I attended a fundraiser last week for an area elected official. During the event an individual I know to be a sincere Christ follower made the following public comment to the legislator:
“Thank you for keeping pot shops out of Jamul.”
Her comment saddened me.
While I applaud the activism of my fellow brothers and sisters, I find it inconsistent. In my opinion the role of the Christ follower should be one that brings “salt & light.” Properly speaking, the ethical view of a Christ follower should have the impact of increasing his neighbor’s freedom, peace and prosperity.
Sound theology does so. Unsound theology does not.
I don’t believe my sister’s position reconciles legally or theologically with the historic Christian faith nor the principles constituted in our founding documents. It is not conservative, as it doesn’t conserve Biblical or legal principle.
Perhaps my theology and political understanding are incorrect so I invite the reader to question me.
In order to refer to myself as a “conservative” I must conserve something. Am I conserving the status quo or the principles constituted in Scripture and in our founding?
What are these principles?
- Private Property (8th Commandment)
- Free Markets (Natural right for free people to trade)
- Limited Government (Limited to defense. So defensive, not positive.)
Christians glorify Christ and influence their neighbor via love, prayer and the Holy Spirit, not the sword. Since Christianity must reflect the nature of Christ, the use of the sword (law, coercion and force) should be defensive. See Negative vs. Positive law.
When Christians attempt to use law to coerce and control their neighbor’s inalienable right to freely trade their property, they are not “salt & light” in the civil sphere but reflective of darkness and Christian tyranny.
Have we forgotten the lessons of Prohibition? Did Prohibition address consumer demand or conceal it?
What happened to the quality of the product in Prohibition when we disconnected producer from consumer? (See Bathtub Gin).
Did Prohibition create Al Capone or deter him?
I’m sorry. Our law and theology must answer these questions. If we want our neighbor to respect our gospel, we need to demonstrate our wisdom in the town square. Let’s stop controlling our neighbor via law and begin the harder task of leading by example.
“One of the greatest injustices we do to our young people is to ask them to be conservative. Christianity is not conservative but revolutionary.” – Francis Schaeffer.