Rules of the game

I'm a strict constructionist, or whatever that's being called these days, in all matters. I think the constitution is just dandy as it stands. It has a mechanism for change I think is just right; too cumbersome for casual, fashionable change but easy enough to allow for amendment reflecting tectonic shifts in societal thinking. That's as it should be despite our current penchant for allowing Congress to ignore the rules. We allow it at our own peril but the rules are fine. People not so much.

I like religion, too. Folks choose to follow a religion and each has its rules. The difference is that, unlike government rules, the rules of a religion cannot be changed without first rejecting the premise of that religion. Therefore, if you claim to be a Christian you must believe in the teachings of Christ. Those teachings are set forth in the Bible. You might not agree with them all but therein lie the rules of the game. If you choose to cherry-pick among those rules you can say you tend toward Christianity but you're not a Christian. You may sort'a like baseball, but if you decide to customize the rules a little it becomes something else. Not liking the rules is fine but if you change them without authority you have another game, or religion, or country, or whatever, and you're on your own.

If you believe the rules of your faith were decided by a deity it behooves you to follow them. Subsequent amendments by a religious governing body may be ignored, I think, with some impunity if not in accordance with the original rules,. Anything you believe was set forth by the original author, however, can't be messed with. Your convenience is not an issue. It's not a tough call people. You can't be a Christian serial killer who thinks that's okay because he follows the other rules. But that one, well, it's hard because you have these urges and they're a bitch to resist.

Laws, rules, whatever, would be unnecessary if we were all inherently good, moral, and wise. Sadly, few of us are. The law, religious or secular, sets limits on acceptable behavior that may, at times, conflict with our sometimes piss-poor impulse control. Appealing to your church to amend the rules on homosexuality, abortion, contraception, termination of innocent life, etc. is silly if those rules are fundamental. Only the deity that made them can change them. Administrative change by some body of mortals really changes nothing, does it? Again, cherry-picking the rules puts you out of the game. Those rules define a “good” person. They're pretty liberal, but no deviation is allowed including those for petitioning for forgiveness.