The Politics of Family Values

We have official entered the political campaign season.  Each candidate will stress their support of “family values” which will include: marriage, anti-abortion, anti-gay, and education.  What we will not hear is what they have done to change the “family values” in their community, state or their political party in a positive manner. Often family values are used to distract from the real issues facing our nation.  The political rhetoric of family values to legislate national morality will never work and is nothing but political promises that will never change the morality of this nation.  

Let me address the two big “A’s” of family values to illustrate my point.  Abortion and Adoption are both family value issues that relate to children.  The issue of abortion among most conservative voters is a tunnel vision approach.  Adoption on the other side is not even a subject for discussion. I think the facts will speak louder than any political promise or rhetoric.

First, the very politicians who have stood on “family values” platforms have made the laws that regulate our lives today.  It is easier to abort a child than to adopt a child due to federal laws enacted by our lawmakers.  There are thousands of children in foster care nationwide waiting to be adopted, and there are far more parents seeking to adopt children than there are children awaiting adoption. So why aren't the laws of supply and demand working in U.S.?  

If you want to adopt a baby in the United States, it can take anywhere from a year or two to get a child or up to a five-year wait. Some of the variables that can affect this time-frame include the age of the child you desire, the type of adoption (such as  public or a private agency) and whether you are willing to take on a child with special needs. 

If you want to abort a child in the United States, many states require that at least 24 hours elapse between the counseling and the abortion. In states in which the counseling must be obtained in person (rather than via mail, fax, Internet or phone) and the woman must then wait a specified time period, most often 24 hours, between the counseling and the procedure, the woman is effectively required to make two trips to the health care provider in order to obtain an abortion.  Some individuals consider this to be a hardship.

When State laws are proposed requiring medical professionals to attempt to obtain various personal information from women upon receiving an abortion it is considered degrading.  That information would include: the reason the woman sought the abortion, including the specific medical, social, and economic factors influencing the decision as well as whether the woman was using any form of birth control when she got pregnant and if so what type.  This is viewed as degrading?

Advocates of abortion feel these questions are not necessary and the government does not need to know why each woman chose abortion. Women should have the right to choose, and their decision should not be questioned. While it is not required that the woman disclose this information to proceed with the abortion, they believe that asking these questions is an invasion of one's privacy.

If you want to adopt a baby in the United States, you must submit to a home study.  Each adoption agencies sets their own guidelines used to conduct home studies. They must follow the general regulations of their State, but they have the freedom to develop their own application packet, policies, and procedures within those regulations. Prospective parents attend one or several group orientation sessions or a series of training classes before they complete an application.  

The home study itself is a written report of the findings of the social worker who has met with the applicants on several occasions, both individually and together, usually at the social worker's office. At least one meeting will occur in the applicant's home. If there are other people living in the home, they also will be interviewed by the social worker.

On average the home study process takes three to six months to complete, but it can take longer through public agencies. The home study process includes: Personal and family background-including upbringing, siblings, key events, and what was learned from them, marriage and family relationships. What is your motivation to adopt the child and your expectations for the child?  How will you bring the child into the family unit?  What type of family environment will the child be subjected to?  What is the physical and health of the applicants, their education, employment and finances, their health insurance and child care plans? References and criminal background clearances along with the social worker’s recommendation are needed before you are considered for an adoption of a child.  Some individuals do not consider this a hardship, degrading or an invasion of privacy. It is easier to qualify to take the life of a child then to give a child a home, security, and the benefits of a family.  

If you want to abort a child in the United States, the normal cost of a first-trimester abortion runs between $350 and $550, depending on subsidies, the method used, and other variables such as cost of living.  A 2001 study conducted by the Guttmacher Institute found that the average overall cost of an abortion in the United States was $468, a figure that has probably risen since then due to inflation, but that the average amount paid for an abortion (due to subsidies) is $372. The Guttmacher Institute has also found that 87% of private health care plans cover abortion services--but because a disproportionately high number of people have substandard plans, only 46% of American workers are covered by policies that include abortion.  Second-trimester abortions tend to be more expensive. A surgical abortion costs $400 if the pregnancy is in the first trimester, $495 at weeks 13-14, and $640 at weeks 15-16.

If you want to adopt a child it will cost from $5,000 to $40,000+ for private adoption and from free to $2500 for public adoption.  But far too many people wishing to adopt describe the agencies they dealt with as bureaucratic and unwelcoming.  Many agencies view their primary response in adoption as screening out "bad" parents rather than finding good ones. Some agencies require prospective parents to give sensitive personal and financial information and then be fingerprinted.  It is important that those responsible for arranging adoptions secure safe, appropriate homes for children.  But, too many public child welfare agencies treat prospective families as criminals rather than potential parents. If we could remove the barriers set in place by government regulations the demand for adoptions would match the supply — and every waiting child in America could have a family.

