Don't trample Christ's message

Spectrum, by Dan Elliott

Ron Hammon's April 11 Spectrum piece, "Back to you, Mr. Editor," begins about homeschooling, but caroms on to public education, Christianity, evolution, modern un-Christian society, corporal punishment, welfare, taxes, good citizenry, socialism, communism, vouchers, privileged education, Scott Ogan and the ownership of God-given children. It reads like a bad sermon.

Here in the Valley, religion is often mixed with politics. Is this a case of a religious sect that espouses a political platform or a political party that wears a religious cloak? In either case, there is an element in Valley society whose arguments seem ranting, whose logic is sophistry, whose statements sound like religious dogma, and whose religious references and conclusions appear self-serving and self-righteous. Instead of reasoned discourse we are subjected to jingoistic cant. "Our forefathers" are the saints and Ayn Rand inspires the biblical interpretation. In Mr. Hammon's Spectrum piece if one disagrees, one is either un-Christian, a socialist, a communist or doesn't believe in liberty. Simplistic and illogical. If Mr. Hammon were to reference the Constitution more often, he could ghost-write for Vic Kohring.

While I'll pass on the political drivel, I take exception to Mr. Hammon's religious sanctification of his opinions. He makes strange claims of Christianity. It appears that if one disagrees with Mr. Hammon's take on any social or political issue, he is either un-Christian ("society withdraws from Christianity"), "mentally weak" or both. Many Christians of a different bent resent being told how we must interpret the Creation account, how to view corporal punishment in schools and even told that welfare without work is un-Christian. Mr. Hammon says that "the Biblical command is that if you don't work, you don't eat." At the risk of being self-righteous myself and at the risk of implying Mr. Hammon un-Christian, I see a different Jesus Christ in the Bible.

The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is not about Jesus saying to Lazarus as he lay starving at the rich man's door: "Get a job!" (Luke 16: 19-31).

Jesus did say, "I give you a new commandment, love one another … This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13: 34-35).

"Go sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come follow me." (Mark: 10.21).

"Then they will answer and say, 'Lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty or naked or ill or in prison and not minister to your needs?' He will answer them, 'Amen I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'" (Matthew 25: 44-45).

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world."(James 1.27).

The Jesus I read of is loving, forgiving, generous and compassionate, especially for the weak, lowly, poor, infirm and disadvantaged.

Certainly one's religious beliefs can have a bearing on one's political positions. I object to cloaking self-serving policies or positions in the robe of a version of Christianity that tramples on Christ's message of love for one another.

Dan Elliott lives in Wasilla.