Forming Laws Without Morals to Underpin them, is Disastrous!
This coming weekend will be the state election in New South Wales, an election that Christians need to pray the voting citizens of the state will think of the implications of their vote rather than just following their political habits. We trust Christian people who are standing, will be well supported. Family First has a strong representation.
Greg Bondar edited a book called “Silencing of the Lambs”. You might remember that Bob Thomas wrote a review of it, some years ago. It was a compilation of a number of writers. Reverend Peter Barnes wrote an excellent essay on, “Moral Law and Anti-Discrimination Law”. In it he asked the question, What happens when moral law and discrimination law are disconnected? He answered that question in these words, which should wise people up to what is at stake when we elect people and parties that are seemingly devoid of moral values.
Peter writes, “Sexuality is now defined in terms of being, not behaviour, and so is regarded as protected truth. Over past decades western governments have virtually all passed anti discrimination acts which have usually allowed exemptions for sexuality for churches, Christian schools, and perhaps other religious organisations. Logically, that will not last; it has aroused resentment against religious bodies; and it is crumbling before our eyes. This is wonderful news for the un-elected lawyers and judges who sit on anti discrimination boards. As Charles Dickens commented in Bleak House: “The one great principle of English law is, to make business for itself.” The philosophy creates the office, and the office then perpetuates the philosophy. Anti discrimination boards will only ever achieve justice in bits and pieces, on odd occasions. Law will exist without a coherent rationale and foundation, and when two freedoms collide, the result will be whoever passes for justice in the eyes of the beholder.”
The homosexual activist, Rodney Croome, has sounded the alarm against allowing a baker to refuse an order for a gay wedding cake: “the next step is a sign in the window saying no gays, and the step after that is a sign that says no Muslims or no blacks.”
It is interesting that this is the very method we outlined in last years issue where I wrote about a couple of American professors who took the gamble in trying to make the homosexual communities victims and once that was established as a reality it was easier to push for governments to change this injustice. As Rev. Perter Barnes points out,
“It has been a remarkably successful marketing strategy which identifies desperate concepts: skin colour (over which none of us has any control) and beliefs (e.g. Islam, which one can believe or disbelieve) and sexual behaviour (which we may or may not practice).”
Logically, if anti discrimination laws are good, there ought to be no exceptions. However, where there is no clear concept of moral law, tolerance takes its place, and finding itself in a moral vacuum, then becomes intolerant. Moving inexorably on, those who previously argued for toleration have become the winners and constitute a new establishment. We dwell amid a culture of moral outrage and indignation, and what was previously regarded as sinful now demands affirmation.
Modern laws are trying to do too much. Thomas Watson stated: “man's law binds the hands only, God's law binds the heart.” We are now witnessing civil law which aims at the heart and deals with so called hate speech and attitudes. Homosexuality must be more than tolerated; it must be pandered to and approved. It seems George Orwell hit the mark near the end of 1984 where Winston is told: “you must love Big Brother. It is not enough to obey him: you must love him.”
Dr. Peter Barnes conclusions, puts his finger on the causal factors that have corrupted what were once upon a time workable laws.
“When asked in 1933 why he did not join the German Christians to work against them from within, Dietrich Bonhoeffer replied that he could not: “If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the opposite direction”. We're trying to find religious freedom and a fair order within a framework of anti discrimination legislation. It will only deliver state sub-sidised perversion and an adversarial structure for civil interactions. We are on the wrong train.”
Freedom and order need to be reconciled, as in the words of the psalmist, “I will walk at liberty, I will seek your precepts” Psalm 119: 45. Civil laws require a moral basis, and in the long term, only God's law can provide that basis.
“If societies become ungodly and corrupt, laws will not transform them. They will, instead, become part of the wider problem. It has become obvious what should have been quite clear at the beginning:
the modern approach to law is lawyer driven, adversarial, and oppressive;
law can never deliver freedoms, but it has the potential to take them away;
there is such a thing as common grace, but it easily fractures;
Christianity provides the only realistic basis for balancing freedom and law;
the state of the church is more crucial then the state of the wide society (Gen. 18:16-33, Matthew 5:14-16, 1 Peter 4:17)
All things hold together in Christ, and only in Christ (Colossians 1: 17) the quest for perfectionism without a humble awareness of our sin has led to delusion and coercion. Let us take heart from what Phillip Brooks stated: “truth is always strong, no matter how weak it looks, and falsehood is always weak, no matter how strong it looks”.
We now live with the threat of the application of these discrimination laws within this country. The lines have been drawn up. Those that seek to oppose Christian values have succeeded in enshrining laws that will always give them a victory, and they will seek to have the laws applied to the letter by the Victorian State Government, which then will be followed by the other States, for the precedent will have been set.
In the State of Victoria Daniel Andrews celebrates his 3,000 day in office, which entitles him to a bronze statue out side the premier’s office. Nebuchadnezzar built one too, can we pray that what happened to Nebuchadnezzar, could happen to Daniel’s heart
“At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honoured him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” Daniel 4:34-35.