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CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY: UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION OF A BIBLICAL-BASED CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY: UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION OF A BIBLICAL-BASED CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW

Charles Frederick Tolbert
Was a Candidate for
U.S. Senate Florida 2016
No Party Affiliation

INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………. 1

ETHICAL STANDARD LEGALITY……………………………………………………… 1

POLITICIAN AND RESPONSIBITY

ETHICAL STANDARD……………………………………………………………………. 4

ETHICS AND LAW…………………………………………………………………… 5

MORAL JUSTIFICATION………………………………………………………………….. 6

CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY……………………………………………………………. 7

SOLUTION……………………………………………………………………………………. 7

SUMMARY………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8

CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………………… 8

BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………………………. 10

The First Amendment of Constitution states, that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Should politic debate moral and ethical standard? The purpose of this paper is to provide support for the politicians, church, and Christian worldview to invoke their rights of freedom of speech to follow the ethical behaviors of a Christian.

This paper is to explain and assemble ideas that can be utilized by citizens in America to further their Christian views, to take action against politicians and individuals who have falsely interpreted the 1st Amendment rights and Acts to Resolve Legal Conflict in any behavior by a Politician, Educator or Human Resource Department (HRD), that would cause conflict with the code of ethics should the politician’s ethical responsibility conflict with the law. If there is a conflict, it should be resolved in a professional manner according to the constitution.

ETHICAL LEGALITY
God institutes human government. Apostle Paul stated, “Humankind is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” James Skillen revealed that Hartfield from the Political system argued, “is overburdened by the drive for power on the part of politicians and official. “The power that attracts them is self-interested, parochial, and manipulative. Over against this degenerate use of power.

“Christian is called to exercise the power of servant hood.”
Saint Augustine of Hippo, had a powerful conversion to Christianity in 387 AD. He was a Catholic North Africa bishop in Hippo. According to Michael Palmer, “Saint Augustine differentiated between human government and society (city of man) and the envisioned church to all believers (city of God).”

This was in response to the fall of Rome in the year 410 AD. If something is not of God it will fall, but if it is of God it will always stand. Saint Augustine viewed the church as spiritual and politics as material. This fulfilled the transformation as Paul described in scriptures, concerning submission to governing authorities. Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities because God is the one who puts them into position, for all human good.”

When an ethical standard is bridged, it has to be identified as a violation and brought to the attention of an ethics committee to determine the legality of the enforcement of the conflict entrusted between the public servant and the general public. If there is no immediate harm done to the general population, and this procedure does not violate ethical standards there should be a determination on how to resolve it. The matter can be reviewed through legal counseling where both Houses and the citizens have the right to vote the Policians out of office. Unfortunately, there can be a conflict which would not allow the government to fully disclose its breach based upon the rights proclaimed by the government for security reasons. The behavior which violates a chosen ethical standard when there is a legal conflict, can be a line finely drawn. Many politicians are torn between ethical credibility and communication with their party or constituents and the legal consequences. By notifying the general public at the beginning of a campaign and discussing items which breaks any legal law or moral standard which has been reported, is the first step of avoiding conflict with the public and the legality of the law.

Leon Howell stated, “The great issues of human time are moral: the uses of power; wealth and poverty; human rights; the moral character of society; violence, etc., indicate good, but risk evil.” However, God uses politics method to accomplish His will. Christians should be obedient and good citizens. Only through God’s work can they accomplish His will. In scriptures Apostle Paul pointed out, “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of those who subjected it, in hope.”

POLITICIANS RESPONSIBILITY TO CHRISTIANITY

The issues Christians have in society today is; what is the responsibility of politicians to society, and how is this society defined? Michael Palmer (2010) said, Karl Henry offered an example from the “work place. “He condemned the assembly line that degrades men into
machines and robs them of their destiny as Sons of God.” David Sigurthorsson discussed the Icelandic Banking Crisis how “it seemed to quite readily embrace the notion of
social responsibility as contributing of their wealth to charitable causes. For example to do responsibility as being about limiting risky and potentially harmful business practice.”