Now, back to “Family Values” as a plank in a political party’s platform, why is it that they never speak about the hardships created by the laws they passed in regards to the adoption of children? These laws have legalized the trafficking in children. It should never cost a family thousands of dollars to provide a life for a child. Yet, I don’t see rallies to provide “children with families” or slogans and billboards trying to find a family for a forgotten child.  We get so emotional about abortion laws that allow a life to be taken, but we allow politicians to create laws that are counterproductive to “family values” by holding hostage those who wish to give life to children that are lonely and forgotten. 

Here are a couple of verses that would make good planks in a political platform for “family values”. 

Exodus 22:22 “You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath will become hot. . .”

Proverbs 6:16-17 “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood. . .”

The only way to change the family values in this nation is given to us in the following: 2 Chronicles 7:14 ¹⁴If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

No Wonder Evangelical Christians Are Irrelevant to The Present Culture

This past Sunday a question was asked, how do you share the message of Jesus Christ with others?  The answers were the standard replies.  “They will know we are Christians by the way we live.”  “My life with Christ is personal.”  “I don’t feel we can be direct with individuals we are not acquainted with.”   These are all “correct” answers but they fail to answer the real question.  Are we really sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ?   Are we really trying to convince the world that Christianity is right?  There are so many reasons we are not getting the message of the Gospel to the non-believers.  We are apologetic, indifferent, irrational, ignorant, cowards and know-it-alls, no wonder the message of the Gospel has been rejected, and ridiculed as irrelevant to the present culture.

If I were standing outside the boundaries of the evangelical church, I would ask why do you try to convince me that you are right and then apologize if you have offended me.  We are commanded to give an answer for the hope that we have in Jesus Christ.  The problem is we are afraid that we might offend someone for what we believe so we have no strong presence in our culture.  We should NEVER apologize for the TRUTH. 

Among those who are faithful in their witness for Jesus Christ there is a larger group who are actually indifferent to the message of Jesus Christ.  Too many Christians don't seem to care that Christianity is routinely ridiculed as outdated, irrational, and narrow-minded. These same indifferent Christians may complain in a Sunday school class or a Bible study that they are “offended" but they do little to counteract the charges by offering a defense of the Christian message. We should have the same attitude the Apostle Paul had who was "greatly distressed" when he saw the idolatry of Athens. Did he apologize for the TRUTH? No! Was he indifferent to the message of Jesus Christ? No!  He engaged them with the TRUTH without being ashamed of the Gospel.

I spent twenty-eight years teaching in public education.  Often I would have students who would take the name of the Lord in vain.  Since it was a public school and religion was considered taboo and most Christians were afraid to complain about the name of Jesus and God being used in vain, I became proactive.  When a student would use the name of Jesus Christ in a disrespectful manner, I would inform him, I am a Christian and that I was offended.  I would then ask him, why he was  disrespecting my God and not the name of Buddha, Allah, or Zeus?  The result, students stopped using the name of Jesus in vain.  In fact, some apologized for their language.  Others agreed that they should not discriminate against my God and Savior. There is no need to be indifferent or apologize for the message of the Gospel.  We might be surprised at the number of non-Christians that actually agree with us on many of the points of our message.

Other evangelical Christians deny the possibilities of reason and feel their faith means belief in the absence of evidence and argument.  This is where the “traditions of men” come into play.  “We have always taught this or believed this way.”  Why?  “Because this is what the church teaches.”  The more irrational our beliefs, the better--the more "spiritual" they are. No wonder we come across as fanatics and uneducated.  The actions of some Christians give creditability to such accusations. We need to become more knowledgeable about our belief in Jesus Christ.  We need to stop admiring ignorance and stop accepting the opinions of those who are ignorant of the accurate message of the Gospel.

Ignorance is often mistaken among Christians for humility.  We should not be proud of our ignorance when we are called to defend the message of the Gospel.  One lesson I have learned over the years as an educator, is the tremendous intellectual resources available to defend "the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 3) As Christians we are deficient in our ability to defend the message of the Gospel.   Ministers are more concerned about the touchy-feely message than addressing the evidence for the existence of God, the resurrection of Jesus, the atonement and the plan of salvation.  Is it because they are cowards?

Too many evangelicals are more concerned about being "nice" and "tolerant" than being biblical or faithful to the exclusive Gospel found in their Bibles. Where are the evangelicals willing to present and defend their faith in challenging situations, whether at school, at work, or in other public setting? The temptation is to privatize faith, to insulate and isolate it from public life entirely. Yes, we are Christians, but we have difficulty engaging anyone with what we believe and why we believe it. This is nothing less than cowardice and a betrayal of what we say we believe.  Our relationship with Jesus Christ is personal but our message is to “whosoever will”.  Our commission requires us to be able to engage people in an intellectual discussion.  Even then, we will experience rejection, we will be insulted and misunderstood but we are to engage the non-believer. We must never forget that Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth, and that he has commissioned us to declare and defend his Gospel. 

