By: John Ehrlich
June 2006
Although I was raised in a Republican household, I am not a Republican by birth. I am a Republican by choice. By deliberate choice. By conviction. These are some of my reasons for being a Republican. They may or may not be yours; you may or may not agree with them, especially if you are a Democrat. But they are my reasons, and I stand by them. I sincerely believe that everyone should have reasons for what they believe, and be able to defend those beliefs to others, not simply say they believe something without being able to explain the reasoning behind their belief. To say I’m a Republican because my father was one simply isn’t good enough.
Through the years I have asked a simple question to many people, and a majority of them have given the wrong answer. My question is, “What form of government do we have?” The majority have given the answer “a democracy.” I would then begin the Pledge of Allegiance. “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
Words have meanings, and those meanings are important – they cannot be changed. There have been attempts to hi-jack words and make them mean other than what they do. An example is the word “gay.” I don’t need to explain that. There was a time when there was not a dime’s worth of difference between a Republican and a Democrat. The word “politician” would have been a better word to describe both of them. But, today, there is a vast difference between the two; much of it is based on the meanings of the words. I am a Republican because of the meaning of the word “republic”. The word “republic” means “rule by law.” It means that we are not free to do whatever we wish to do, but we are free to live within the confines of the law of the land, which is the Constitution. We know what the law demands and what it prohibits. It is spelled out for us. There are federal, state, and local laws by which we are to live. Republicans believe in rule by law. Our republic is ruled by law.
The word “democracy” on the other hand means “mob rule”, or “rule by majority opinion.” Whatever the majority wants should become the rule of life. When is the last time that the mob has been right about anything? Mobs are not controlled by logic or by law, but by emotions, and emotions are not reliable. Emotions fluctuate depending on the situation. Emotions cause people to make decisions that do not take into account any future consequences, but are only concerned with present benefits. Does it make me feel good now? Am I getting a benefit from it now? By definition, Democrats believe that the majority should rule according to what is most popular. A republic, by definition, cannot be ruled by whatever opinion is popular at the time.
Were we to have a true democracy in the United States, that would mean putting on the bench judges who will find a way to make the Constitution say something that it does not say. Let’s swear in judges and Supreme Court Justices who will circumvent the law of the land and implement what is popular or what is convenient for most people. Let’s elect representatives who will hold their finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing before they pass any new laws. Let’s have an executive branch that will only enforce the laws most people want and totally disregard the others. We would have total chaos. Unfortunately, that describes the condition of our government now.
Doesn’t that sound like Democrats? See which way the wind of popular opinion is blowing before they address the issue? There is no absolute standard, but it can, and many times does, change from day to day. Because the standards by which we live have drastically changed over that past 50 years or so - more godlessness, more self-centeredness, more denial of absolutes - politicians think that in order to be elected they must adopt to the will of those who squeal that loudest, whether or not they conform to the constitution. We cannot depend on knowing what to expect on any given day. The majority can change their mind and therefore, we must change to reflect that whim. That is what a democracy, by definition, is, and we do not have such a government. Well, unfortunately, we are rapidly becoming such a government. No standards, but change with the wind.
If you will be honest in your evaluation, you must admit that that is the essential difference between Republicans and Democrats. Now, I realize and readily admit that there are exceptions to this definition within both parties. But, the majority of Republicans hold to this way of thinking and government and the majority of Democrats do the same.
When is the last time you heard a Republican leader change his message depending on who the audience was? When was the last time you heard the identical message given by a Democrat to various groups of people with different backgrounds and goals in life? Democrats have a way of changing their message and their meaning to fit the audience and what they think the people want to hear, or to fit their message to any given situation. Democrats say one thing this week and something entirely opposite of it next week.
Their problem is that they try to please everyone. Mob rule, remember? If you try to please everyone, you can’t please anyone because your story changes all the time, and no one knows what you really mean – if indeed you mean anything. If you have something to say, someone will be offended by it. There’s no getting around that. But, so what if someone is offended? They’ll get over it eventually. We cannot live our lives in fear that someone will not like what we say or who we are. There is absolutely no one who can go through life without offending or being offended. On the other hand, Republicans, for the most part, realize that truth and so speak, not to deliberately be offensive, but realizing that there are some people who just will not like what they have to say, but let the chips fall where they may. There have been so many examples of this recently. Even the media, which tends toward supporting liberal Democrats, have shown this to be true. Democrats want to be popular more than they want to maintain a constant message, while Republicans give the same message to all people, regardless if it is popular or not. The law does not change just because a certain group is not comfortable with it or willing to conform to it. Neither should anyone seeking to be elected to public office have different messages that are contradictory depending on the audience.
What about our right under the constitution to dissent and to demonstrate? Americans most certainly do have that right. If a law is unfair, then is should be changed. Perhaps the definitive example would be the civil rights demonstrations of the 1960’s. The laws were unjust and needed to be changed, and civil demonstrations and dissent caused them to be changed. Whenever there is a law that is obviously unjust and discriminatory, it should be addressed by the people affected and changed by our elected officials. I do not know of any true Republican who would deny people the right to dissent and to demonstrate against unjust laws.
Democrats do have one healthy advantage over Republicans. They have mastered the art of oratory. Most of them far exceed the Republicans in this ability. Their method and manner of speaking gets attention. They know how to make emotional appeals. I, for one, would rather hear the truth spoken in a less than fluent way than to hear deception and disinformation spoken with power and precision. Republicans are more concerned with the content of what is being said more than with perfection in delivery. Again, I realize there are exceptions, but this is the general rule.
