Christianity and Freedom

We must always be on guard against the power mongers. Our democracy has a built in balancing dynamic: separation of powers; checks and balances--because our amazing Founding Fathers recognized the perennial, persistent and invasive tendencies of the lust for power.  This is also why they interwove religion in their dialogue, and sought to protect it, recognizing that government for and by the people required a populace that was wise--not just smart. Power mongers are smart. Wise people work for the common good. And the religion they intended to protect was predominately, if not exclusively, Christianity. Our Fathers would have never sought to protect a religion that had as its ultimate aim the bringing of the whole of society into a theocracy, taking precedence over the very Constitution that provided it its rights. The Fathers, being men who knew the Bible, recognized that Christianity was a "leaven" that entered society and enhanced its life, freedom, peace and love for all mankind. Christ never ordained a theocracy. He said "render unto Caesar [the government] what is Caesar's, and unto God that which is God's".  [Mark 12:17].  One effect of the "religious right" is a certain paranoic  fear of theocracy in the United States. And, as is typical when people react in fear, there is the danger of overreacting and, in this case, throwing out the baby with the bath water---of seeing demons where there are none. It's important to remember that the roots of our freedom go deep into Judaeo-Christianity. Every Christian church on the many horizons of America's highways and country roads, if it is teaching the doctrine of its namesake, is teaching people to love their neighbors, be faithful to their spouse, take good care of their children, abstain from addictive vices, to help those in need, and even to love their enemies {Mt 5:44}.  (Where else in our society are these things being encouraged? School? Media?) There is no subversive movement to take over the government or force people to do what God wants them to do. Christians realize that God has set people free; and He does not want anyone to try to take that freedom away. It only requires the right to speak its Truth--the Truth of Christ--and will do this even if the government forbids; something that is evident in the world today in nations where it is illegal to propagate the Gospel, as it was for the first disciples. All these nations or cultures are being governed by tyrants whose power is threatened by the Truth of Christ. They either do not trust that people can be free and maintain a stable and peaceful society, or they are ensnared in the blindness of the lust for power.  America is a test to see if the former conception is valid. A primary threat to our freedom is the persecution of the Church. Wherever the Church is persecuted, freedom is diminished--and not just for Christians. Persecution can be subtle, like racism. Social and other media wield much power in the American psyche, and if the media portrays Christianity primarily as hypocritical, ignorant, and/or regressive, then young people do not want to be associated with it and fail to discover and reap the benefits of the rich storehouse of spiritual maturity Christ offers. Where else, however, in our society will they be encouraged, regularly and zealously, to overcome the love of money and their innate selfishness? To work sincerely and diligently for the common good without thought of earthly gain? To treat others how they want to be treated? To live free from guilt and condemnation? To never hate any human being? Can we trust our government to do this? Our schools? It is wise to encourage and work for the growth of the Christian faith, even if one is not a Christian. I once read that a Jewish Rabbi wanted America to remain a "Christian" nation, because he realized that Judaism is safe within Christianity. Someone has said that Christianity is like the burning fire of the ancient cave man, keeping the beasts of prey at large. As long as the fire burned brightly, he was safe; but the glaring eyes of the beasts of prey reflected in the periphery, waiting for the fire to die down.