Pubdate: Sat, 13 Jul 2002 Source: Deseret News (UT) Copyright: 2002 Deseret News Publishing Corp. Contact: http://www.desnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/124 Author: Jerry Johnston, Deseret News CHURCH, STATE CAN TUG IN 2 DIRECTIONS Let me pose a trick question: Can a person be a loyal citizen of the United States, yet also be the faithful subject of a distant king? The answer is not only "yes," but 90 percent of the people you know are just that. Thanks to the First Amendment, we can be American citizens and, at the same time, loyal subjects in the Kingdom of God. It is one area where Americans can split their allegiance without betraying their country. For example, the drug peyote is illegal here; unless, of course, you belong to the Native American Church. Then you can smoke it in your ceremonies. It's unlawful to avoid the military draft, except for, say, a Jehovah's Witness. And don't even think about performing ritual animal sacrifices- unless, that is, you practice a certain sect of Santeria. The push and pull between loyalty to the country and loyalty to one's faith has produced some moments of high drama in America. Those two opposing forces have also produced some rather memorable characters; Joseph Smith and Martin Luther King Jr. come to mind. Last week, Sen. Orrin Hatch - an interesting character - came by the Deseret News. He wanted to explain his position on stem-cell research and some aspects of cloning. Being in favor of such things, he said, had generated a few letters that scorched his mailbox. But this is not the first time the senator has taken positions that have conservatives scratching their heads. His interest in child welfare laws, his friendship with liberal Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy - even his deep interest in women's issues - have made a few old bull elephants in the GOP wrinkle their brows. But as I listened to his comments, I realized in every case he was being perfectly consistent. In each case he was being loyal to the "kingdom," not his party. Hungry children, disadvantaged women, people with incurable illnesses were suffering for reasons beyond their control. And his response was a show of Christian goodwill. And what about Christian goodwill to drug addicts, gays and illegal aliens, you ask? Why doesn't he reach out to them? Convince him their plight is not of their own making - that their lot is not due to their personal choices - and I suspect he would. He believes in Christian compassion. He also believes in personal responsibility. And being Christian - and living in the world - can mean feeling yourself tugged in two different directions. That tension is built into the Constitution. It is part of American life. It is a tension that H.L. Mencken noted when he said America's oddest contribution to the world was the notion of a "Christian businessman." Being in business usually means out-hustling and outsmarting the other guy, not fretting over his needs. Being a businessman means fretting about money and searching for an advantage. In short, it means putting yourself first, not last. But then, the same can be said for lives led by Christian soldiers, Christian athletes and - yes, readers - Christian writers. We all spend a good share of the day torn between two opposing impulses: Do we advance ourselves, or advance others? And though the tension that causes can be rather uncomfortable, it does make for an invigorating life. If we're lucky, in fact, it can also teach us invigorating - and invaluable - - lessons about how to live. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth