A Really Big Issue

There are sure a lot of newsy things this week. Donald Trumpet announcing, Cardinals investigated for hacking (should have never hired that darn Chinese contractor!), and Charleston’s tragedy (Did someone not pay the professional rioters?).  Treasury Sec. Jack Loo is trying to boot Alexander Hamilton off the $10 bill in favor of some prominent woman.  I have a suggestion.  Just rename Hamilton “Caitlyn” and call it a done deal.  What do you bet they won’t put Carry Nation or Dolly Madison or Susan Anthony or Aimee Semple McPherson or any other strong Christian woman on the bill.  It will probably be Margaret Sanger who wanted abortion.  Nor would they consider replacing Andrew Jackson, the founder of the Democrats.  Jackson, of course, was the Prez who force marched all the Southeastern Indians to Oklahoma in the Trail of Tears and related tragedies.  I have a Cherokee friend who always tries to exchange his twenties for tens because he hates Jackson.  Say, if you take down the Confederate flags because someone is offended, why wouldn’t you take Jackson off the currency?

            There was also the news of Obamacare’s big triumph.  Big yawn--simply upheld the present arrangement so nothing changes. The Democrats continue to bear the credit/blame entirely for Obamacare and should something go wrong, have no way to change it without any majority in Congress.  Politically, the Dems are snookered.  The next shoe to drop will be the employer mandates which the CBO estimates will cost 60-90 million employed people their health care.  Since Obamacare costs an employer, at minimum, the $2000 per person penalty, this will become a huge drag on getting the employment picture to improve.  Hillary, first author of national healthcare, has a lot of ‘splainin’ to do on the campaign trail.  Were it not for Obamacare, the R’s wouldn’t be where they are today, owning Congress and most state majorities.  Meanwhile, think of this.  By Obama’s own brag, ACA subsidizes only 8.7 million people out of our population of 322 million.  And a whole lot of other people have seen their premiums rise, an average of $2100 annually. 

            But the truly big issue that will negatively impact America is the one coming on gay marriage.  A pro gay marriage ruling is all but certain.   Forever, marriage was a religious issue performed in religious settings and sanctuaries and honored by people of faith all over the planet.  Now suddenly the federal government gets to say how it wants the institution of Holy Matrimony.  Non-religious folks got married too, but that is, by law, a social contract with no claim on religious faith. But, you say, the first amendment says, “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” Guess again with this ruling.  Government may thereupon dictate who churches shall marry and what rules apply.   So when Leviticus 18 warns against practicing gay behavior and ends by, “(for all these abominations the men of the land did, who were before you, so that the land became defiled); lest the land vomit you out when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you,” well then the feds instruct all followers of Judeo-Chistian values to ignore God’s voice. Or when Jesus, exasperated with disbelief, says in Matthew 19:5, “Have you not read that He who made them from the beginning, made them male and female?…What therefore, God has joined together, let not man put asunder,”  the government now sits in judgment over.  [This passage is quoted at most Christian weddings.] 

            This really is a Big Deal, despite the fact that many folks don’t know what the Dickens they believe and aw heck, let’s not be accused of bigotry. For if the government can tell you how to practice your faith, then there is no Liberty—that freedom of conscience to follow whatever mission or diety you hold in your life.  Without Liberty (freedom of conscience) John Locke concluded, there are no other freedoms.  I put it in more practical terms.  Without the ability to follow an inner voice and pursue your unique mission in life, there is no American Dream.  For that Dream is defined by being able to aspire to be the person you want to be.

            So, should the court demand churches affirm gay marriage, it will either start a Revolution or it will mark the day the American Dream died.  We still have to play our hand.