The Ten Commandments meet the Golden Rule – Baptist News Global

Last week, Christian nationalists won another skirmish in their continued attack on democracy and their misguided fight for the “soul” of America when the governor of Louisiana signed a law requiring the posting of the Ten Commandments on the walls of every public school classroom in this state.

It was terrible, but predictable.

Once again, short-sighted fanatics have forgotten that legislating morality wins no converts; this only arouses contempt for the faith they think they are protecting. When will people learn that you cannot gain a soul for the family by force, you can only lose your own soul in the attempt. And think of the hypocrisy of those who would enforce these standards while celebrating political leaders who blatantly ignore them.

Greg Hunt

Try to understand: I have nothing against the Ten Commandments, a fundamental standard of right and wrong for Jews and Christians. I continue to honor these commandments among the essential tenets of my faith. I just don’t believe we have the right to impose this faith-based list of do’s and don’ts on everyone. As much as I believe in the wisdom of these commandments, I also believe in the golden rule, which says: “Do unto others what you ask of them, do for yourself”, and I certainly would not want others push you around. their falling standards My throat.

This affront to conscience and the Constitution is only the latest blow to the dignity and rights of all of us, but particularly of minorities and those who have less power on issues of race, gender, ethnic origin and sexual orientation.

I have a suggestion. Let us check our sanity and truly cherish the biblical principles that we hold dear. After all, we are free and faithful Baptists, who believe in a denominational, non-coercive faith. We appeal to the consciences of others while honoring their right to worship (or not worship) according to the dictates of their inner guidance system.

Let’s take advantage of this moment:

• Renew our commitment to the ideal of a free Church in a free State.
• To reaffirm our respect for the competence of the soul, the sacred right and the ability of each person to decide for themselves matters of belief.
• Restore our trust in the Holy Spirit, who alone has the power to awaken and transform the heart.
• To re-engage ourselves to respectful engagement in the public square of our pluralistic society, where support is not obtained through strong-arm tactics but through an appeal to others in terms potentially meaningful to all.
• Claim our prophetic mandate to protect those left behind from all those who would trample on their rights as full citizens of the universal common good of humanity.

God has mercy on us all.

Greg Hunt is interim pastor at First Baptist Church of Columbia, Missouri.