Dear Members and Friends,
Last week it just dawned on me. If sales clerks forget to disarm the security tag on items purchased at Wal-Marts, when you walk through the exit, a bell goes off and a voice says something like, "You have activated the Wal-Marts security system." It doesn't say, "Wait a moment, you may have violated the eighth commandment. Please wait while a Wal-Marts clergyperson assists you." Personally, I'm very glad it doesn't.
Yet I am completely mystified, and a bit peeved, that in a nation founded on "unalienable rights" endowed by a Creator, where a President takes an oath of office before "Almighty God," a marble monument to the 2500 year old 10 commandments is said to be "cementus non gratis" in an Alabama courthouse. Underneath her blindfold, Themis, the lady of justice by day, and a Greek goddess by night, must be snickering with glee. For while the laws first given to Moses must go, she, being an advisor to Zeus, can stay.
Even so, apart from the battle of whether the Decalogue can or cannot be placed on public property, perhaps the real question for us to consider is whether or not the Spirit behind the Commandments resides firmly in our hearts. To be sure, we do not live in a theocracy, or a society even remotely controlled by a priestly interpretation of Divine decrees. But we are not a Godless country, nor in our manifest freedom are we invited or encouraged to be Godless people.
Much has been written these past few weeks on the meaning of "the separation of church and state." This is fine, but the real concern for us as Christians is the sanitized and diluted form of discipleship that seems to advocate the separation of church and people.
Given his response to those pressing him on the payment of taxes to Caesar, a pagan emperor, I believe Jesus would have had little problem with strict Constitutional secularization of domestic law. On the other hand, I also believe he would have been very much concerned by increasing incidences of secularized saints - disciples who may decry the eviction of the 10 Commandments from public property, but rarely open the scriptures in personal prayer and public worship.
This coming Sunday is Rally Day - a milestone in the Church Year where we embark on a new season of imparting the Good News. As we face the challenges endemic to a free society striving to find its way in difficult times, whether or not religious symbols will be allowed on state property, let us make sure that we as free Christians will be found firmly on church property. Truly, the question isn't whether or not our government renders to God the things that are God's, but whether or not we do. For indeed, if the Lord is allowed open access to our lives, then as we enter into the halls of Justice and Learning, He will always be present within our courts and our schools.
From Reverend William J. Keane,
Senior Minister of First Baptist Church of Branford
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