Many people seem to hold the value of minimizing harm.
As I understand it, this is one of the core tenets of Wicca: “If it harm no one, do as you will.”
So we come to the Bible, and we see things that seem to cause harm rather than prevent it.
Many people try to frame the Old Testament Law as a text meant to minimize harm to the Jewish people.
While this is partially true, it’s not the whole story.
The primary value in the bible was never minimizing harm. It is not altruism or helping people or even salvation of souls. All of these things are important, but not supreme.
The prime value is a much more difficult concept known as the glory of God.
The problem is that many people, even many Christians, don’t have a clear grasp of what that is supposed to mean.
I grew up in church and I’m not sure I could explain it to you without God coming across as massively egotistical.
But basically here’s how I understand it: God is the most important being in the universe. The highest value in the universe is showcasing God’s importance.
This is the glory of God.
Why were the people of Israel given all these rules about what to eat that the peoples around them didn’t follow?
Because God receives glory when his people eat what he commanded and are separate from the people around them.
and this is how many Christians see the world.
The problem with this is twofold. One, “The Glory of God” can be thrown around by a church to fit there idea of how people should live.
Two, it is not a value that any government within the United States can or should have.
And many Christians want it to be, which is where huge amounts of conflict come in.
I, for one, do not want the government to uphold Christian Principles by law. If they uphold it then they must equally be able to define it, and any government definition of things like the glory of God automatically destroys freedom of religion.
I just wish more Christians understood this.