Social responsibility extends beyond day to day work for the politicians. Something good for another, and while paying little or no attention to the notion of social reform. The humanitarian responsibilities should be reviewed as a primary task of social responsibility. Society must see beyond their comfort zone, following Jesus’ example. By practicing good character and conduct may help others change their negative thoughts to good. Michael Palmer says, “Justice or fairness means as individuals are judged according to their merits, not their gender, physical abilities or skin color.”

ETHICAL STANDARDS
Ethical standards are being violated by individuals who wish to interfere with social reforms, which would enable the general population to overcome internal complex. It is unexplainable how nations who state that their form of government would lift the general population to a higher standard, but yet continue to cause chaos in the name of their god. Laws violates the ethical standard of social responsibility when it causes harm to other individuals. It is important that Christians and other religious organizations take responsibility, regardless of their location, to decrease human rights violation and human sufferings. No politician should take this as an obligation, but should view this as a social responsibility to protect the general population. Wendy Dackson said, “Christian church and society can never be separated. They are integral to each other because this is where people are shaped and characters formed.”

According to Cornelius Plantinga, “Augustine found the one good that would not fade away, the one good that would not crumble if he leaned on it with the full weight of his love”

ETHICS AND LAW
One of the issues of the conflict between ethics and law and standards being violated is that many professionals were not able to separate Department of Defense regulation, the Executive Branch Legislative and Supreme Court and ethical standards versus those working outside the government. The behavior of the politician is their inability to separate the legal conflict and apply the definition to social welfare has been taken over by the government from those responsible in the church. Politicians that violate ethical standards regardless of where they are assigned creates a dilemma for those that are called to defend the country, but are not given the same consideration as those who do not serve in the Armed Forces. Dackson explained the Magna Carta: “It stands mostly as an aspirational document: it described what for medieval England, good government under the king should be. It was a document between the relationship and the secular ruler. The Magna Carter can be seen as an attempt to reconcile with the pope, and to at least give the appearance that good government is answerable to divine law.” (p. 622). The military, federal and state government deems itself beyond the legality of civil law and has its own system of discipline, this could be a conflict with biblical standard.

Throughout this paper the areas of concern of legal conflict, responsibility and ethical behavior, are directly related to mannerisms of responsibility of elected officials. All individuals
which include Christians, have responsibility to speak out. At what point does the Christians voice have this responsibility to speak out. It is easy to pinpoint the improper behavior by following current events over the last ten years. As long as Politicians, Educators or Human Resource Departments allow financial gain to take priority over moral issues, Christians will continue to have corruption in the work place. The protestant evangelicals across the United States mobilized in defense of the Sunday Sabbath, Tim Verhoeven noted, “At the Lord’s Day Conference in Baltimore, former President John Quincy Adams urged Americans to seize an unprecedented opportunity.

“The Word has never witnessed, “He declared, “the spectacle of a universal obedience to the Sabbath.” The United States could as a result, be the first nation to benefit from the Sabbath’s “full power to bless a nation.” (p. 302). If Christians refuse to vote, they cannot blame God for its actions.
MORAL JUSTIFICATION
The lack of properly trained human resource departments that are to set ethical standards to ensure human rights are not violated, has to be separated from the hierarchy. ”The moral justification of improper behavior and the lack of psychologist speaking out are directly related to their earned income from the corporation. When Christians participate and educate themselves by taking responsibility, they can hold these elected government employees, the Politician, Educator or Human Resource Department and organization to a higher standard. Unfortunately very few individuals have written on this subject or have spoken out against the government intervention. Education does not begin in grade school, high school or college, but in fact begins with the parent. To avoid the violation of the lack of religious groups speaking out will take place when all denominations of all religions come together with an agreed upon group of individuals which becomes the standard for the code of ethics for all people.

CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBLITY
In this paper the author showed a correlation between educating the community and individuals taking standard of ethics to the work place. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the highest level is self-actualization. This concept of recognizing their own personal endeavors in many cases breaks down ethical behavior. It brings the moral beliefs to the school, which in today’s society is circumvented by government regulations. Palmer noted, “Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that motivate behavior represents a major contribution to what Third Force Psychology is. Third Force Psychology stresses human nature and more philosophical and speculative than either experimental or clinical psychology.” Whereas Steve Wilkens and Mark Sanford noted, “Christian community can be used by God to challenge others to take a deeper look at their convictional beliefs, especially when they can draw on the resources of Christians who are mature in their thinking and living.”

SOLUTION
In this paper the author discussed responsibility of parents, politicians and the work peace which are governed by laws voted in or voted on by the political agenda as Democratic or Republican other than by the people. When voting help create a third political party, the other two political parties will form an alliance, and come to agreements according to the need of the people. America is one of the few democratic nation which is governed by only two parties. Christians have to stop voting party lines, but vote for individuals who are true believers in God.

SUMMARY
If people rights are being overshadowed by political rhetoric of security, and they continue to allow removal of the Christian teachings, they create a problem. They allow the decrease teaching of creation, but allow the increase teaching of evolution. Those who are believers in God can only blame themselves. With over 90% of American believers in God, who can the Christians say are responsible for the lack of morality and either action of these politics? The people who represents Christianity must remove race, creed, color religion, and even sexual preference from Governments influence. The scriptures noted “They worship God in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, what comes first, the income and wellbeing of the politician or the health and welfare of the people? The ethical dilemma is that government bureaucrats have established rules governing behavior according to the government standards, which in many cases circumvent standards of the Bible. The reasoning behind the author’s writing this article is to intervene and to help those with Christian background to not change their course, but to follow God. The author is giving a Christian view point. The Bible noted, The Lord said, He teaches you what is best for you, and directs you in the way you should go.” The 1st Amendment granted freedom of speech, and the law was written so that the conflict in society was to speak out against unethical procedure. However, many Pastors, and Christians do not voice their disagreement for fear of retaliation and loss of their non-profit status. According to Steve Wilkens and Mark Sanford, “A lot of good results from political and social stability, military deterrence and economic strength; and patriotism is properly directed when it acknowledges these positive aspects. However, to achieve and maintain power, nations must secure the loyalty of citizens, and without the loyalty power and state is in jeopardy.” (p. 64).

James Sire said, “Ethics is transcendent and is based on the character of God as good (holy and living and a core commitment Christian theists live to seek first the kings of God, that is, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” (p. 132).
Most politicians enter into politics because of the increase of income and power. Many Christians respect power and money more than they respect God and their rights to establish a government which allows the Bible to become Standard

Operation Procedure (SOP). Their lack of participation by religion groups for fear of other true believers to establish a political party can be viewed as self-serving. In scriptures the Lord told His people repent and if they do, they will enjoy a close relationship with Him.” That is the reason Jesus said He is at the door.

The writers calling is to teach God’s word to all the nations, concerning biblical responsibility, and the second responsibility is the State of Florida, to counsel those in distress and help lead them to a better Way. God Bless America under God for which everyone stands. In scriptures, “God rules the world and He proved it by creating creation.”

Bibliography

Dackson, Wendy. “Anglicanism and social theology.” Anglican Theological Review 94, no. 4
(September 1, 2012): 615-637. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed July 21, 2013).

Howell, Leon. “Theologies for now: concerns, crises, currents.” Christianity and crisis 48, no.
8 (May 16, 1988): 174-183. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost
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Palmer, Michael. D. Elements of a Christian Worldview. Springfield, MI: Publishing
House. 2010.
Plantinga, Cornelius. Engaging God’s World: A Christian Vision of Faith, Learning, and Living.
Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002.
Sigurthorsson, David. “The Icelandic banking crisis: A reason to
rethink Chr W. The Universe Next Door. (5ed.). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, Press,
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Skillen, James W. “The purist and the apologist: a look at Hatfield’s political theory.” Reformed
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Verhoeven, Tim. “In defense of civil and religious Liberty: Anti-sabbatarianism in the United
States before the Civil War.” Church History 82, no. 2 (June 2013): 293. MasterFILE
Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed July 23, 2013).
Wilkens, Steve & Sanford, Mark, L. Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories that Shape our
Lives. Downers Groves, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009.

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