Many well-intentioned Christians today believe the Bible teaches that faith alone is the way to salvation, that is, the way to solve all of earth’s individual and collective problems. The apostle Paul certainly emphasized a simple belief in Christ that activates God’s grace/blessings, and the Protestants of the Reformation adopted this as their mantra.
But many Christians, including Christian leaders, have taken this idea so far as to absolve the elect from working in the community in a systematic way to build up civil society. Christian doctrine has been used to subvert democracy by depriving government of the civic effort of a substantial block of its citizens.
The scripture says much more than just “For by grace are ye saved through faith … it is the gift of God: not of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9, KJV). Christians ought to explore the many New Testament verses that implore good government and dedicated citizen participation.
Kimball Shinkoskey
Woods Cross, Utah
Losing
courage
Courage, like character, is an inborn human trait. Yet, it is something that can be lost, or simply snubbed or intentionally disregarded. America’s history has been made by the naturalness of courageous men and women with character and decency. It is what has propelled a nation conceived in liberty and justice to heights beyond expectation or anticipation.
Courage and character have paved the way for the growth and progression of our society. They have enabled us to attempt to right the wrongs of our past and forge forward with a renewed awareness and appreciation of the dignity of humanity, in all its ethnic imagery and pageantry.
The struggles for rights span the spectrum of our diversity, and the continuum of our similarities, has integrated and coalesced our multiplicity of thoughts, ideas, views and ideals.
Now, once again, courage and character are at the forefront of American history. This time it is the scarcity and even absence of courage and character that is hurling and thrusting America into an orbit around digression, suppression and submission. An orbit once thought unfathomable and even inexcusable. Yet, here we are, circling the drain, like dirty flowing water, emptying into the putrid reservoir of history.
And all, not because we have lost our sense of direction or inclination, but because our leaders have abandoned their courage and character for 30 pieces of silver. For money, power and re-election, too many of our congressional leaders have blatantly bowed down to avarice and arrogance, with high judicial and state representatives following suit.
Power corrupts. And in the 21st century, America is finally the recipient of the power-hungry mentality that destroys the fabric of human decency, credibility and dignity.
We are learning and seeing what living without courage and character looks like. We are being made to accept the unacceptable, and to eventually live in a prison of our making, without the courage, character or strength to break free, and be free.
Courage and character, a 17th- and 18th-century concept, now withering and fading in America.
Al Garcia
San Juan
