The Church Cannot Usurp The Responsibilities of Government

The Church Cannot Usurp The Responsibilties Of Government

When Christ said “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s”, it was not only a coin that belonged to Caesar. Caesar and any government have the responsibility to administer the civil affairs of any society. Christ explicitly said that what belongs to government must be rendered to government. The Catholic Church does not have the moral, ethical or expertise to appropriate the responsibility to administer American government. Christ recognized that all things related to secular, ethical government are not the responsibility of the Catholic [Christian or a non-Christian] Church. Centuries past, when the Church did in fact, involve itself in government, the scandals were legion, and the hierarchy was corrupted by money, secular, political power and eventually wisely stopped interference in the responsibilities of government. Cardinal Richelieu is a famous example of church interference in government.
The laws of a nation and their administration are not the responsibility of any church. When the bishops of Los Angeles defied the immigration laws and encouraged illegal immigration by sheltering the illegal,law-breaking immigrants, they were not rendering to government the responsibilities of American government. The bishops were usurping the explicit responsibility of American government and spreading scandal by showing contempt for the law.
Concern for immigrants is a laudable goal that can be achieved without breaking the law or usurping governmental responsibility. The slow step in admitting new, legal, immigrants is the poor efficiency of the Immigration and Naturalization Service in processing the immigration applications of people who want to become Americans. The job of the immigration service is not to admit just anyone!. Their responsibility is to protect the legal, ethical sovereignty and borders of America. The church actions would be better served by doing what they can to ethically expedite immigration applications. It is also not the legal or ethical right of the church to change American society to suit any hierarchical desires.
The very best action that any church can do is to criticize and condemn the famously corrupt Mexican government to change the treatment of Mexican citizens. The real problem is the lack of opportunity in Mexico, not the legally constituted government policies of America.
The Catholic Church learned centuries ago that interference in secular government is not part of their mission. It is unfortunate that the lesson needs to be learned again. The source of the problem resides in Mexico, not in America. Abe Lincoln said, "You cannot make the poor rich by making the rich poor". It is NOT redistribution of wealth that is needed. It is the redistribution of the OPPORTUNITY for indvidual action and individual responsibility. Liberal, tyrannical governments always try to control not only the wealth but also the opportunity for a better life. Liberals have a mental disorder that says, "I and my superior intellect and educaton empower me to control anyone who has less intellect and education". This attitude of Liberals has been the source of failure of scores of governments and organizations in history. The Founding Fathers wrote two documents that are the basis of Amereican society. The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. The Declaration of Independence gives the moral, ethical basis for American self-government. It also states the fact that the rights of man come from a Creator and NOT from a government. The United States Constitution, although the word "God" does not appear anywhere in the document, gives the recipe, the working methods, that are to be used to fulfill the truths stated in the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution cannot be changed when it disagrees with the Declaration of Independence. Both Church, Morality,and an Ethical Road Map and also Government are needed to fulfill the American Republic. Thus we need BOTH moral,ethical guidelines and e need a government. We CANNOT have one without the other. The effort to remove God and religion from American government is just a foolish attempt to do what the Founding Fathers wisely said cannot be done and still have a nation. Government without moral and ethical guidelines is tyranny and church,religion without government is chaos. We need both and in their proper places with separate responsibilities. Liberals who believe they can do both functions are foolish and will distroy not only America but also themselves. When will they ever learn?
Older Wiser