No Other Gods
by Glenn R. Jackson
One of the more interesting aspects of formulizing and writing about a Christian Political philosophy are the things you learn about your traditional political compatriots. By that I mean it is encounters with economic conservatives, and some social conservatives, who have learned the letter of the conservative “law” without experiencing the spirit of that conservative law that can be most interesting. What do I mean by the "letter", but not the "spirit"? From the perspective of American Reformation Project I am proposing that you cannot understand the founding of this nation, that you cannot understand what American conservatism is about, without acknowledging and understanding the pervasive Christian worldview underlying this nation and the conservative message.
Why this comes to mind is recalling a segment from a popular radio talk show. My guess is that push come to shove this talker host is more the economic rather than the social conservative. However, in this instance he was holding forth on the valuelessness of the public education system, and advocating the addition of the Ten Commandments to that environment as a way to change the educational dynamic. Granted I do not remember all he had to say on the subject, but I remember enough to understand why the current crop of “talk show conservatives” are failing thus far in the culture war. For you see he was advocating the Ten Commandments as a prescription for value, as a counterpoint to a liberal agenda, and maybe even as the way God directs us to live. In other words, he spoke of the Ten Commandments as superior, maybe even divine rules, of life and the founding principles of this nation’s greatness.
What's wrong with that, you might ask? While acknowledging the value of the Ten Commandments as coming from God and their strong moral value for our lives, I believe that this talker and many conservatives believe that that is the whole case for the Commandment's value. Conservatives little realize how this partial understanding leaves them so completely exposed to the liberal philosophy and the liberal agenda. In all I remember being said on this show the host never once spoke as if he understood the real value of the Ten Commandments. Of course the Ten Commandments do address the issues of private property, of the sanctity of the family, of marriage, and of life, but this is only part of the story and only provides point counterpoint to the liberal attack. In fact liberals actually argue that only a “relative” difference exist between their views and those of the Ten Commandments.
No, this conservative talker missed not only the real value of the Ten Commandments, but the one thing about them that liberals have not failed to clearly understand and to hate the most. It is the one reason why the Ten Commandments are never easily going back up in our public places. The Ten Commandments are not about rules, guidelines or laws, but are about a relationship, the relationship between Man and Creator.
In fact the first four commandments are all about the order, role and relationship that Man should have with his Creator. We see this clearly leading off with the first commandment, which states, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." What could be clearer? For Man there is nothing that can be of higher value and importance to him than his God and Creator. Man should not serve, follow or worship any but the true God, and a man’s worldview should be filtered through that sure knowledge of God's existence and relationship. If we take the Commandments seriously, and order our lives accordingly, nothing comes before God. To be in line with the Ten Commandments, God is first and life flows from that understanding.
Enter now liberalism and that philosophy's understanding that severing the relationship between Man and God, by placing the State in the role of God, is the key to power. The Liberal State can effectively counterbalance all the moral commandments with those of its own, but it cannot counterbalance the relationship commandment, it can only usurp it. This is why our current crop of talk show conservatives cannot win the culture war with today's liberalism. Conservatives have allowed the true God to be removed from the equation and have accepted the liberal’s substitution of the State in His stead.
Talk show conservatives today rail against Big Government and the State as if the fight were really about big versus small government. This is far too limited a vision of the real fight. Liberals understand that their only chance for victory and gaining power over man is to make the first commandment of all good citizens that they should have no other god before the State. The State must be more than father, mother, nanny or big brother it must be god to the people in order to win. In most of the world this role of the State is already a given fact for those people, but in this nation there is still a remnant of truth and understanding.
One of the more readily seen characteristics of this nation's people has been their individualism; in some descriptions it is their rugged individualism. Christianity supports and enhances a people's individualism. To the uninformed, Christianity is some mass conformity to God worship, but that is a false assumption. To the informed, it is the sure knowledge that a Christian's relationship to God is on a personal and individual level. The Scripture is clear on this point; only through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can you find a right relationship with God. Christianity rewards individuality.
On the contrary it is the State that must have conformity, which must have everyone molded to its will. If you look clearly at the situation today you can see the truth in that statement. What is Social Security and Medicare, but the attempt to bring everyone under one conforming program. Why do liberals fight so hard to prop up a failing system and avoid any individualizing of the retirement program if not to maintain the conformity they need. We can go down the line with education, health care, and economic policy and will see that conformity is the name of the game. Allowing the individual to flourish to set his own course or to make his own mistakes is to undermine the authority of the State.
Conservatives forget the First Commandment at their own peril. We cannot win this culture war without acknowledging within every argument we make that the fight is about who ruleth over all. Reformation of our nation’s greatness will never happen until each of us is able to acknowledge our true relationship to God. Choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the State or the Creator?
"… it would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official act my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe, who presides in the councils of nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that His benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the people of the United States a Government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes, and may enable every instrument employed in its administration to execute with success the functions allotted to his charge. In tendering this homage to the Great Author of every public and private good, I assure myself that it expresses your sentiments not less than my own, nor those of my fellow-citizens at large less than either. No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency; and in the important revolution just accomplished in the system of their united government the tranquil deliberations and voluntary consent of so many distinct communities from which the event has resulted can not be compared with the means by which most governments have been established without some return of pious gratitude, along with an humble anticipation of the future blessings which the past seem to presage. These reflections, arising out of the present crisis, have forced themselves too strongly on my mind to be suppressed. You will join with me, I trust, in thinking that there are none under the influence of which the proceedings of a new and free government can more auspiciously commence. "
Glenn R. Jackson is Chairman of the American Reformation Project, former State Chairman for Buchanan Reform and former state Chairman of the Georgia Freedom Party. Glenn also served on the Executive Committee of the Reform Party USA. Glenn holds an MA in Philosophy from Georgia State University in Atlanta.
© Glenn R. Jackson