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Sunday, May 29, 2011The United States Of America & The Sermon On The Mount Have Nothing Fundamental In Common
Conservatives regularly claim that the United States of America is based upon Christian values. But I never hear them identify those values. The best source of Christian values is the SOTM. If the conservatives took the time to read the SOTM and compare it to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, they would find nothing in common.
Jefferson's Declaration of Independence (which created the *existence* of a new, separate country) identifies "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as values. Jefferson's intellectual predecessor, John Locke, offers "“Man... hath by nature a power....to preserve his property - that is, his life, liberty, and estate - against the injuries and attempts of other men.” The U.S. Constitution (which defined the *identity* of the new, separate, country) offered the rule of law based in reason so that justice will protect the values of life, liberty, property, and pursuit of happiness. Jesus' SOTM offers the exact opposite: 1. Not life on earth, but "reward in heaven". 2. "Let your light shine", not for your life on earth, but to "glorify your Father who is in heaven." 3. Mutilation of the body for using your senses (the basis of reason), "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. "If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." 4. The complete denial of justice and property: "But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you." 5. More obliteration of justice: "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others?". 6. Don't concern yourself about life, property, justice, and reason: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." "...do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?" "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these." "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." "Do not judge so that you will not be judged." The United States of America and Christian values have nothing in common. Link posted by Exalted Moments @ 1:41 PM 
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