Religion and The Fiscal Cliff

Modern secularism has succeeded in deleting religion from public discourse. The state has replaced religion and has become the greatest source of collective human power on earth. And so to that power we run, and ask of it, or take from it, all we long for and all we can get. 

For this reason, religious opinion has been silent in this critical national debate. From my perspective, the debate is as much an issue of morality as it is of economics. Our crisis is a reflection of a godless philosophy, devoid of virtue. Simply put, it is the result of "the love of money [which] is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10).

This is our story - the U.S. federal budget revenue for 2012 is about 2.5 trillion dollars, a bit over $8,000 of revenue/income per person. And our current U.S. debt is 16.5 trillion dollars, about $52,000 of debt per person. How come? Well, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, unemployment, disability and so on make up about 62% of the U.S. budget.

The problem is not, as such, the state providing a safety net for its most unfortunate citizens. The problem is that the various entitlement programs go well beyond a safety net and provide ever more lavish benefits to more and more people so that now middle-income people are dipping into the federal entitlement pie.

In addition, we are spending much more money than we are earning. That is tantamount to living outside of our means. That is unsustainable so we are now attempting to adjust the problem.

Each year, the government spends more than it takes in, and this gap must be funded with debt. Hence the need for debt or credit limits. The debt limit is simply the maximum amount that the U.S. government can borrow at any given time. Currently, the limit is set at $16.4 trillion.

Because we (post-modernists) have removed any idea of the metaphysical (religion) from our discourse, we do not apply a religious understanding of ethics to our doing business. Consequently, we have become more crass. Some even argue that vice and greed are good, because the desire for wealth - especially if it is inordinate and all-consuming - will produce more wealth for oneself and others and spread technological, medicinal and practical benefits that enhance everyone’s life.

So what happens when some people realize that they can get a lot richer, a lot more quickly and with a lot less work, if they milk the system for whatever its worth? They make super-risky investments with other people’s money, sell rotten bundled loan packages to unwitting investors, strike secret deals with members of Congress, crush competitors by gaining control of regulatory agencies, set up exorbitant compensation packages in companies that then get government bail-outs, and rig and manipulate stock market trading.

According to author Dr. Benjamin Wiker, "Government covers the risky investments, rewards rather than punishes the chicanery and, even more, becomes the place where the money-makers increasingly go to control the market. And why not? Government will pick up the tab by bailing out banks, bailing out industries and subsidizing gross mismanagement and predatory monopolies" (North Carolina Register).

And, to whom is the state accountable? Well, since there is no one greater than the state, I suppose one should just eat, drink and be merry (Ecclesiastes 8:15). In the process, post-modernists are creating a society in which the human spirit is suffocated by a materialistic worldview.

Honestly, Congress’ understanding of debt is incompatible with our biblical worldview of debt. The Bible neither expressly forbids nor condones the borrowing of money. The wisdom of the Bible teaches us that it is usually not a good idea to go into debt. Debt essentially makes us a slave to the one who provides the loan. At the same time, in some situations going into debt is a "necessary evil." As long as money is being handled wisely and the debt payments are manageable, a Christian should be able to take on the burden of financial debt, if it is absolutely necessary.

Let us join with Senate Chaplain Barry Black and pray for our lawmakers. Pray that God would guide them with His wisdom. "Lord, show them the right thing to do and give them the courage to do it. When they feel exhausted, remind them of the great sufficiency of your grace, look with favor on our nation and save us from self-inflicted wounds."

Chaplain Black’s prayer before the Senate should truly express the desire of every Christian. God’s wisdom is needed when it is obvious that the wisdom of our lawmakers is not working.