In light of the recent Supreme Court ruling over the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), how should conservatives respond. Michael Filozof, at the American Thinkerasks four questions we ought to ask ourselves concerning the current state of conservatism in America.
1. Obviously, hitching conservative fortunes to Republican judicial appointees, and the Republican Party generally, has been a failure. Is it time for a conservative third party?
2. The SCOTUS simply made America more socialist than it already was. How are conservatives going to convince large segments of the public to give up their socialism? Is it even possible to do so?
3. Are you willing to support a constitutional amendment limiting federal revenue to a specific percentage of GDP in order to curb Federal power?
4. Is it even possible to advance a conservative agenda any more in the United States as presently constituted?
As Filozof says, in his article, America is not “becoming” socialist. It already is. He goes on to point out that conservatives are losing the battle on the major social and moral issues of our time, like abortion, socialized medicine, affirmative action, illegal immigration, homosexual ‘marriage’ and more.
With all of this in mind, I’ll ask quite honestly here, are we, as conservatives, doing what many liberals are doing and looking to a man or a party or government to be our savior? Seriously, before you comment out of emotion. Stop and think about your response yesterday. Was it a purely political reaction to what took place or did you maybe fall to your knees and cry out to God that he would grant our nation repentance and restore us for His glory?
While I am not one that thinks Benjamin Franklin was a Christian, I do believe Christianity influenced his thinking. I also believe that at least in words he referenced something that is very Christian in theological terms. In the midst of what almost became the dissolution of the Constitutional Convention Franklin said,
In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the Contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection.- Our prayers, Sir, were heard, & they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending providence in our favor. To that kind providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth- that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that “except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.
America has forgotten God. We have come to think that a party or a man in the White House can solve our ills. That is folly.
We must be those who cry out to God and ask Him to forgive our sin, pray for our leaders and return to the Lord. Even to do these things, we must be dependent upon the God of the Bible and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. My prayer is that God would once again show mercy to us in our time of need, grant us repentance, and exalt us once again as a nation for His glory. I hope that is your prayer too.
