The Patriot Act and the Paradigm of Suspicion

Can America be Safe without the Violation of our Civil Liberties?

By Lee Enochs

Princeton, New Jersey

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized” (The Fourth Amendment).

Last night the US Senate allowed certain provisions of the Patriot Act to expire and I think this is a good thing. In fact, like Rand Paul, I believe the Patriot Act should be abolished. I believe there is a way to keep America safe from terrorist attack without violating our constitutional rights to privacy and unlawful searches and seizures.

Like many Americans, I will remember September 11, 2001 for the rest of my life. I was living and going to school in Los Angeles at the time and still recall the surreal and apocalyptic experience of driving around the streets of LA with my friend, wondering if we were safe from terrorist attack.

I also recall the tremendous sense of pride and patriotism I felt when I watched President Bush address the country later that night on national television.  I am an American and I love this country with all my heart. As a life-long Republican, I voted for George W. Bush twice and respect the enormous efforts he took to keep America safe in one of nation’s greatest hours of need.

Yet, I am an implacable opponent of the Patriot Act Bush and the American Congress enacted in response to the terrorist attacks on the grounds that its government enforcers often violate our constitutional rights.

I personally do not like the idea of being spied on by my government and  believe it should be in the business of monitoring the phone calls and emails of innocent citizens and that such efforts violates our right to privacy and fundamental civil liberties.

For these reasons alone I believe the Patriot Act should be abolished and our nation’s leaders should go back to the drawing board on how to keep this nation safe without violating our cherished rights.

Give me that Old Time Religion

                     

The Gospel of Maximum Freedom

                                   

                

 I believe in freedom and human autonomy. 

  

Calling Out Matt Walsh

An Appeal for Charity and Moderation: 
Addressing Blogger Matt Walsh’s Comments on Bruce Jenner

At some point last fall, An Evangelical pastor friend of mine turned me on to a conservative blogger named Matt Walsh. Due to my rigorous academic work here in Princeton, New Jersey, I normally do not have time to surf the blogosphere to get the latest social and political takes of non-academicians. A cursory examination of current trends on the worldwide web will conclusively demonstrate that there are a lot of people on line espousing a multiplicity of views from a myriad of ideological, sociological and theological perspectives.

However, in my estimation there is something unique and admirable about this young man named Matt Walsh. I personally like the guy and think his earnest theologically informed perspective is refreshing in a world filled with substance free rhetoric. It is very obvious that Matt Walsh a young man on the move. He is a real mover and shaker in the American world of ideas with a bright future as a public intellectual.

Having said this, it greatly pains me to be an interloper and rain on his ever increasing parade. However, in diametrical counter-distinction to many American conservatives who are praising Walsh for his bold take on the Bruce Jenner issue, I believe Walsh’s recent Op-Ed piece on the Blaze entitled, “Bruce Jenner is not a woman. He is a sick and delusional man,” is pejorative and most certainly not helpful in fostering civil and conciliatory discourse in a world awash in vitriol and polarization.

You can read Matt Walsh’s Op-Ed on Bruce Jenner at: http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/bruce-jenner-is-not-a-woman-he-is-a-sick-and-delusional-man/

I think it is important from the onset to communicate that I am a conservative who understands full well the audience that appreciates this sort of rhetoric. As a younger man, I think I would have been more appreciative of Walsh’s commentary, but as I get older, I think this sort of cultural militancy is not serving the American people very well. Sure, it gets conservatives fired up, but I am just not certain there will be a positive outcome from increasing the saddening divisions already tearing this storied nation apart.

As a an Evangelical Christian who very much wants to honor Christ with my words and actions, I am concerned that Mr. Walsh’s view that Bruce Jenner is little more than a “sick and delusional cross dresser,” will hurt those who are struggling with gender related issues and only confirm popular suspicions and commonly held societal stereotypes about Evangelicals and other social conservatives.  It is a fact that many people in secular society believe that Evangelicals hate them.

While I am sympathetic to the idea that God intended human beings to remain in the gender that He originally created them to be, I believe the issue is far more complex than Mr. Walsh and others crusading against Bruce Jenner and other transgendered individuals make it out to be. Since time immemorial, human beings have struggled with their gender and Mr. Walsh’s pejorative laden commentary will not change that, but will serve to divide America further and further.

There are deep divisions in contemporary American society as the current smoldering riots and ruins of Baltimore can attest to, we all must do our part to be ambassadors of peace and reconciliation to a hurting world. I am just not certain that Mr. Walsh’s comments on Bruce Jenner are very Christian. I do not hear the authentic voice of Jesus in his comments about Bruce Jenner.

The Bible teaches us to love our enemies and if Mr. Walsh perceives Bruce Jenner to be his cultural enemy, I think he would be better served to use words of compassion towards Bruce Jenner in a manner that could potentially win him over to Walsh’s position on gender identity and the historic Christian faith.

I am not attempting to squelch Mr. Walsh’s considerable gifts and zeal for his conception of truth, far from it. I just want to see a gifted man like Matt Walsh love Bruce Jenner as Christ would. I am just not certain that Mr. Walsh’s comments meet Jesus’ criterion of loving our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39).

Lee Edward “Ed” Enochs (B.A. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is an Evangelical Christian with distinctive Libertarian views on politics and the US Constitution. Lee has also studied at such noted schools as the Moody Bible Institute and Westminster Theological Seminary in California and is currently a full-time graduate student in Princeton, New Jersey. Lee is also the author of a book on the relationship between economics and Christianity entitled, “A Biblical Defense of Capitalism” which can be purchased at: http://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Defense-Capitalism-Lee-Enochs/dp/1505809061

God and the Eternal Now

“Teach us to number our days that we might gain a heart of wisdom.”

                                                                                      (Psalm 90:17)

 

In recent days two of my former undergraduate professors have died. Both of these professors were very influential in my life and their deaths have caused me to reflect upon the eternity and the temporality of human existence. Life is so short and fleeting and I need to focus on what God has intended for my life. Life is short and then we die. It's that simple.

 

 

 

 

Tragic Words from Jim Morrison

                        "I am not sure what is going to happen when I die, but I am going to get my kicks before the  whole sh-t house goes up in flames."

-Jim Morrison 

Circa 1970.

The Cross of Jesus Christ

"Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!"

                                     (John 1:29)

    Jesus died for me. This simple but profound statement is ultimately the essence of Christianity. Christians of all denominational flavors and stripes believe that God the Father sent His only Son (Jesus Christ) to die on the cross for our sins. We Christians also believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. The concept that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead is the most profound idea in the history of humanity. I personally believe this truth with all of my heart, mind, soul and strength.