The opposite of the coward is the arrogant know-it-all who is only interested in looking superior.  Among evangelicals this often is the minister who is more interested in looking authoritative, being dogmatic, and uncompromising than defending the truth in a godly manner. The besetting sin of these know-it-all Christians is intellectual pride--- the Truth we defend is a gift of grace, not our intellectual achievement. The time of harsh self-righteous and judgmental defense is no longer going to win the non-believer. We must "speak the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15). Truth without love is arrogance; love without Truth is sentimentality.

So, how are you sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Conservative, Fundamental or Evangelical--Confused Yet?

In 2003, I along with several Quaker ministers banded together for the purpose of promoting Evangelical Christianity throughout the Society of Friends.   As a group we believed the purpose of the Church is to establish the authority of the Scriptures as interpreted by the Holy Spirit: to guard against the tendency of creating a popular gospel, rather than the Gospel which is personal, exposes sin, and offers eternal life only through Jesus Christ; and to provide direction, guidelines and encourage the believer.

I am unaware what the others are doing in the role of defending the cause of Jesus Christ and promoting the authority of the Scriptures. I am sure many are aware of a gospel that is popular within the church without the power to change lives.  Even among evangelical there is the tendency to be politically correct.  Often, it is easier to isolate one’s self than to become engaged in the community in which one lives.  Over the years Christianity has suffered from the politically correct mindset.  As Christians we have failed in our endeavor to bring a life changing gospel to the world.  We have lost the zeal of the Lord.

 Could it be that we have lost the zeal of the Lord because we have lost our identity?  The identity of the evangelical Christian has been often confused with being a “conservative Christian”.  The media has blurred the terms conservative, fundamental and evangelical to the point that everyone is lumped into one general definition.  To be a conservative Christian means to be part of the Religious Right.  This creates a problem for me.  

First, there are those in the Religious Right that no doubt are there only for the financial gain and the power of position.  This bothers me because they are not concerned about the authority of the Scriptures, nor are they guarding against the tendency of creating a popular political gospel.  More often than not, it is these greedy power hungry charlatans that have brought shame to the cause of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul had the same problem with those who wanted to be associated with Christ but had their own agenda.  “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.   But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake for God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”2Cor.4:1-6

Next, there are popular religious leaders who are associated with the Religious Right that set an agenda for “Conservative Christians” that I totally disagree with.  The main message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was not abortion, homosexuality, a balanced budget, and marriage, protection of Israel from invasion and health and prosperity along with all the other side issues.  It is true that these are important issues but they are not the central message of the Gospel.  We have allowed individuals with personal agendas to dictate the direction of the Church which is not the direction established by Jesus Christ.  

There religious leaders today that are like the old prophet in the book Kings (IKings 13:18)  that want to be included in those called evangelical. “I too am a prophet, as you are.  And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD: Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.” (But he was lying).  Jeremiah was confronted with the same problem, (Jer. 23:16) This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.  Not only have we accepted these false religious leaders as the messengers of God we have also include the “Conservative Talk Show Host” as messengers of Truth. 

When it comes to my doctrinal beliefs I do not want Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, or Shawn Hannity or any other conservative media personality establishing what I believe.  Politically they may have elements of truth but they are not always correct.  Like many leaders within what is considered conservative evangelical circles they have their own agendas. The great hunger in the world today is to have a deeper spiritual life and to resolve the injustice in the world. The sad fact is that there are very few who are working on this agenda.

As an Orthodox Evangelical Quaker I am concerned that the lines of politics and religion have become so blurred that if your politics are on the Right you are a Christian, if they are on the Left you are anti-Christian.  Both Left and Right in the political spectrum have elements of Christian values.  We should not allow the Left and Right of politics to determine our responsibility to the message of Jesus Christ.  The social message that is often attributed to the politics of liberal theology today such as antislavery, women's rights, child labor, prison reform and reducing poverty was at one time considered the politics of the conservative Christian.  The Church has divided its Gospel message into a political message determined by issues that garner the most in public approval. 

The message of the Gospel should not divide the Church over which issue has the most importance in the world of politics but are we proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is personal, exposes sin, and offers eternal life only through Jesus Christ and gives direction, guidelines and encouragement for the believer?

As Christians were are more than Conservative, Fundamental or Evangelical, we are followers of Jesus Christ preaching the message of the cross. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. I Cor.1:18

In Defense of Christianity

Almost every day Christianity comes under fire from those who for whatever reason find it offensive.  Yet, where would society be today without the influence of Christianity?  It might come as a shock to some but the largest single provider of healthcare and education in the world, working in some of the poorest countries where there is no other care available is provided by Christians.

