Should we legislate Christian values?

As the fabric of America continues to become more diverse, we must consider the validity of legislating Christian values. Some people argue that the United States is a Christian nation because the Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal, "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." They argue that these words are based on Christian beliefs about all people's inherent worth and dignity. Others argue that the United States is not a Christian nation because the First Amendment prohibits the government from establishing a state religion. They point out that the Founding Fathers carefully separated church and state and did not want the government to interfere in people's religious beliefs.

Regardless of your interpretation, as a nation of immigrants, we must consider that other religious beliefs have been woven into our fabric. 

As this country works to affirm its Christian standing, it begins to do more of the work that leads it to demonstrate ideals counter to Christian values. We espouse love, charity, and forgiveness as the tenants of our belief, but too often, love only extends to those who we like, charity is only reserved for those who we deem deserving, and forgiveness only counts if your choices are in alignment with my choices. Just as grace and mercy from God are freely given, we must evaluate whether we are hiding behind legislation to limit the ability of others to live in the fullness of their lives.

It can be tempting to think that we are protecting those whose lifestyle choices differ from ours, but at what point do we take a step back and ask if we are doing more harm to those persons than good? As we have been given free will to make good and bad decisions, others should enjoy those same rights. Legislation should not be presented and passed based on our moral beliefs but to preserve the safety of our communities and ensure no one is allowed to cause harm to another.

The audacity of our Christianity leads us to believe that when God does not move in someone’s life the way we expect, God is not moving. How arrogant is this Christianity? 

The radical acceptance of Christianity provides liberation for all people to be set free, not just of secular oppression but also of the oppression that our Western value systems have led us to believe is righteousness. Is it fair that our disagreement with someone’s choices should lead to criminality while laws are passed that allow gun owners to stand their ground and cause harm to others under the guise of feeling threatened or prohibit loving adults from entering legal relationships while promoting the ability of minors to get married or work in factories?

Too often, we have been led to believe that only our truth is valid, and that thought has spilled into our government which does not create a liberation that sets captives free and restores sight to the blind. It is actually creating oppression for those not a part of the Christian community.

If we can not affirm the liberation of all people and the notion that our legislation should be crafted to ensure that all people have the right to liberty and justice for all, then we should examine what we are doing.

Is it possible that we will not all agree but that we should work toward finding common ground that allows all people to safely pursue their paths and create a government that safeguards the most vulnerable rather than trying to impose dominance over those who dare to be different?