The defeat of the Blunt amendment is a stark reminder that the state is, and always will be, the adversary of righteousness.  Until recent history, government was held at bay by the first amendment to the Constitution.  The danger of government intrusion into matters of faith was fresh in the memories of the Founders.  They remedied that danger by recognizing the God given right to practice one’s religion unmolested.

However, twenty-first century American elites have adopted the false interpretation that the first amendment was designed to protect government from faith.  Thus, for the first time in American history, the Church became the enemy of government.  This tactic of neutralization has been subtly applied so that many Christians, not only embrace this lie, but ironically, raise their voices in support of tenets designed to limit their conscience.

The church must recognize its role as the counterweight to a declining culture.  Christians have dual citizenship and their first allegiance is to heaven and heaven’s God which is their primary citizenship.  Next, they are citizens of the nation in which they live and should, in every way, be model citizens.  The difficulty arises when the will of the state collides with the will of God.  How should the church react?  The indisputable answer is unequivocally on the side of faith.  Once the state decides to reorder faith and limit conscience, the church’s role as counterweight must begin.  Peaceful, nonviolent resistance to tyranny is imperative if freedom is to be preserved.  If the powerful succeed in neutralizing the voice of the church, then the conscience of the nation dies.

The birth control issue may seem innocuous, but considering the growing antipathy toward the Judeo-Christian ethic, it is one more step toward segregating the Church and rendering it impotent.  Given the fast pace of recent intrusions into our personal lives, most suffer from political fatigue.  The battle is all around us.  We cannot, however, let the camel’s nose stay under the tent.  To do so will ultimately be an invitation to enter and stay.  Once the autonomy of conscience is lost, it will be lost forever.

Let the Church be the Church.  We must stand in solidarity with our Catholic brothers.  If Catholicism can be cowed, then all faiths will face the same assault.  The time to speak is now, the time to stand is now.  Tomorrow will be too late, the shackles of our servitude are being forged.  We must refuse to pliantly offer ourselves on the altar of paganism.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  - Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)