Social Issues

I define any issue that may be of significant importance to culture, religion, morality, or public opinion, but does not infringe upon the rights of another individual, a social issue. These are issues most people have a strong opinion on and may need to be addressed through social activism or evangelism, but in my opinion should have nothing to do with the government. 

 

Marriage is a perfect example of a social issue. People’s idea of what marriage is depends on their religious beliefs, as marriage began as a religious union. Once government got involved, not only did it harm marriages, but legal scholars then had to define it. I believe we should separate marriage and government entirely. In practice, this means people can disagree on what constitutes a marriage, yet nobody can use the force of the federal government to persecute the other. 

 

As a Christian I will promote what I believe to be the moral answer to social issues, which are often considered the conservative answers. However, I also believe that nothing on earth has the authority to threaten others into religious compliance. As all laws are enforced with at least some threat of violence, I cannot support any law that attempts to force others to convert, even if it is to a belief I agree with. In freedom, truth will prosper. We just need to get government out of the way.

 

It is also worth mentioning the U.S. Constitution does not grant Congress much authority over social issues, and therefore if any of these issues should be solved politically, it is left to state and local governments. 

 

Some people question my pro-life stance on abortion, arguing it is a social issue. I don’t disagree that to most pro-choicers abortion is a social issue. However, that is only true if you believe there is only one life affected by abortion and that is the life of the woman who opts for it. I cannot shake the evidence that there is a living person who’s life is ended in an abortion (especially when I was born prematurely), and protecting a person’s right to life is a valid function of government.