Why Churches Refuse
Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / By golfmanusa
To talk about issues that impact their members and will in time impact their lives in society and frankly could adversely impact their own church?
In general terms I will use the word pastor to describe the person who heads the local church, of course different disciplines may have other hierarchy but for convenience I will use pastor.
Therefore, logically the Pastor is head of the church,
I don’t have the benefit of time travel, but it seems over time, the church in America has gone from the center of the community, as I recall growing up almost all homes we visited there was usually a Bible displayed and many times Bible quotes framed on walls.
Today our society has evolved to a place where the church, religion, faith in God is not part of the marketplace – now since the 1970’s excluded more from schools and while our Congress has a chaplain, sessions I have witnessed rarely mention God other than in passing.
The bottom line is if the original format for America developed as stated by the Founders through trust in God to inspire them, then are we now making an error by thinking that we can continue forward without God?
How have we arrived at this junction? My hope is this blog can be a place to openly discuss – is this a good situation or are we as a nation headed in a direction that will terminate the beautiful freedoms we enjoy?
Furthermore, what is the responsibility of the pastor as goes educating his congregation about issues that impact their lives. For example, on a local level, the school boards and how they relate the progressive movement about sex, gender and such to the school population they serve?
Politics may be the most talked about topic for most Americans, especially since 2020. The number one amendment of the US Constitution is the right to free speech and free assembly, nor may the government interfere or prohibit the establishment of religion.
Therefore, many would say that America is founded on freedom of religion. The critical element of America is you can choose to be religious and practice your faith or you can chose to not be religious.
There is no State declared church or religion.
To get a sense of the importance of this amendment, one has to travel back in time and attempt to understand the circumstances of the times.
This group of very wise men were gathered after defeating the world’s number one military. There were 13 different geographic people groups represented either directly or by the fact we stood together attempting to form a union. They struggled in the summer heat in Philadelphia as each group wanted their way – reading the documentation of that time many of the founders recalled prayer as leading their efforts. They called on God to inspire them. The end result was the most perfect union of people groups known to man, which works as we now see the progress and abundant life we have enjoyed over the past 235 years, America.
The task was mammoth as 13 different people groups sought to push for articles to benefit their geographic location and people.
Therefore, even if you are not religious, the value structure America was founded on was based on the belief in a creator God.
If the forefathers, the founders of this great nation wrote that they relied on God to inspire and guide them, are we then failing to follow their leadership. And if so, to what end of consequence?
The more I drill down on this topic, the deeper I come to realize we as a people may be coming to a point where we will need to decide is God the center of our nation, are we ruled by our following of Judea-Christian valves, if so what are they and what does it mean to follow them.
On the opposite side is the Progressive Movement that is gaining strength and influence in American Society seems to not be God centered nor God fearing. Most believe that the Progressive Movement is secular – believe in what you want or not, god is something you make up would probably fit their description as many I have heard speak indicate that man has all the wisdom and will solve all issues, including outer space like settling on Mars.
Remember a primary reason many settled in America was to escape the control of England, which included being part of the State Religion and they were not going to allow the same in America.
The simple answer as I view it is the America people continue to push to be a nation of character! What does that mean?
- Compared to other nations, America has had abundance and is the land more who want freedom hope to come to – freedom to seek happiness, freedom to rise from low class to middle class to upper class. In essence the freedom to reach for the stars, whether that be in entertainment or business, to be rich and famous. The heart of America, to be what you can be.
- The Character of America is our desire to do right – not perfectly but to be guided by leaders who want to improve the quality of life for Americans, not rule the world. Only America has conquered other nations, WWI and WWII, and then made every effort to rebuild the nations conquered and provide them the right to their freedom as nation.
- Innovation and Development – many medical and tech inventions come out of America as anyone can invent and develop a new product or service.
- Our form of government is responsible to the people, a republic where the people have freedom to serve in official office and for sure have their voice heard on issues as they promote those they believe can lead.
- Taxation – progressive meaning those who can pay more should pay a higher percentage without being burdened. The American people suggest and impact social issues and causes, including how the infrastructure of America is coordinated.
Back to my original statement, what and how should churches, people of faith, be involved in the general marketplace.
They seems to avoid it, whether that be fear of losing their non-profit status or fear that within their congregation any attempt to talk about issues that can be labeled as political may cause divides in the church body!
There is an overhanging threat on churches that shouldn’t be used.
That is the bad interpretation of the original Jefferson letter to New England concerning the separation of church and state, it seems most churches fear having any discussion or position on most social issues.
Critical is to revisit what our Founders desired and how they described their intent.
The beauty of this group of men was they designed our Constitution, so no one is excluded. Meaning you can chose to be religious or not, and for sure since most of the original founders of America were firm that the new America would not have a State Church we are free to pursue what makes us happy, based on principles that make such pursue possible because America is founded on diversity, love of thy neighbor (a topic of a future blog as to the impact of our diversity), our core was firm, no one was to be forced to be religious but for sure the core of our laws is based on the principles as found in God’s Word which inspired these Founders.
No one is to be forced to be religious, that is the beauty of America, the non-religious benefit from the stability and abundance derived over the centuries by a culture based on Judea-Christian values. For those that want to argue that either we do not live under Judea-Christian values or that man was responsible for our nation’s great development, wealth, education, progress, please reference for me another example of a nation that has a life style like America and has had such success.
My contention is not aired here is that man has proven over the centuries, by rulers of all kinds, in nations of all sizes, located everywhere, that man cannot maintain control of his will and in time, corruption leading to destruction of the nation inevitably take place, history seems to prove this over and over.
This foundational right, freedom of religion meaning also to not be religious has today evolved to the be the crux of the problem today. It worked, it still works – what, relying on the principles as found in the Constitution to control our laws and lives – as founded America is a country of Rules, NOT RULERS!
In today’s new world, religion is becoming secondary in the family home, church attendance is lower, referring to God in the public arena as the inspiration for actions is discouraged across society.
All this leads back to the blog topic, if indeed we tell pastors and churches that they are to exclude anything that is political or frankly a concern of society from their church where does that leave this country.
Higher crime, more broken families, poor use of tax dollars, involvement in foreign nation building and/or military excursions, higher taxes, division of people groups most will admit bring fear that the American dream, the American experiment cannot last.
That seems to be the horizon, however, we if started believing in God, we saw God’s unique hand on our nations many times from founding to how we shined in the world, should we consider that perhaps the way back to a growing, safe, stable society is by turning back to God?
Of course, if you were to agree with me, how would this occur – simpler than you think as remember American will never have a State Church – some think progressives have their form of gods, like climate change! All this leads back to the blog topic, if indeed we tell pastors and churches that they are to exclude anything that is political or frankly a concern of society from their church where does that leave this country.
My thoughts. I look forward to reading your thoughts and comments.