THE 1ST AMENDMENT: TOLERANCE AND FREEDOM
Written by Herb Rubi
The First Amendment to the Bill of Rights, which includes the right of free speech, is the essence of Christian enlightenment as it pertains to secular government. The free speech guarantee anticipates two certainties: People have a God given desire to think and speak freely; and there are ungodly people with power who’d prefer they do neither. The 1st Amendment also maximizes tolerance in a pluralistic society.
That public discourse is leavened and elevated by Christian tolerance is undeniable.
George Whitefield Preaching in Bolton, June 1750
“Constitutional assurances, however, are only optimal when tethered to an inspired and energetic Christian voice; like John the Baptist crying in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord.”
It’s been said that Americans are like swimming fish who don’t notice the water. Most are oblivious to the raging spiritual conflict surrounding this right of free speech we take for granted. The Apostle Paul, (Eph 6,) says, “We are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world…pray for me that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly.”
The Apostle Paul understood what Soviet nuclear physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov discovered: “I’ve always thought that the most powerful weapon in the world is the bomb,…but I’ve come to the conclusion that the most powerful weapon in the world is not the bomb but it’s the truth.” Sakharov’s epiphany reveals our greatest treasure: the ability to discern truth.
Jesus said “Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.” The Holy Spirit is given to guide us into all truth. “He, (Holy Spirit,) will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” Truth convinces and persuades, and in its wake lies evaporate, and liars are exposed.
Constitutional assurances, however, are only optimal when tethered to an inspired and energetic Christian voice; like John the Baptist crying in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord.
Too many Christians in our culture equate tolerance with lukewarmness, and compromise. The opposite is true. Real tolerance is burnished by Spirit-filled Believers who possess “the mind of Christ,” and the vital faith to countenance a blustery, treacherous, and often menacing public conversation. This world of overwrought and under-thought political ideology and religion demands, against the backdrop of looming peril, a safe harbor for the free flow of ideas, which are mandatory for the survival of a free nation.
“In one sense a Christian government is the only legitimate government because it recognizes the God given agency of every citizen, and seeks to obey God by protecting each one’s capacity for expression and influence.”
The arc of this “present evil world” easily bends towards injustice, totalitarianism, and even genocide. A bad-actor authoritarian, with a “let no crisis go to waste” ethos methodically leads an agitated public into reactionary and retributive destructive behavior and violence. The apex of his wanton appetite for power is monopolizing the public narrative and bullying the public square. All dissenting voices are marginalized and then silenced.
We saw this play out before our eyes during the dark weeks and months of the Covid crisis.
The fear of being jailed, or executed for speaking out is a common trait of an illegitimate government. Jesus, however, commanded His followers to “love your enemies, and do good to those who mistreat you.” When the “Sons of thunder,” James and John, asked for permission to send fire upon their Samaritan rivals Jesus rebuked them: “You don’t know what spirit you have!”
In one sense a Christian government is the only legitimate government because it recognizes the God given agency of every citizen, and seeks to obey God by protecting each one’s capacity for expression and influence.
It’s easy to understand why all of the American Colonies had a religious test for high office; The United States Constitution, however, abrogated the religious test under Article VI. Although hotly contested and controversial, its effect was to crystallize the supremacy of Christian ideals versus myriad voices across the political landscape.
The genius of the 1st Amendment is that it beckons all to the public square, but it is quietly and irresistibly rigged in favor of the most compelling voice for truth and justice in our world: Jesus and His Church.