Contemplating Some Very Contentious Disagreements

 

The week of June 21, 2015 was a very significant one in the life of the United State and its Supreme Court.  Two decisions were rendered that have and will continue to have an enormous impact on our country and its citizens.  As I have watched the news reports, listened to the pundits, and mostly observed the commentary going back and forth on social media, I have pondered whether or not I wanted to weigh in with an opinion.

 

My family and friends know that I always have an opinion, so I can't hide behind the excuse that I'm neutral.  I am not neutral in my perspective on either decision.  At the same time, I have had some very painful experiences over the past number of years that came out of disagreements in the political and theological sphere, and these experiences give me pause as I take the risk of revealing my positions...perhaps you can relate to this concern.  I don't think any of us set out to hurt other people's feelings when we state an opinion or belief, and we certainly don't share our perspectives with a desire to lose friends.

 

Can we be patient enough with each other to share our perspective without fear of retribution, sarcasm, and even the possibility of rejection?  I don't know.  It's risky these days to have a view that isn't in line with the majority opinion, and since the majority opinion is so fluid, it's even more risky!

 

Here I go...

 

The thing that concerns me most about the Supreme Court opinions isn't the opinions themselves, although I have very deeply held beliefs about both matters that were being decided upon.  What really concerns me is the Court's seeming movement in the direction of making law, rather than interpreting the matter in light of the Constitution.  The Justices who sit on our Supreme Court are not elected.  They are not placed in their positions to make Law, or even to protect certain laws because those laws may appeal to their life philosophy or political views.  As a layperson, it seemed to me that both decisions ran far afoul of the Court's defined role, and both decisions came about as a result of the each of the Justice's personal views, rather than as a result of their dispassionate application of the actual language of the Constitution.

 

For those happy with either or both decisions this week, I understand your happiness.  I even understand the happiness that comes from "winning," because I am incredibly competitive myself, and I love to win.  At the same time, I urge caution about the direction of our Supreme Court, and that we not celebrate too soon this tendency to legislate from the bench. 

 

What if the next round of decisions goes against your position, but the Court uses the same twisted and highly prejudiced technique of twisting the English language to say what it clearly did not say? Will you be happy then?  When it comes to the Supreme Court of the United States, it seems to me the means is just as important as the end. Perhaps even more important.

 

On the decisions themselves - I am not a fan of Obamacare, but not because I don't want people to have access to good health care.   I simply believe the law is fraught with unintended consequences, and is not in the long run, the smart way to address the problem we face with respect to insuring our citizens.  The language of the law was terribly written and incredibly sloppy on a number of topics. As for the Court's ruling, are we not capable of understanding the difference between a "State Exchange," and a "Federal Exchange"?  Of course we are! The Court's twisting of this simple reading of the language was ridiculous and entirely driven by a desire to effect a certain end, regardless of the insupportability of the means utilized to reach that end. 

 

I own a health care consulting business, and frankly, I profit from several aspects of how Obamacare impacts the world of health insurance.  When the ruling came down, I thought to myself, "well, that's good for our consulting firm."  I also thought the Court's method of arriving at the decision was ridiculous and dangerous, in terms of precedent for our approach to language and how to interpret words on the page. 

 

To be fair, I have not seen the leadership or rank and file of the Republican Party put forth a viable alternative to Obamacare, even as the Court's decision loomed in recent weeks. What would have happened had the Court actually decided the case by concluding the word "state" actually does mean state?  It probably would have been calamitous in terms of people losing their government subsidies, and could have turned the entire industry on its head.  At the same time, I sure hope the Justices didn't make a decision based on their desire to avoid its consequences, rather than on the basis of law. 

 

It also bothers me that our leaders sat around and did nothing to create a contingency plan for the possibility of the Court deciding against the health care law.  Such a total abdication of leadership, I'm not sure we've ever seen before.  There is not a leader in either party at the moment who gives me much cause for hope, because they all, to a person, seem to be in the political game solely for personal gain, fame and power.

 

And this brings me to the Court's decision on Same-Sex Marriage and Marriage Equality.  I have found it extremely difficult to arrive at a position on this subject, because I have so very many friends who are rejoicing over the decision and it's impact on their personal lives and relationships.  I absolutely love my friends and family who are in same-sex relationships, and there are many of them.  I also have a degree from a conservative seminary and have grappled for years with the experience of people and the teaching of Scripture on the subject of homosexuality.

 

In the United States of America, we prize individual liberty above all else.  Do I believe this country was originally founded by Christians and theists?  Yes I do, and I believe history supports this view without question of fact.  Do I also recognize an incredible tension between personal beliefs and the rights of an individual to be in relationship with whomever they choose?  Yes. I believe the culture of our country is in a very serious pattern of moral decline, and as this trend continues, the tension between the culture and our Judeo-Christian heritage will grow ever more intense.

 

Do I believe the teaching of Scripture in both Hebrew and Christian tradition defines marriage as an institution established by God, and existing between one man and one woman? Yes, I do.  I have scores of friends who would tell me Jesus never talked about homosexuality explicitly.  I would agree with that statement, as far as it goes; but it isn't the whole story.  The rest of the story is Jesus' repeated commitment to the fulfilment of the entirety of Scripture.  It was Jesus Himself, when confronted about the topic of divorce, who explained marriage as being from the very beginning, between a man and a woman.  It was Jesus who said He came to fulfill the Law, not to abolish it. I do not believe these principles first laid down 4,000 years ago in Scripture have fundamentally changed, nor that they will change.

 

And this brings me to the beginning of a conclusion:  words matter.  Sometimes words don't say what we want them to say.  For those of us who are believing Jews or Christians, our experience and our personal opinions may sometimes clash with the teachings of Scripture.  When that happens, we may be tempted to find ways to reframe what we're reading...to explain it as meaning something it doesn't say in the plain reading of it.  We work to make the Scripture match our experience, rather than altering our behavior to conform to its teaching.  I recognize the frustration and pain that comes from this experience. I have lived it.

 

I hope the fact I don't celebrate either of these Court decisions will not result in a loss of friends, or a loss of respect from those who stay friends and choose to tolerate my unenlightened perspective.  Still, the risk of loss is there and I accept it.

 

When I was young I thought life was straightforward - I saw things in black and white, right or wrong, up or down.  As an adult, I have come to know some truth is immutable. Unchangeable.  Permanent. Eternal, even.   The difference between childhood and adulthood, for me...is that I now see the gray.  So many things we experience in this life appear to be washed in gray, and it can make taking a stand very difficult.

 

Still...I must take my stand, and the one thing I am absolutely, 100% certain of is the truth found in Jesus Christ and His teachings.  If the time comes in our country that the laws of the land force me to choose, I will choose Jesus.  I will choose what Jesus said about marriage.  I will side with Him when it comes to the fulfilment of every jot and tittle of the Law.  If it was good enough for Jesus, even when it's difficult for me, I will say without reservation: it is good enough for me.