Doctrine for practice or play
By Robert T. Smith
web posted February 25, 2013
Progressives appear truly unsettled by the basic doctrines associated with our country. Most famous are the progressives' attacks on the country's founding documents and Christianity.
Just as the progressives have adopted a "living" Constitution, they likewise seem to have adopted a living Holy Bible. Unfortunately for the progressives, unlike the Constitution, the Holy Bible is not a man-made construct that can be easily manipulated by our earthly social activism or politics. Transforming God's word into the progressives' causes is a trickier task than manipulating the Constitution through socio-political chicanery.
The Holy Bible is not a living document or ala carte menu of items to be picked and chosen to suit our individual desires, passions, or behaviors. If the Holy Bible was so formless, it would be worthless, able to be interpreted into any meaning depending upon an individual's whims or preferences.
As a body of literature, the Holy Bible speaks to God's relationship with his creation and includes his admonishments to live and do what is divinely attributed as right, moral, or virtuous. Certainly those who prefer to not live in the presence of God would like Christians to keep their beliefs to themselves; it being inappropriate in the progressives' view for Christians to reflect their lives lived in the presence of God upon society.
This is the perplexing socio-political issue for the progressives; how to separate a Christian's religious or church self, from their public or everyday self, or even vote-casting self? To Christians it is clear; God is everywhere at all times, nothing escapes His eyes - "Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence" (Psalm 139:7). The author of this Psalm goes on to say that there is no place he finds that is not in the presence of God.
As a doctrinal tool to drive Christian thought and practice into the shadows of our society, the Constitution is famously misused. The concepts of our country's founding and founding documents were believed to be divinely inspired, as so eloquently stated..."we are endowed by our creator."
The First Amendment to the Constitution was the peoples' keep out sign to the government, to make no law respecting an establishment of religion or the practice thereof. As examples of the "living" Constitution and Holy Bible perspective of today's progressives are the legalization of homosexual marriage and Christians being required to fund abortions; government-forced acceptance that is antithetical to Christian and Constitutional doctrines.
Christian doctrine is another left-leaning tool used as an attack upon Christianity itself. In this case, the tool used in an attempt to persuade Christians to social-silence is the verse from Luke 6:37: "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven." This is a large part of the approach taken by the progressives when they wish to correct Christians on the appropriate biblical view of, for example, homosexuality. Taken out of context by the progressives, this Holy Bible passage is alleged to be an anything goes pass, that we cannot judge anyone else's behavior.
Apparently unknown to the progressives, living in the presence of God compels Christians to proclaim God's truth. Christians are expected to confront false teachings and sinful behavior. This is not slander or the judgment admonished in Luke; instead, this is correction that seeks to save our fellow man, a truly caring act. Love the sinner but hate the sin is the key phrase overlooked by the progressives.
Christian judgment of right and wrong has been the impetus of many critical issues of history. Consider Christian evangelist Charles Finney, who famously spoke out and took action against slavery. Another Christian who judged right from wrong was John Newton, whose epiphany regarding his own conversion and political fight against slavery stands as a historical act of "Amazing Grace."
Food kitchens, shelters, clothing and housing contributions, monetary gifts, ad infinitum, are all a part of the Christian tradition of helping his fellow man. History and our daily life are rife with examples of Christians judging right from wrong and speaking out or acting accordingly. Our world is much better for the work of Christians.
Congregating as the people of God, the Church is a collection point for individual Christians living in the presence of God. Unfortunately, by ignoring the first amendment over many decades the progressive attack on Christianity has been all too successful. Consider when it was that you last heard a Christian position about the socio-political issues of the day while at Church? Arguably, if he were alive today, St. Paul would cumulatively condemn the American Christians and their Church by name and in writing - refer to the Corinthians.
In light of the extensive doctrinal decay so evident daily in our country, the choice all Christian Americans must make is how to live in the presence of God and as American citizens. Are Christian Americans to simply "practice" their doctrines, or are they here to play in the real game? 
Robert T. Smith is an environmental scientist who spends his days enjoying life and the pursuit of happiness with his family. He confesses to cling to his liberty, guns and religion, with antipathy toward the arrogant ruling elites throughout the country.