The City Council in a neighboring community finds themselves caught
between a rock and a hard place over a zoning issue. There is immense political
pressure from two opposing factions, one business and the other environmental.
Instead of making a decision on the zoning, the Council punted and will put the
issue on the April ballot to let the people decide. I was reminded of Biblical
characters who also shirked their leadership duties. Aaron let the people
decide whether to worship God or a golden calf and Pilate let the crowd decide
who should be set free, Jesus or Barabbas. There is no doubt that we can all
think of times when the Lord has put us in leadership roles and we relinquished
decisions to others by asking, “So what
do you think we should do?”.
1 comment:
Gail;
-----Man was not made for the law. The law was made for man. Somewhere in the process of institutionalizing governmental control we forget that. We forget that the entire point of being alive is joy and peace and doing what is right. But everywhere government is sure the point of life is its own authority, its control, its freedom and the people‘s submission. Resistance is futile!
-----What makes life joyful and peaceful? What makes right right and wrong wrong? The second question is the out begged for dodging the obvious answer to the first. For what makes life joyful and peaceful is doing good to all men and all men doing good. But to do good you must know right. But if you can make a philosophical claim that right is not knowable, then you are excused to do as you please. Most make that philosophical claim. The resulting clamor for selfish doing drowns out the good done by the few honest folks, thence government pronounces its right to dictate what is right.
-----If government could be something other than man, it might be good, if that something were good. Currently it is man therefore not good, because man, of which government is, is definitely not good. How can he be? He doesn’t even claim to know what is right, let alone try. And there he is, sitting in the pomp seat regardless, telling everyone what to do, how to think, where to build.
-----There are valid reasons for the government to tell the people these things. There are other reasons the government must shut up about them, sit down, and stay out of the way. But life does not sort neatly into two categories, or even three or four. It skews all over between needing government’s proper intervention or needing its proper non-concern. Zoning laws mean to direct attention to the good of man. The perfume shop does not welcome a pig farm next door. There should be as much pressure for the pig farmer to consider the flower shop as there should be the flower shop to consider the pig farmer. Different circumstances will favor each accordingly in doing good that makes for joy and peace.
-----But when those circumstances are not clear, when the law is not breached and the benefits and detriments to each are equally balanced for each, the government’s say is over. If such is the case in this matter, I think we have a rare incident of humble politicians. In that case, indeed the people should vote. Otherwise, you’re right; they shirk their duties.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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