theonomy

Theonomy rejects the separation of Church and State and asserts that the civil and moral law, given in the Old Covenant, is binding on all people today. Therefore, government today should implement Old Covenant civil law, or Christian law. This position is a merger of Church and State. Such a view is not compatible with the New Testament vision for civil society.

Divine Right of Kings

The Divine Right of Kings view holds that the government is a special sphere of authority along with the family and the church, though it is imperfect, being comprised of sinful men. Therefore, Christians must submit to the government ordinarily unless it demands something immoral. God has ordained the State to look after society for Him, and therefore, God implements His laws through government for the good of the citizens, though not the civil code of the Old Covenant. However, not only does the bible nowhere teach the government as a special sphere of authority, but this view is a hybrid view that seeks to impose certain Christian moral values on non-Christians, and is therefore at odds with the New Testament. 

Pacifism

Pacifism asserts that Christians should not have anything to do with the government because it is evil by nature. Pacifists are also anti-war. While they regard the government as evil, they affirm that it is ordained by God to restrain evil, a position that is inconsistent. They hold a strict separationist view and don’t want government involved in their lives. They would also reject a doctrine of self-defense, something the New Testament allows as well as defense of others. One may enlist the help of others in self-defense including that of government. While Pacifism takes seriously the separation of Church and State, it does not fully comport with the New Testament.

Liberty of Conscience

The Liberty of Conscience view embraces the separation of Church and State, affirms that

government is essentially evil, but asserts that people can work in government for the cause of liberty. Those who hold this view would limit government in order to preserve liberty. The idea is to preserve the God-given rights of all people. This view also holds that some laws are morally binding while others are not, depending upon the nature of the laws. Christians should generally submit to government to avoid its wrath. 

Conclusion

Taking into account the New Testament conception of a composite society, the separation of Church and State, as well as the inconsistencies inherent in three of the four views cited, the Liberty of Conscience View seems to do be the most biblically consistent. It does justice to the non-coercive nature of the gospel, preserves the God-given rights of all people, allows for Christians to be salt and light even in government for the preservation of liberty, and encourages Christians to do so because it is indeed the evil nature of human government that needs a restraining influence. It’s not that government restrains evil, but that Christians seek to restrain evil government if and when possible. Such an understanding is what prompted Thomas Jefferson to declare, “I hope . . . a bill of rights will be formed to guard the people against the federal government.” As numerous Christian thinkers have said therefore, the role of government, from a Christian perspective, is to protect individuals in their God-given rights.

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Separation of Church and State | True Worldview Ep. 30

Separation of Church and State

There aren’t many phrases abused or misused more than the phrase separation of church and state. For example, “A Rutgers University-New Brunswick professor told a student that he should not quote Bible verses in essays because of the ‘separation of church and state.’” “The professor also added that the Bible ‘may not be for everyone,’ and its use in academic papers may be offensive to some, including ‘a Muslim or Jewish person.’”

Confusion is the Norm in our Culture

A couple of comments on my way to the main issue. First, quoting the bible in an essay or academic paper is not an issue of separation of church and state. Second, the point of an academic paper is to draw conclusions based on research. Whether the sources or conclusions offend anyone is irrelevant. It’s not a concern. Moreover, why would someone be offended at a quotation from a supporting source? We’ve become so politically minded, victimized, and offended as a culture we can’t think straight. It really is spiritual blindness. 

But it gets worse. It turns out the paper was “an autobiographical paper assigned” to the student. Frankly, one can say anything in such an essay. Of even more concern perhaps is the state of education in our country when a college professor wallows in such ignorance. The professor actually told the student he shouldn’t quote “scripture in academic papers unless you are commenting on scripture.” While one doesn’t offer personal opinion in an academic paper, remember, this paper was autobiographical, not academic. At the same time, there are any number of reasons scripture might be quoted in an academic paper. The bible is tremendous source material for historical and philosophical background in any number of ancient cultures for example.

