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[Y]ou know\u2026 we [the First Lady and I] are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it\u2019s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated. And I think that\u2019s what we try to impart to our kids and that\u2019s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I\u2019ll be as a as a dad and a husband and hopefully the better I\u2019ll be as president.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I admire the president for unashamedly invoking the authority and instruction of Christ in revealing to us his internal deliberations on this matter. In an age in which many in our culture-shaping institutions reflexively, and unreflectively, dismiss the deliverances of theology as sub-rational, the president\u2019s forthrightness is refreshing and welcome.<\/p>\n

But it seems to me that his appeal to Christ\u2019s Golden Rule, however appropriate, audacious, and praiseworthy, does not succeed in justifying his change of mind. The Golden Rule \u2013 \u201cdo to others whatever you would have them do to you\u201d (Mt. 7:12) \u2013 is not a\u00a0quid pro quo<\/em> for preference satisfaction reciprocity. Otherwise, it would mean that if one were a masochist, for example, then one should inflict pain on others.<\/p>\n

When Christ offered the Golden Rule as part of his Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7:27), he knew his listeners would understand it the same way they understood the other parts of that homily, including this question: \u201cWhich one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread?\u201d (Mt. 7:9a).<\/p>\n

If the Golden Rule were just about a mutual self-interest pact to protect everyone\u2019s preferences, then a good response to Christ\u2019s question would have been, \u201cBut Jesus, what if my son did ask for a stone because he preferred to eat the stone rather than the bread?\u201d<\/p>\n

This would be a foolish question because the Golden Rule is not about merely protecting your neighbor\u2019s preferences, but rather, advancing your neighbor\u2019s good. The president, ironically, must rely on this latter, and ancient, understanding in order to make sense of the appeal he makes to his responsibilities as a \u201cdad\u201d and \u201chusband.\u201d For the received meanings of these terms are embedded in an inherited moral tradition that he did not invent, but now rejects.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Go read the rest <\/a> for Beckwith\u2019s thoughts on the Golden Rule and how it applies to same-sex marriage. Then\u00a0ponder the wisdom of learning objective truth at the feet of our political leaders, er, theologians, er, gods. Thanks, but I think I\u2019ll stick with Christ and His Church.<\/a> Otherwise, you get the following modification all too often: \u201cHe who has the gold (or the power), makes the rules.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

$\"\"$ <\/a><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"