American Impasse, Part I

As a nation, we've been divided on whether we should maintain the separation between church and state. Some politicians believe the church should be more involved in decision-making, others say any involvement is too much. Our nation's forefathers believed maintaining the separation was pivotal to keeping both groups functioning independently, and as imagined, for the greatest benefit of society. They recognized that, if involved, the government could potentially corrupt the church. Their recognition of this was intuitive as we can see that some issues are beginning to arise since the two interests have been backing one another. It’s troublesome to observe the transformation while being helpless to prevent it – to continue watching as the preventable demise of two esteemed American ideologies plays out in real-time. The two entities cannibalize one another – visible destruction as each entity sheds its individuality and distinct purpose - they reassemble and reconfigure to become something entirely new, and yet, already old, and trudgingly familiar - something formidable that's wholly unique and fortified with fear and misplaced envy. Something that separates humanity and divides the United States of America.

When a governing party works to pass legislation on behalf of the church, or any third party, each group will inevitably suffer the consequences, if that legislation proves unpopular. The American people are largely against placing restrictions on reproductive rights. It’s a personal choice to have a baby and it’s unscrupulous, invasive, and un-American to rescind that right. This type of legislation crosses a line and as a result, could make it harder for these groups to recruit new members because this anti-human behavior is unacceptable in a free nation. Sharing a prurient fixation with human genitalia and a myopic inclination to over-govern humanity, these two groups will likely wane in popularity as time progresses. How do we know that God would even approve of this behavior? He is, after all, a jealous God - if we are to believe what the Bible says. One wouldn’t imagine that an admittedly jealous, omnipotent being would be keen on having their role appropriated by ill-intentioned humans. People who claim to be acting in God’s name, and yet, take it upon themselves to do the one thing that the Bible repeatedly advises not to do – Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged (Matthew 7:1).

What is the true intent of legislation on reproductive rights? If we are to believe that it is to protect the life of a fetus then why is that same life cast aside after birth? If the value of that life were so intrinsic to our society then we should be seeing an onslaught of NGOs and other such groups eager to provide resources for anyone considering abortion. Groups that offer financial support, community, and guidance to new parents so that they can care for a child appropriately. But there isn’t any of that – in most communities, no one checks in to verify these children aren’t being neglected and abused. If the parent doesn’t want the child before it’s born why do we assume their attitude will change once it's born? With nobody following up, then who truly cares about that life? So, let’s just be candid and stop using God and the life of an unformed embryo to pander to an insecure need to exert control over others. I can tell you from personal experience that having a parent who doled out harsh words rather than gentle kindness and who used a backhand and emotional trauma to teach life lessons did not make for a happy childhood. I rarely felt safe at home – when emotion would seize control of my voice, I’d threaten to call the police or CPS – anyone that could offer me protection from a person who was more than twice my size and keen enough to know the protection I longed for would never come – I can still feel the icy glint of angry eyes boring into me, see the contemptuous curled lip of a sneer, and hear the menacing taunt to go ahead and call, because who would they believe - certainly not a child. As a little girl, I prayed to God every night that my grandmother would live forever because without her I would have been completely alone in a world that terrified me to my core. I did this each night until I was around ten or eleven. By then, I had become pretty agnostic - If there was a God, his light just didn't shine on my corner of the world. It’s wrong on many levels to take away an individual’s right to choose, but subjecting an innocent life to the heinous abuse that can result from forced parenthood is not honorable.

There are multiple reasons that the number of people who identify as Christian keeps dwindling – it’s not just the political allegiance, but aligning so tightly with a political party can't be helping. A lot of people may be uninterested in joining organizations that encourage or promote the suffering of fellow humans – fellow Americans. It’s hard to make a case for any abortion restriction, but the callous, selfish behavior behind the unjust legislation is especially glaring when confronted with the stories of those who are forced to carry unviable pregnancies to term. Waking up every day feeling the growth of a life that will never take a breath outside of its protective womb - feeling the flutter of tiny arms and legs that will never realize their full potential – must be soul-crushing. It’s unacceptable that in a scientifically advanced society, anyone should have to endure this agony. As long as Republican and Christian “family” ideals are being used to market this unethical behavior, membership for both groups will likely continue to unravel. Furthermore, the petty behavior and failure to follow American traditions could serve to set the Democratic party up for win after win, as more and more Independent voters (like myself) keep swinging hard to the left – because it’s the only choice for those who aspire towards a time when we have equal rights for all Americans.

A vote for a Republican candidate feels like a vote against humanity – a vote against America and the people who call this place home. Book-banning and white-washing education, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, theft of human rights and bodily autonomy - it’s all unreasonable, unsupportable, and unsustainable. Before continuing, I want to affirm that I believe that most Christians are good people; people who genuinely care about the welfare of others - regardless of differences in skin tone, gender, sexuality, and so forth – kind people who strive to live honestly and abstain from casting unnecessary judgment onto others. I understand that the overwhelmingly vocal minority doesn’t speak for the majority of the Christian community. Unfortunately, the anti-humanistic views and demoralizing rhetoric espoused by that small faction may be off-putting to anyone seeking comfort and community through religiosity – why would anyone want to belong to a group that doesn’t practice - or even grasp - the basest, most foundational elements of the book they claim to live by? A group that fights to repeal and deny the rights of human beings? Before uttering that people need to find God and embrace religion – stop and ask yourself if maybe people aren’t backing away from God at all – rather, they are backing away from the sort of organized religion being offered to them.

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