The Christian Right (or is it left?)

   And we're off to another exciting day at the essay writing table.  The
the keyboard is ready, the music is quietly inspiring in the background.. and
the typist.. tyops with ease.  This one may sound different than others on
this page.. partially because God has just blown me away with the notion that
I have been in the right all along about something I've held onto for a long
time.  It's really kewl when you've been standing up for something for a
while.. and even taken whacks in the heart for it.. when you realize.. or
when God shows you.. that you were in the right to stand as you did.  So, be
assured that I'm quite certain that the following essay is about as true as
they get. :)

   Ok.. what's the subject?  Well.. by looking at the title, you might think
it has to do with left versus right wing-ism... but it doesn't.  What it has
to do is forespoken of in the "whacked" essay a few lines down... but not
completed.  Basically.. the question is.. how many rights do we have as
Christians?

   Well.. how many *do* we have?  I mean.. don't we have the right to be fed,
clothed, and nurtured?  Do we have the right to schooling and a means to
support ourselves?  Do we have the right to be supported when we can no
longer support ourselves with our own hands?
   Interesting questions.. doncha think?  But what if I said the answer to
every single one of them was "no".  Would you enjoy it?  Probably not.. You
might think I'm being nasty even to suggest such a thing.  But really.. it
makes more sense than you might guess.
   Let's look at the word "right".  Webster defines a "right" as follows:

        Something to which one has a just claim (as a) the power or
        privilege to which one is justly entitled.

   The key words here seem to be "just" and "justly entitled".  If we have a
right to something, then a claim to justice can be made that this something
belongs to us.. that we deserve it -- or even -- that we are owed it.  But
let's take a look at that a little more closely.
   
   First off.. we need to ask just *who* owes us.  What person is indebted to
us so that they *must*, according to justice, give us that which they owe?  I
can recall one of my closest friends reminding me about what I'm about to
tell you -- the fact is.. that we really do not have any rights at all.
   Ok.. this may sound a little harsh.. but let me expand.. and you'll see a
little more clearly.

   If we go to the beginning of our universe, when we were only thoughts in
God's mind.. it becomes easy to realize that God has given us everything we
have.. including our very existence.  I know for me.. that one of the
toughest obstacles to overcome in my faith-walk has been the fact that God is
God.. and that we are His creation.  And if you really get deep into this
fact, you realize that God, being God.. doesn't owe us a single solitary
thing.  He had and still has every right to do with us as He chooses.. for
His purposes.  He has no requirement to do anything nice for us or help us in
any way, shape, or form.  We, however, owe Him our everything.  There is
nothing we have.. which God hasn't either directly given us, or has allowed
us to take possession of.  We are His.. we belong to Him.
   But He *does* love us.. more than we can measure.  And this is *why* we
have as much as we do.  If God didn't love us, I shudder to think where we'd
be.  I don't even want to think about it.
   Now.. many people would easily argue that children have the right to life
once they are conceived.  If so, it is simply because God's character says
murder is wrong.. and thus He has outlined it in His commandments to us.. not
because the children, themselves, deserve anything from anyone else.  The
only "deserving" anyone truly has is there because of God's directive.  If we
say we deserve to be raised by loving parents, it's actually because God's
character demands love between parent and child.
   The same can be said for many issues in life.  God has every right to do
what He wills and tell us what are the correct standards for behavior.  After
all.. He's God.

   Now.  Earlier tonight, I got into a deep-hearted conversation with God
about one of the most potent subjects in life -- which really boiled down to
love.  Basically.. I was concerned about something which every nation, state,
city, community, school, and family needs to face:  the use of pain as a
detourant to evil behavior.  I've struggled with this issue since I was a
young child.. as to how much and when it's allowable.  Hopefully the next
part of this essay will help open your eyes to the truth in a difficult
subject.
---

   Basically.. God helped me through the following reasoning.. and brought me
to the conclusion I'll hopefully be able to convey to you.

   Firstly.. I was confronted with the notion of a family.. and the use of
corporal punishment as a detourant.  I thought along the lines of "well, if
God points to the use of familial corporal punishment in the Bible.. as He
does.. then of course, it's not only legitimate, but required at times."
   Next.. I thought about schools.  "Should a school be allowed to administer
physical punishment to a child who is unruly?  I believe so.. as physical
punishment can often speak volumes to a child that words never will."
   Continuing.. "A community.. even a city.. should it be able to punish
those who violate just laws?  Certainly!"
   On through state and country.. "Yup.. you bet."
   But what about when government takes place across nations..?  "Should one
nation have the right to judiciously use force to stop injustices of
another?  It makes sense.. yes."
   
   That seemed simple.. and is probably what a lot of people adhere to.  But
Jesus pointed me to something very important that is missing from these
policies:  His mercy.
   See.. if we take a look back at the Cross.. (I suggest reading the
"whacked" essay here if you haven't yet.. then coming back), and how Jesus,
though He had more authority and power than anyone on Earth ever has, chose
to die.. then we must give creedence to the fact that we are to follow Him
down the very same road.  Jesus not only died for.. but suffered for.. and
LOVED those who were killing Him.  He gave love unto those who didn't deserve
it.  And if there's one thing this world needs.. it's love -- true love --
the love that only God and Jesus can give them.  And in order for many to
find such a love.. they have to do a lot of "whacking" against those who
claim to know God.. who seem to care for them.. and who want them to find
real peace.  They need the truth.. but often they won't accept the truth
until they've thoroughly tested it.  And if we decide to be involved in
practices that deny people the mercy that Jesus wants us to show them, then
we aren't following in His footsteps.  Succinctly speaking, if Jesus wants us
to walk in His ways.. to turn the other cheek and love back those who hurt
us.. even those who would kill us.. or even torture us.. then how can we do
less?
   Basically.. The Spirit put it this way when I queried Him:

   The world is involved in seeking freedom for itself -- freedom to do what
it wants.. freedom from pain.. freedom to grow and have fun -- but true
freedom is about loving those who need it.  The world is loaded with people
who want to seek Justice, but as spoken of by Paul in 1 Corinthians (chapter
5 explicitly), we need to be only judging those who are of the faith, and
instead, turning the other cheek and blessing those who curse us and
persecute us.  So.. if the world is going to seek to dispense justice.. when
Jesus didn't seek justice, but mercy, why would you want to be involved in a
government that takes you in a direction other than that of Christ, Himself?

   In other words.. If Jesus came to show love.. why should we become part of
an institution that does something other than what He would do in our place?
To tie this in with the above half -- let's look at our "rights".  Under the
system I talked about.. moving from family to nation, it makes sense to use
some form of punishment to help criminals see the error of their ways and
turn the other direction.  Under these systems, we have the right to seek
justice.. and to have our rights met.  But being a Christian isn't about
standing up for our rights as much as laying them down.  True love is about
defering to one another -- it's about giving up what we could have, that
others may benefit all the more.  By laying down such rights, we stand a far
better chance of helping others find the real Jesus.  Didn't Jesus draw you
with kindness, and not judgement?  Shouldn't we do the same?

   Anyway.. that's my schpiel for tonight.  Always remember.. demanding your
rights may feel good.. but giving them up will help others feel even better.