Men (and Women) In Black

The Supreme Court of the United States has nine justices. One of them is going to be new in a matter of days or weeks. While I believe there is, and ought to be, much concern about who is appointed to that high position, my major concern lies elsewhere.

I don’t keep up with the rulings of the Court, and only hear about them in the “news.” The cases I hear about seem to me (note: I have not been counting or keeping track), I repeat, seem to me, are often decided by a 5 to 4 margin. The winner in those cases is “happy” (insert your own word if you like), and the loser is “sad” (insert your own word if you like).

I’m not happy. Actually, what I am is “concerned” (that’s a SAFE word, I hope).  Most of the time, again, it seems to me, the cases we hear about are Constitutional issues. My intellectual abilities inform me that the Constitution is a document that can be read, understood, and has a meaning which is perfectly clear. So why then do we get “split” decisons? Why is it seldom, if ever, (seemingly) 9 to 0? Didn’t we just hear about a case that was decided 5 to 4, yet all nine Justices said the lower court erred? Or, maybe I misunderstood.

What I am saying is that there should seldom (maybe never, though I don’t use that word often) be a division on the Court regarding whether you and I have right (and freedom) to gather in groups for lawful purposes, and to speak our mind regarding political matters. No division should exist as to whether or not citizens of the United States of America have the right to keep and bear arms. Could there be a division about whether my house can be usurped as a dormitory for the local contingent of soldiers? Am I, or am I not, protected from that policeman who wants to enter and search my house when he has no warrant and no probable cause to get one? Well I could go on past the first few articles of the Bill of Rights, but you get my point.

If that sounds narrow, I’m sorry, but I came by it rightly. I base my life, my hope, my future, my all, on a book which I believe is clear, accurate, and perfect. I don’t like anyone fooling around with the Truth of that book. It says, for example, that I have become a child of God, I can know life abundant, full of joy and peace, Heaven is reserved for me, and my Savior is coming for me at the appointed time. All of that is mine through grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone.  If you missed the vote – God: 1; Everyone else: 0.