What are some of the time-tested historical wisdoms? Can biblical texts that are over two thousand years old be applied to today? We certainly think so, for one simple reason: Human nature has not changed over a millennium. Even though the overall setting, means of transportation, hairstyles or length of the skirts might change, justice, respect for authority or love of thy neighbour should look the same. Do you see it the same way, or do you have a different opinion?
We often ask ourselves by what criteria we should choose politicians for our governing ranks. Who should lead us forward, represent, have respect and humility, yet at the same time fight for the Czech nation like a lion? That is a difficult decision indeed. What guidance would we find in the Bible?
"Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not your brethren. (...) He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold." Deuteronomy 17: 15 & 17.
Judge for yourself what our political scene looks like today. Are we putting personalities we know and trust to the forefront, or are we ignoring their past? What does their personal life look like? Can they run their families in an orderly fashion? Can they live in functioning partnerships? Not to mention finances, which have always been a thorn in their side. These words, containing eternal wisdom, describe it beautifully:
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." 1 Timothy 6:10.
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Láska k penězůmSource: pixabay
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave." Matthew 20:25-27.
Whoever wants to become an authority should possess the qualities of a servant. If one wants to rule wisely, to avoid being a dictator, one must discover humility, the ability to apologise for one's mistakes and admit one's fallibility.
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Andrej Babiš s Milošem ZemanemSource: profimedia
"No one should seek their own good, but the good of others." 1 Corinthians 10:24.
You might have heard this statement before. Surprisingly, it comes from the Bible. With this attitude comes humility and self-denial, not self-centeredness and arrogance. Let's go even further.
Luxusní vila 5+kk na pronájem, Praha západ, Okolí Prahy
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A well-established saying
"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18.
comes from the Bible as well.
This is where a comparison we’ve all experienced firsthand comes in place. The COVID crisis has brought us some statements which, incidentally, have become notorious in their day and have left an indelible mark on us. Were they justified or were they exaggerated and pretentious? We could mention: the Czech Republic being 'Best in Covid', or that 'we are taking the smart quarantine road', or 'if the opposition does not approve the state of emergency, it will be directly responsible for the deaths of citizens', or 'nobody wants to close shops and restaurants like in the spring', or even 'like you, we only want to manage this with measures that will restrict our lives as little as possible'.
These are not exactly the epitome of truth, and for that, we got a proper lesson in the form of a strict lockdown.
**obr4*
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis 2:24.
Just a man and a woman, or what is it, then? Marriage between a man and a woman and starting a family is the foundation of our society. These institutions carry patterns important for our lives, they are a necessary aspect of a functioning state and, without a doubt, a legacy for maintaining healthy future generations. In today’s modern world, the true origin of the word "family" is getting lost, or modified in various ways.
How do the Pirates, for example, perceive and see this? They advocate:
"equalisation of the status of heterosexual and LGBTQ couples in the Czech Republic, both in the area of property rights and child adoption. We also support activities aimed at legalising polyamory as a form of registered partnership."
"We agree with the adoption of a child by the other partner, subject to the same conditions as heterosexual couples,"
added Olga Richterová on behalf of the Pirate Party.
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Ivan BartošSource: profimedia
"You shall not murder." Deuteronomy 5:17.
The right to life, in connection with abortion, is a thorny issue in itself. To speak out on it is like walking a tightrope. But the Bible speaks about it quite clearly and without prevarication - Thou shalt not kill! We cannot take the law into our own hands and decide life and death as we please.
What we can observe in our political arena is a certain leaning towards abortion. Most political parties approve and clearly say "we are for it". Markéta Pekarová Adamová expressed her support for women with these words:
"Every woman must have the right to safe and legal abortion. Poland's ban on abortion even in cases of non-viable fetuses will lead to an increase in the number of unprofessional abortions and endanger the lives of many women."
In our neighbouring country, Poland, things have literally been boiling over recently. A few months ago, a ban on abortion came into force, although opponents of the law promise literal hell, and things may escalate yet further.
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Muž s dýkouSource: pixabay
"For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers." Proverbs 11:14.
A society without a clear vision and a comprehensible goal is heading down a path of chaos. If the nation is to be united, it needs to understand government regulations and their rationale. Unfortunately, the situation in our country in recent months has not really been the case. The vaccine scandal speaks for itself.
"The Prime Minister wanted to discuss everything on his own, he did not consult anyone on the strategy, he did not communicate the results to us. So now he must also take responsibility himself and apologise to those who will have to wait for vaccines even longer."
added Tomáš Petříček.
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Tomáš PetříčekSource: profimedia
Jan Hamáček expressed himself in a similar vein:
"The Prime Minister negotiated on his own, it is purely his responsibility and he must explain to our citizens why the Czech Republic lost 70 000 vaccines."
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Jan HamáčekSource: profimedia
In conclusion
To the many pearls of wisdom and quotes stated above I would just like to add that "If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked." Proverbs 29:12.
Other powerful words I resonate with are: "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Matthew 5:44. It would not hurt to take these words to heart. In fact, I believe that if most of our politicians took them to heart, our country would look very different!
