In our “one nation under God,” policymaking history has long been inspired by conviction of a moral high ground. Yet, as sweeping decisions surrounding LGBT+ rights, recreational drug use and abortion accessibility have passed despite resistance from fundamentalists, it is time we revisit our ideas of policymaking and understand what it means to “legislate morality.”
Ever-shifting ideas of what is “right” and “moral” push politicians of all ideological stripes to frequently amend their stances. Former President Donald Trump’s change of heart on abortion during his run for office and President Joe Biden’s evolving positions on gay marriage and segregation throughout his career are just recent examples of this phenomenon. Motivated by personal bias, maturity or the almighty vote, politicians adjust their personal ideological goalposts as national dialogue dictates what’s expected in today’s world.
“Legislating morality” describes making policy decisions based on subjective principles rather than concrete metrics like personal liberties or empirical data. No matter who does the moral arbitration in Congress, some group will inevitably be unhappy—a Baylor University study found that individuals feared for restriction of their personal liberties largely along religious lines; atheists distrusted Christians, while Christians feared Muslims. Evangelicals, who attribute our country’s success to its upstanding Christian principles, are prominent faces of deciding what is moral, but they are far from the only ones concerned with what the government does and doesn’t allow.
As a born and raised Bible Belt Christian, I understand the sanctity of a Christian’s code of conduct. However, I hold that many evangelicals fail to realize what a dangerous standard they have imposed.
A legal and legislative history wrought with precedent on moral and religious behavior only gives the government a stronger basis from which to impede on personal liberties, including religious liberties. Our culture is fluid, and it could only be a matter of years before their history of legally imposing moral principles comes back to haunt conservative Christians.
The best response for Christians is to champion personal liberties and direct legislation away from the private affairs of citizens. This style of governance not only protects religious liberties, it doesn’t conflict with any biblical principles. There is no biblical call to action to pass laws prohibiting behavior; instead, there is instruction to search inwardly. The Bible is not a standard for all to abide by, but it can be followed despite the decisions of others.
From Prohibition to prayer in schools, many a legislative nightmare could have been avoided altogether if politicians set aside moral codes and adopted a “live and let live” mentality for citizens.
The founding fathers drafted a document with language that guarantees rights for all. As time passes, our understanding of what this means will hopefully evolve to accommodate a more inclusive world.
