Editor’s note: Ian Hodge is a regular columnist for Business Reform Magazine, the leading Christian business magazine with over 100,000 readers. Each issue of Business Reform features practical advice on operating successfully in business while glorifying God.
The issue surrounding Judge Raymond Moore in Alabama highlights the burning issue of our day: What is the relationship between religion, politics, and justice?
First of all, it is important to realize that Judge Moore is not alone on this issue of the Ten Commandments. In Ohio, Judge Jim De Weese also has an ongoing legal battle with the ACLU for hanging the Ten Commandments in his courtroom. Judge De Weese had the Bill of Rights on one side of the courtroom and the Ten Commandments on the other, and as he explains it, “one details people’s rights while the other details their duties.”
Here we have a balanced approach to law and religion. But what is easily forgotten is a statement made so well by author and financial adviser R.E. McMaster: “politics is religion applied to economics.”
Now this succinct statement captures it all. Politics and religion are inseparable, as the founding fathers of the USA Constitution understood so well. Every piece of legislation is an enactment of what someone thinks is right for society. Every action condemned in legislation is the politicians’ idea of what is bad.
But herein lies the problem. If legislation is an enactment of a moral code, whose moral code should be enacted? Oh, we can play games that this or that idea is just a matter of interpretation, but at the end of the day some issues are quite clear and beyond question. For example, most people understand the words “Thou shalt not steal” or “Thou shalt not murder.” Many of these same people have a little less understanding of the words, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” But the issue here is not so one of understanding as it is a willingness to comply with the simple meaning of the words. We don’t want people taking our goods so we enforce property rights in some areas, but we do want open access to sex at the same time.
The late Ludwig von Mises, the Austrian economist, understood that an economic system based on central controls requires the planners to have omniscience?all knowledge. They also need omnipotence?all power?to ensure they can enforce their legislation. Thus the planned economy leads to total control?totalitarianism.
That our so-called free nations of the world enact thousands of pages of new legislation each year?more than any person can keep up with?is indication that Mises’ observation is correct. Totalitarianism is on the horizon for most of us, and in principle is here. Practically, there is more legislation need to complete the controls. Terrorism is the excuse many needed to complete the task.
Too many believe that a knight in shining white armour as a political leader will solve all our problems. Somehow more legislation is supposed to solve our problem of too much legislation.
For many, a political solution is better than a religious one, but these are not the choices. Our choice is this: which religion will our political leaders apply to economics and other legislative acts?
Ian Hodge and Business Reform are able to offer a range of services that will educate business owners in all aspects of management, services that include our very own do-it-at-home (or at the office) study material. The first series of lessons on finance is now available. For further information, send an email to [email protected]. Learn to develop and maintain management practices that will give your business every chance of success.
What is a woman? The answer in Genesis 2 worked for lots of years
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