God, Men, Country, and the Manhattan Declaration
Posted by Buck68 on July 8th, 2010 filed in Uncategorizedby Buck68™, July 8th 2010
©2010 by Buck68™, all rites re-served. Each use whatsoever requires prior written permission from the author [email: abuck68@yahoo.com]
Yesterday, I read The Manhattan Declaration at http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/the-declaration/read.aspx
I presume that the authors are trying to say what they mean, and mean what they say. Applying the world’s human values, they have achieved high standing in education, expertise, influencing others, position, reputation, and material success. By those achievements they gained their means to make their appeal to all people for three positions which they proceed to justify. In my attempt to read precisely and carefully compare word meanings, this Manhattan Declaration is an appeal via the thoughts and intentions of men, in the best of the traditions of men.
I, on the other hand, live somewhere near the other end of the spectrum of human achievement. Thus, in worldly human perceptions, I have little standing, next to no authority – and therefore provide little ‘value added’. Does this ‘make me’ ‘humble’? No. A martyr? Hardly. Oppressed? Depends on how I feel. Irrelevant? Depends on relevancy.
But even from under my Rock, I could continue in any and every manner of evasion and deception to… make whatever point I want to. So could we each and all. Isn’t ‘what I want’ just our natural, common, instinctive, spring-loaded motivation? So, I could just do this time, what I just naturally do all the time. BUT…
BUT…only this time, here, I will try to compare what this Manhattan Declaration says, to what the Bible [NASB version] says. I will not cite references to either. First, for the sake of brevity. Second, in deference to the negative of my veracity. Third, due to the positive ubiquitous availability of word search for any person who values accuracy. Fourth, because the first 3 also cover my laziness, and i “don’t have the time”.
The Preamble declares Christians heirs of traditions. Jesus declares woe to leaders preaching as doctrine the traditions of men. The Preamble reviews the goodnesses of Christians. Jesus says many will come to Him declaring what they did in His Name, and He will say ‘I never knew you’. Does a list of good things by group or issue make individual or groups ‘worthy’? Not if no one is worthy, no not one. Does “devotion to human dignity” …lead Christians? Or, does Jesus say, “Follow Me”? What is “proclaiming the faith”…with other than Jesus’ attitude?
This Declaration begs the continuing primal question of Authority: ‘who’s on top’. Here, it comes in the form of ‘do I follow Him my way…or His way?’ Do I use my language and my “concerns” and my approach…or try to relay and compare to His? If I gathered with another in obedience to God…would not the accuracy of my obedience be measured by living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God?
Are Christians [or, whatever group you pick] good by doing good deeds…or more good than ‘them’? Or, are we, being evil [an intrinsic condition], able to do good things for those we characterize as ‘children’ [implicitly suggesting our selves as the 'adult']? Or, Good Teacher…why do we call our selves good…if God alone is good? Put another way, …if we did all that we ought to do, would that sterling performance change our condition?
So, is Christian moral concern, and special concerns, and especially troublings…the province or possession of Christians? Is a person a Christian…by professing?
Is ‘truth’, ‘right and wrong’, ‘morals’ – are these concepts relative, changing, based on successive interpretations of human beings depending on what they feel or think…or labels for us or them? Either absolute, objective, righteous AND loving Authority… is essential to these concepts … or they depend on human impositional power…like survival of the fittest.
Who defines marriage and how marriage relates to value standards? If man defines, then the most powerful definer ‘makes it what it is’, and ‘liberty’ is a license to make ‘marriage’ …whatever…you can. On the other hand, if Absolute Authority defines…then the task is to understand and apply the definition and established relationships. And so it goes for defnitions: founded on morals…or the powers of men?
Does a deepest conviction…justify what you are convicted of? If so, the more extremist, the more justified. Is “I’m passionate” …the same as The Passion of the Christ?
Who makes who in whose image? Or, is it all about imaging and makeovers?
What if the wisdom of God were foolishness to the world? Then, simplistically, all I honestly feel…would be upside down and backwards to The Truth…The Way…The Life. Hmmmm.
TODAY, I heard His voice…and tried not to harden my heart. Oops…there i went again. Recovering: first I failed – I hardened my heart being just like i always am – too busy doing whatever. You know…just like when i hear…but do not listen. But then, this time…[somehow, not of my will] I came to my senses…well, a little bit. Then, in a ‘food for thought’ moment – like breaking bread with my heart – I sort of recognized The Stranger already beside me, Helping me. And this…this… attempted relay, watered down in very partial obedience … is one outcome.
