Politics and religion must be considered in free society

Published: Saturday, May 03, 2008

People pay more attention to economics and politics during a presidential election year.

Beth Pratt

Unless some big controversy arises, local, state and national elections tend to inspire a big yawn. Yet, those elections may affect our lives more directly.

We have a political system of checks and balances, but it is mind-boggling to listen to conversations and realize how little the average person knows about our government.

This self-induced ignorance makes us ripe for all kinds of deception. Unfortunately, a similar statement could be made about religion.

Apparently, when we bought into the notion that religion and politics are not appropriate topics for polite conversation, we decided we were better off not knowing.

But if we cannot discuss the two topics, what do we talk about and how do we solve problems? Remember the phrase "let George do it" that typifies our lack of interest or involvement? (I'm not referring to the first or the current president, who happen to be named George!)

We let someone else elect or select people to run the country for us when we don't participate in the process. When we don't like the results, we complain, shrug our shoulders and play helpless. This passive acquiescence does not augur well for our future freedom.

While it is popular to name a long list of what is wrong within our political and religious environment, we need to be just as aware of those things that are right, positive achievements that have made this country shine as a beacon of freedom throughout the world. To hear certain candidates, we are all less than a step away from starvation while the rich wait eagerly to snatch our last bite.

An annual salary comparison list is an interesting comment on the values of our citizenry. Envy is the seed of destruction that grows like kudzu vines across our land. Sometimes used by politicians as a motivational tool, envy threatens to choke an economic system unparalled in world history.

Letting the marketplace determine who makes the big salaries may seem foolish to those of us such as teachers and journalists who believe what we do is more important to the welfare of the nation than what is done on stages and sports arenas. Yet, these multimillion-dollar entertainers are aberrations rather than the rule. They get the big bucks because we would rather be entertained than educated.

Some people think the answer to material inequity lies in socialism, but take an honest look at this failed economic system and you will find no utopia.

To make everyone equal through the oppressive power of government creates more inequity than the free market because it robs people of opportunity.

But that seems to be what George proposes to curb the excesses of capitalism.

The early church tried a pure form of communal living. Guess what happened. Everyone didn't do his or her share of the work.

It may surprise you to hear that equality in material goods is not a biblical concept. People are not judged on the size of their bank account as the world judges, but on the quality of their love for God, which will express itself in love for their fellowman.

Better not leave your future to George.