The Bottom Line, Ministries Christian News, Articles, & Poetry 
Deuteronomy 16:18-19 (NLT) 18) “Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly. 19) You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly.
It seems these days that crying discrimination, oppression, and victimization has become a national past-time. Frankly, it is getting very tiresome. People feel empowered when they are fighting against injustice whether it is real or perceived. It is society that becomes the victim as the drumbeat of this claim is perpetuated.
This week the Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional to force care-givers who receive compensation to stay home and care for a disabled family member, to pay union dues. This was a unanimous decision. It was fair. And most importantly, it was Constitutional.
The court also ruled a Massachusetts law barring protests outside abortion clinics unconstitutional. The law was imposed in response to violence at some clinics. The law, in spite of how well intended it may have been, infringes on our protected right of free speech and our right to assemble peaceably. This decision was unanimous. It was fair and, again, most importantly it was Constitutional.
Our protection from unreasonable search and seizure was confirmed in the court’s unanimous ruling that a warrant must be issued before law enforcement officials can lawfully examine the contents of our cell phones. All three of these rulings brought before our highest court were found to be Constitutional …unanimously. Could it be that the ideological divide is not as deep as it has appeared to be in recent years?
The ‘Hobby Lobby’ case, perhaps the most publicized, did not result in a unanimous decision. The court ruled 5-4 to uphold the business owner’s constitutionally protected right of religious freedom. In this case, the court was divided along social, ideological philosophies. This is a disappointment. It appeared that the previous decisions were an indication that the justices were keeping politics out of the courts. Sadly, this was not to be the case. Nevertheless, the majority opinion ruled that employers are people. Therefore, they have religious freedom and that the government cannot force them to violate their deeply held convictions in order to fund the perceived ‘rights’ of their employees. It is a great victory for religious freedom in America.
Everyone should be celebrating our freedom! Yet those in opposition are declaring that women’s ‘rights’ are being taken away and that they will no longer have access to reproductive health-care. This is not an innocent misunderstanding. This is not simply political spin. It is an outright lie. The freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution have been preserved. Yet, once again, some are arguing that we are suffering oppression. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; the freedom to speak (express ourselves) and assemble, to choose for ourselves our religious practice, how we will worship (or not worship) and we cannot be prohibited from doing so.
Nowhere, within our historic documents, does it guarantee one can be compelled to pay for the food, housing, personal choices, or any other ‘need.’ Compelling one person to buy, or do, anything for someone else just because the individual believes it is her ‘right,’ is the exact opposite of freedom. It is contrary to everything brave men and women have given their lives fighting to preserve. Freedom.
As Christians, we know that true freedom is only found in Jesus Christ. As Americans, we are free to choose to follow Him… or choose not to… for now. One wrong decision by the Supreme Court and we could lose the liberty we take for granted in this country. It is critical to that we continue to hold this nation up in prayer. As hearts drift further from God America will drift further away from truth and freedom.
Ephesians 4:17-19 (HSCB) 17) Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their thoughts. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts.19) They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.
Thanks for making the point about that fact that we are not compelled anywhere in our Constitution, to pay for the choices or “needs” of others. Our politicians in D.C don’t seem to understand this. I just received a newsletter from the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), that said Planned Parenthood is being funded to the outrageous amount of 350 million dollars a year, from tax payer money, to pay for the choices of other people. We have a choice in the upcoming election to do away with this kind of “leadership.” Let’s all get out and exercise our RIGHT TO VOTE! That is a choice we all have.