The government is not an authority in spiritual matters

The draft rules on regulating religious organizations must not go without a censure. The government seems to be chewing too much. It wants to regulate every aspect of our lives. This is contributing to the growth of big government. Most social theorists have warned against big government. It is Henry David Thoreau who said: ‘That government is best which governs least.’

That some pastors use deception is no excuse for introducing legislation. We will always have the simple minded among us. The government cannot legally enforce common sense. Let the deceivers and the deceived be.

Then there are some provisions which are problematic. That a preacher must have some form of training. Who trained John the Baptist in the wilderness? Who trained Jesus? The scripture record is:  ‘How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?’ (John 7: 15).  And who trained Paul. What is the scripture record?  ‘But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.’(Galatians 1: 11) Is it not rather tragic to regulate Christianity by rules which are in themselves inimical to biblical pronouncements and principles?

Finally, where does this tend to? That the government will say this is good doctrine which people should accept and this is heresy which should be banned. But is the government spiritually qualified to be an arbiter. History definitely screams in the negative. In England when Queen Elizabeth reigned, Protestantism reigned and when Mary reigned, Roman Catholicism reigned. Does it mean that what was truth during the reign of Elizabeth became a lie and what was a lie became truth? The Bible says, ‘For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.’

The government should not overreach herself into the realms of conscience. If I genuinely believe something even if I am deceived the government has no business interfering so long as it does not interfere with my neighbor’s rights. Otherwise we shall stoke fires that we shall not be able to quench.