Last week's post on nations and Christianity had the Gent and I thinking along some similar topics, especially the role of morality in a nation and the role of civic religion.
If America is not a Christian nation, does it matter if it is a moral one? Does the government have a role in protecting or advancing a moral code?
To this we say . . . yes. Nations need a moral code (By this I basically mean natural law, in that there are some things we innately know, i.e., lying is wrong. I'm not going to go into an explanation of natural law in detail, but I'd recommend Jay Budziszewski's What We Can't Not Know if you want a well-reasoned explanation and defense). The moral code binds citizens together and provides a shared basis for our laws.
The government has an interest in building stable families because they are the foundation of society. Though of course families are not perfect, and way too many marriages end in divorce, but it is still the best mechanism we have for raising children to be healthy, responsible citizens. For the sake of the nation, the government should encourage and work to strengthen the institution of the family.
The moral code is also the basis for our laws. We innately know right from wrong - our sense of justice is strong. That's why a kid throws a fit when some other kid takes his toy. That kid knows that stealing is wrong. We know that theft and murder will land you in prison, and you'll know exactly where you went wrong and why you ended up there.
So, yes, a government can advance a moral code without advocating a specific religion. This is why the Gent and I classify ourselves as conservatives instead of libertarians. We believe government does play a role in the morality of a nation.
For example, this is why I am against gay marriage - it contributes to the breakdown of the family and is detrimental to the children who are raised in that environment. (I know some people will disagree with me on this, that's fine. This is just an example of my belief - I'm not looking to start an argument.) No-fault divorce has certainly been detrimental to the family, but I don't think we'll ever be able to go back and undo that. We can at least keep from slipping further down the path of tearing the family unit apart.
Changing directions . . .
What about "civic religion?" By this I mean the generic phrases used in our nation every day. The president says "God bless America" at the end of his speech. "In God We Trust" is written on our currency. The Congress opens with a prayer.
I think these inclusive phrases are part of what binds us together as Americans. You're free to believe or not believe in whatever God you choose (Not to mean this is a flippant decision - there are eternal consequences to whatever decision you make. It matters what God you worship, it matters what you believe about Christ.) It doesn't bother me if people invoke the civic religion or not. To me, when I sing "God bless America, land that I love," I am singing to the Christian God. But if you are a Muslim or Jewish or just believe in the idea of God, you can sing the song or not, however you choose to. I won't be offended on whether or not you participate in the civic religion. It can be a unifying experience for citizens, but it isn't important. It certainly doesn't replace the personal relationship I have with Jesus, or interfere with my beliefs in any way.
What do you think?
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