It's not very often that an old man on a mountain top can learn something profound from his son; after all, when you're reached my age, you've heard and learned just about everything that can possibly be heard or learned, unless you're watching American politics.
This whole gun debate thing has had me wondering just what it is in our society that has changed so drastically as to create an atmosphere for deadly violence. I've had my suspicions, but I think my son has indirectly hit the nail on the head. I have from time to time espoused that our Constitution is what it is; it says what it means and if you want it to say something else that is more convenient for you, you need to go through the process of amendment.
The other night, my son and I somehow got onto the subject of abortion. I remarked that I felt the only time an abortion was acceptable was when the mother's life was in danger or in cases of rape and incest. He shot right back with something I totally did not ever expect him to say, that if God wanted the baby aborted He would arrange for a miscarriage. That's when it struck me.
Whether it's on the subject of abortion, or gay marriage, or an interpretation of the Constitution, we have fallen into the trap of rationalizing that what is said in the Bible, or the Constitution or some law doesn't really mean what it says. Obama refers to the Constitution as a "living document," and it is but not in the context he says it is. It is living because it is still in effect, 235 years after it was enacted. It is not subject to change except through the means it provides for amendment and it has been amended 27 times. Occasionally, it takes a lot of time to pass an amendment; Number 27 was drafted in 1789 and was not ratified until 1992.
By rationalizing things to suit our own agendas, we have weakened the foundations of our society which made this country great and we have set the stage for moral decay. I can no more justify reading something into the Constitution that isn't there than I can have the audacity to change God's word. And so it is that I change my position on abortion: I do not believe an induced abortion is justifiable under any circumstances. And, I have changed my position on homosexuality; I used to believe that it should be tolerated but that gay marriage should not be allowed. I now view homosexuality as a sin, not to be tolerated under the word of God, (check out the verbiage on Sodom and Gomorah, as well as Leviticus 18 and 20). Finally, the use of drones to kill American citizens without due process of law is unconstitutional and no amount of rationalization can change that fact; only an amendment can.
Perhaps, when we get back to the basic tenets of our society, we can recover from the moral decay and social violence now confronting us.
That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.
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