One of the oldest organizations to protect the rights of children around the world is Save the Children.  This organization was founded by Eglantyne Jebb a Christian whose impact has been worldwide.  The Declaration of the Rights of the Child was adopted by the League of Nations.    She also pioneered the Child Sponsorship program.

Another advocate for children was Thomas John Barnardo who founded the world’s largest orphanage system.   Barnardo was preparing to become a medical missionary in China, he studied medicine at the London hospital, and later at Paris and Edinburgh, where he became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. During the time he was preparing for his missionary work in China he did evangelical work where he became aware of the seriousness of homeless children in the cities of England. He gave up his ambition to lead a missionary's life in China, and began what was to prove his life’s work. The first of the "Dr Barnardo’s Homes" was opened in 1870 at the time of his death in 1905, there were established 112 district homes and mission branches.

There are others who were advocates for the rights of the young.  Men like Richard Oastler who helped bring about the English Factory reform bill.  Passionate Christian women like Joseph Butler who became a key advocated in social reform for the age of consent to be set.  She was not only a vehement feminist but a passionate Christian; she once said "God and one woman make a majority". 

It was from the compassion and concern for the elderly and disabled that during the 10^th century that Almshouses were established.  They were the forerunner of the nursing homes and hospitals.

The Quakers pioneered prison reform during the 1600’s.  Prison Fellowship International a Quaker organization works around the globe in prisons to help reform and rehabilitate prisoners.  Also, there are many other Christian prison ministries working to change the lives of prisoners.  

Christians are more likely to voluntary for community service than non-Christians.  In research done earlier this year it was found that 81% of evangelical Christians do some kind of voluntary work at least once a month. This compares with a much lower figure of 26% for the population at large. The level of community engagement is influenced not only by faith, but by how seriously faith is taken. The research also showed that those who consider their faith to be the most important thing in their life undertake an average of two hours' volunteering each week, compared with an average of one hour 15 minutes by those who do not consider their faith to be the most important thing in their life. Eighty-six per cent of evangelicals voted in the last general election, compared with 65% in the population at large. Forty per cent of worship-attending Americans volunteer regularly to help the poor and elderly, compared with 15% of Americans who never attend services. Frequent-attenders are also more likely than the never-attenders to volunteer for school and youth programs (36% v 15%), a neighborhood or civic group (26% v 13%), and for healthcare (21% v 13%).  

I could add to this every growing list men like Louis Braille who on his deathbed said, “God was pleased to hold before my eyes the dazzling splendors of eternal hope…”  His system is now used on a worldwide basis.  There are compassionate women like Rose Hawthorne Lathrop who created the first homes/treatment centers for cancer patients in the US.

We could speak about the great success of the Salvation Army in caring for the poor and the aid given during devastating disasters. Another Christian organization, Habitat for Humanity, one of the largest charities in the US which internationally provides housing for the poor. We could add to this list the YMCA, World Vision and the Samaritans Purse.

 In the area of education men like Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel who laid the foundation for modern education based on the recognition that children have unique needs and capabilities. He developed the concept of the “kindergarten”, and also coined the word now used in German and English or, Mary Lyon who was a pioneer for the education of women. We add to the education list men like Frank Laubach a committed Christian and pioneer of world literacy.   Known as the “Apostle to the Illiterates” the programs he developed have been used to teach about 60 million people to read their own language.  It is often forgotten but out of the initial 110 universities started in the US, 100 had Christian foundations.  

In the field of science men like Isaac Newton, Michael Faraday, Johannes Kepler, Blaise Pascal,  Gregor Mendel, and George Washington Carver are just a few of the hundreds of Christians who have help to change this world for the better.

More often than not, those who criticize Christianity, never focus on what good has been accomplished by devoted Christians.  The critics who dwell on the failure of the Church, thinking this will tie our hands and make us crawl into a dark corner however, they fail to understand the reason behind our motivation.  It is what we have found in our salvation that drives us to do the will of God.  When a true picture of the impact of Christianity upon world societies and cultures is viewed in its proper perspective, it is a startling revelation of contrast between the other religions of the world and the secular ideologies of the anti-Christian. 

For those who choose to continue to criticize Christians show me your contributions to the betterment of mankind.  It’s a put-up or shut-up invitation.  I am fully aware of the history of Christianity and its many shortcomings, but if we are talking about perfection where are the perfect? We are called to do our reasonable service that is all we can do.  There will always be those within Church that will have questionable actions that will bring disgrace to the cause of Christ but, we cannot stop because of an imperfect Church.  We must carry on the work of Jesus Christ regardless of our critics.