Activist Judges Revisited

by Dale on Aug.20, 2005, under News

A few days ago I wrote about my opinion of the response that some religious groups have taken to activist judges. My take is that their stance is disingenuous seeing that the same call for “non-activism” in the judges was not the call they’ve had for every administration. When they stand in defense of the president’s right to sign laws into being it is not every president they are standing for but just the current one.

In response to that post a commenter brought to my attention another blog posting about it. Click HERE to read the article.

The paragraph that is particularly chilling to me…I pray it is not an accurate assesment but I fear, too often, it is.

While I understand their take on issues such as abortion and gay marriage, their claims that they represent true Christian values falter when you consider their hypocrisy on the court system and their refusal to respect the judicial profession that truly protects our freedom. If they want to talk about immorality, perhaps they should consider the 48 million people without health care coverage, the use of unilateral warfare, or the children going hungry within our own borders. Before they claim to speak for Jesus, maybe they should try acting like Him first.

At the end of the day, when all the arguments wind down and we run out of things to say to bolster our distinct, unique, and particular opinions….when political allegiances smack of uselessness in the face of our life clock winding down….when we realize that it does no good to say that our job, career, ideology, or dreams kept us from doing anything real in this world….

At the end will we be just so much empty, incessant talking or will we change our world like Jesus said we could?

I know what I want to be caught doing….God, wake me up! ¡Despiertate!

Dale


4 Comments for this entry

  • Sally Schilling
    August 22nd, 2005 on 12:01 pm

    You are a thinking man, friend. Most people are not. They permit others to decide for them.

    Reply
  • Dennis
    August 22nd, 2005 on 7:32 pm

    I have to admit, Dale, I’m a little confused at what your point is. The objection to “activist judges” has to do with their willingness to impose their political views on the country without involving the legislative process. The judiciary was not intended for that purpose.

    The so-called immoralities mentioned are ones that should not be addressed from the bench. That would be extremely dangerous in our political system. If they should be addressed at all politically, they should be addressed from the legislative and/or executive branches. That provides at least some degree of checks and balances.

    My contention is that problems like hunger, homelessness, and health care for those who cannot afford it are much better addressed privately, by the church, than by government. Government programs dole out stuff by, for the most part, passionless bureaucrats. There is no accountability and no love.

    Quite a few years ago I was pretty actively involved politically. I especially worked on the abortion issue. I found that battle very frustrating. I decided to get involved instead in a ministry that seeks to affect changed hearts and meet needs direclty. That is how I became involved in the work of Crisis Pregnancy Centers. The stories come in every day of girls who have made decisions to keep their baby, do adoption, and better yet accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.

    Reply
  • Dale
    August 23rd, 2005 on 11:33 am

    Dennis thanks for you candid input. I will try to clarify succintly what it is that bothers me about this effort.

    While I agree that the function of our country’s political system is as you’ve described I find it disconcerting that the church is spending so much money on it right now. I don’t have the number in front of me but I’m sure multiple millions were spent on this. From their website it says it was broadcast in 79 million homes and in all 50 states. That kind of coverage takes alot of effort and resources both personal and financial.

    Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded if the church’s banner had been to stop activist judges and protect the president’s right to sign law all along. But it hasn’t. In fact, never once during the Clinton administration did I hear the “religious right” (I know that’s a broad brush but to save time I’ll use it) claiming concern that the President’s right to sign law was being trod on. Never mind spending millions upon millions to make that statement.

    Right now it is helpful for the “religious right” to support the president because he agrees with them. But when he didn’t agree with them you didn’t see that support. I can’t see that as any other way than disingenuous and bordering on hypocritical.

    It’s like praising the referee when he blows the whistle on the other team and chiding him when he identifies your fouls. Everybody see thru it. Everyone knows that the referee is your friend only when it feels good.

    I see this the same way. Meanwhile….those millions of dollars?? How many meals is that? I’m not saying food is the best use of the money necessarily but I am saying I seriously doubt that Justice Sunday (the name it was advertised as)is the best use.

    Shouldn’t the splash we (the church) make in this world be more closely identified with feeding the hungry than with government watchdog activities?

    Hope that helps you see my point.

    Dale

    Reply
  • Dennis
    August 24th, 2005 on 1:13 am

    I wholeheartedly agree with you about the money spent by the church on political issues. I ahve enough of a problem with how much the average church spends just “blessing the saints”, never mind spending on these political issues. There is not a single political issue that, if won, will bring a soul into the kingdom.

    As far as politics and hypocrocy, they seem to be one and the same. Both sides play that game big time. The left is criticizing Bush for doing things that they themselves voted for. That’s why I said adios to political activism long ago.

    “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

    Reply

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