Church to be Protected from the State

But the real issue is separation of church and state. The student said “his right to free speech and religion has been violated. He also argued that the separation of church and state . . . is supposed to protect the church from the state.” True.

The first amendment starts this way: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” There are two clauses there: the establishment clause and the free exercise clause. The essential meaning is that government can’t establish a state religion or force religion on anyone. Neither can the government prevent people from exercising their religion. As long as one’s religious exercise doesn’t infringe on the rights of others, he is free to exercise his religion as he pleases. That means that students may pray or read their bibles on school grounds when they’re not in class. They can talk about God to their classmates or teachers. It means that people may invoke God in the public square. It means that political leaders may be sworn in by placing their hands on the bible, the Koran, or any other religious object. You can’t pray loudly in a movie theatre any more than you can yell “fire” in such a context. But confusion abounds over such a simple issue. That reality is destructive of liberty. It’s deadly. It’s a culture killer. Ultimately, it’s a people killer. When religious freedom goes, all freedoms go. What that happens, the state can and will kill whenever it sees the need.

Wall of Separation between Church and State

Let’s wrap this thing with another important and abused phrase: wall of separation. Most interpret this well-known phrase to mean that God and the public square can’t meet. Again, no God-talk in government assemblies and the like or even public space in general. Of course, such interpretations couldn’t be further from the truth. The phrase actually comes from President Thomas Jefferson. In the early days of America there were state churches, and true religious freedom didn’t exist. In the midst of the battle for that freedom, Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association (Danbury Ct.) in response to a letter from them outlining their concerns in their struggle for religious freedom. He wrote to assure them that they had said freedom, and that there was a “wall of separation” between the state and the church such that the church was protected from the state. The separation of church and state means just that today: that the state may not establish religion or hinder the free exercise thereof. May the clouds of confusion be rolled back like a scroll, and may freedom ring from sea to shining sea.

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Let Men be Free: Religious Freedom Reminder | True Worldview Ep. 12

Like so many, President Trump is a bad man who sometimes does good things. While some of those good things put the lie to certain false accusations against him, my thoughts here don’t center on the President but on religious freedom, a good thing, and the fact that the President has done some good things in that arena. Recently, he addressed the annual Values Voter Summit where he said, “We believe that every American has the right to live by the dictates of their conscience and the teachings of their faith. We believe in the right to free exercise of religion.”

There are certain things that Christians need to be reminded of and think thoughtfully about on a regular basis. When we fail to do so, we forget not only the importance of those things but also the ground for them. We ignore them until they’re threatened, when they should never have been threatened at all. And perhaps they wouldn’t have been threatened had we been diligent. One of those massively important things is religious freedom.

Religious freedom is vital for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the reality that all other freedoms rest upon it. Without religious freedom, the freedom of speech goes out the window. Without free speech, it’s easy to see that certain political ideas would be banned along with the books, magazines, radio stations, or web sites espousing them. Next, it wouldn’t be long before certain common businesses would be banned. And we could go on.

The President further said that “our shared values are under assault like never before,” and he’s right. People need to be reminded that certain rights come from God, not the government. If murder is wrong, then there is an implied right to life. If stealing is wrong, there is an implied right to property. We could add more. The point is that government doesn’t grant rights but merely recognizes them. That’s why Americans have long held that certain of our rights are inalienable. Our government can’t take them away because the government didn’t grant them; God did. Religious freedom is an inalienable right given by God to all persons. That doesn’t mean that all paths lead to God. They don’t. There is only one way to God and salvation: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. But it does mean that God has given all human beings liberty of conscience, whether they’re right or wrong. As John Leland, the Baptist preacher instrumental in the adoption of the Bill of Rights declared, "Every man must give account of himself to God, and therefore every man ought to be at liberty to serve God in a way that he can best reconcile to his conscience. If government can answer for individuals at the day of judgment, let men be controlled by it in religious matters; otherwise, let men be free."

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