We have gotten to the point in the United States that we just do not want to offend anyone, that if what I say to this group is not the platform of some other group, then let’s change what we say to each of them so everyone will be happy. Everyone has the right to do whatever they want to do, regardless of whether it is right or wrong morally. Everyone has the right to have whatever they want. Everyone has the right to say whatever they want to say, to change the meanings of words if they are offended by what the original definition is. If I want to believe that 2 plus 2 equals 17, then it equals 17. Just because you think 2 plus 2 equals 4 does not mean I have to believe that. Just because it is right for you to believe that does not mean it is right for me. I do not care if it is right absolutely. The only people who do not have a right to voice their opinion are those who believe in absolutes, who believe that there is a right and a wrong. If anyone dares to be so presumptuous as to disagree with the relativism of today, they are attacked and shouted down. “Who are you to tell me what I can or cannot do? Who do you think you are?”
The issue is a greater one than political. It is one of “Is there truth that is absolute, or is everything relative? Can I do whatever I want to do, say whatever I want to say, and think whatever I want to think without consequence, or is there accountability for my actions?”
Several years ago a radio talk show host asked the question, “Why are most evangelical Christians Republican?” That is easy to answer. Christians believe that the Bible is our authority for living. It is the revealed Word of God. It is the revelation of a Holy God, His will for us, His expectations for us. It tells us what God’s laws are, what is acceptable and what is not. Christians do not have any problem with recognizing God’s authority and subjecting ourselves to that authority. We understand that we are sinners and that our propensity is to do wrong, to break God’s law. We need to have guidance on a daily basis. We do not have all the answers. We know that human wisdom only goes so far in solving problems. God’s wisdom is needed. His direction is to be followed if we are to live peaceable and productive lives. God’s laws are given for our protection, not our bondage. They are given so we will enjoy freedom. As “America
In the same way that we understand God’s authority in our lives and are willing to submit ourselves to it, we understand that human laws and government are ordained by God also. We believe in rule by law, even if that rule may not be perfect or popular. We do not believe that the majority is to rule simply because there may be more of them or they may be more vocal. The Bible and the Constitution both are documents that recognize the dignity of men and sets forth standards to protect them, not to enslave them and put them into bondage to the law, forcing them to do what is not good for them.
On the other hand, Christians recognize that there are those who totally reject God’s authority over them. They believe they can do whatever they want to do without suffering any consequences. While it may be true that we all have the ability to make choices, and those choices may include a denial of God and His right to rule over us, God does not give us the right to reject Him, any more than the law gives us the right to disregard any law we do not like, even though we may have the ability to ignore it.
I have the ability to drive my car at 100 miles per hour and crash it into another vehicle if I feel so inclined to do so, but I do not have the right to do it. I have the right to drive at the posted speed limit and yield the right of way to other vehicles. I have the ability to take a gun and shoot someone, but I do not have the right to do so. I have the ability to break any law that I want to break, but I do not have the right to break it, and if I do, consequences will be administered by the authorities. I have the right to live within the confines of the law.
Should I choose to disregard God’s commandments and break them, I certainly have the ability to do so, but not the right to do so. Man may think he has the right to disobey and to ignore God, and on a human level, he does. Man may believe in God or not believe in God in any way, shape or form that he desires, but God recognizes no such right. God demands that we believe in Him as He is revealed in the Word of God. We cannot define God the way we want Him to be or not to be. He defines Himself and His actions. He will administer the due consequences to all who reject or neglect Him. We have the right to trust in God and to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, but not to reject or neglect Him. That may sound unduly harsh or bigoted, but it is true none-the-less. And because it is true, it is a compassionate statement that effects eternity for everyone.
Inherent in the meaning of the word “right” is that if I exercise that right, then there are no adverse consequences to my decision – God will not care or have a problem with what I choose. I have the right to do it. Nothing could be further from the truth. God cares very much what we decide concerning Jesus Christ. God gives no one the right to reject Him and His authority over them. Those who do not trust in Him as their Lord will have eternal consequences to suffer. You may believe or not believe, the decision is yours. God allows you to make that decision. You have that ability, but make sure your choice is the right one.
Because of the direction our society has gone, there are those who think that God is like man. He will change with the wind. If I do not like what He is saying, then He will change what He says in order to accommodate me because He wants to be popular. God has never tried to be popular. He has always demanded obedience. While Jesus approached people in various ways depending on their particular need and circumstances, He never altered His message, but told them the truth. There were many who were offended at Him and what He said, but He still told them what they needed to hear, not what He thought they wanted to hear. He realized that His message would drive some people from Him, but He spoke truth regardless. Jesus came to separate and divide, not to unite all people. He does not wink at those who go through life doing their own thing with a total disregard for Him. He does not have a bad day because some people reject Him. The only bad day God has had – and I say this reverently – is when Jesus was crucified for our sins, when He paid the price for our rebellion against Him.
I’ve tried to make a simple analogy between being a Christian and being a Republican and how I see them as being related. No, not every Republican is a Christian. There are many Godless ones who live a life of self-centeredness and who reject God. And no, not every Democrat rejects God and His authority. There are many Godly Democrats who love the Lord. This is why we do not have a government sponsored church. This is not, also, to say that every Republican would make a better leader than every Democrat, or that every Democrat would make a worse leader than every Republican. Not at all. There are good and bad in both, and each needs to be examined individually.
But, analyzing our current political situation, I have no problem in saying that for the most part, Republicans more closely resemble Constitutional and Biblical principles and design than Democrats do. I do not expect anyone to change their mind based on what I say. It is merely my opinion, which I believe to be the right one. You are entitled to yours. There are many other reasons I could give for being a Republican, but these are the main ones.
