Author: Thomas Lee Abshier
A Personal Perspective
By Thomas Lee Abshier, ND
God gave America the gift of Freedom in return for our commitment to Godliness. When we turn from a personal and loving relationship with God, our freedoms will eventually ebb away. Without Godly self-regulation, forceful external regulation will fill the gap, and strong men will subject us to their rules – our heritage of freedom will evaporate. The free man’s privilege/right to bear arms, protect ourselves, and resist the oppression of tyrants will vanish. Without Godly self-regulation, we will lose our right of self-determination and choice of legislators, judges, and executives. If we reject the God of Heaven, we will lose our right to choose our religion, our right to assemble, our right to redress grievances against the government, our right to a speedy trial, our right to mobilize and form public opinion via the press, and our right to speak our heart on issues of Truth. But if we return to Godliness, He will restore the adult privilege of freedom.
Character is the most important factor in choosing elected officials. Ideas, issues, and programs flow from the well of character and direct decisions, judgments, and leadership. Our elected leaders should form their considerations the perspective and consideration of Biblical principles.
My own search for Truth has been difficult but rewarding. I was raised as a devout Baptist child. But I strayed far from the faith as I searched for Truth as an adolescent and young adult. In early middle age, 36, I returned to Jesus, finally understanding why it was necessary that God create the world as He did, and why the sacrifice of Jesus was necessary. My perspective, having traveled the paths of many world religions, sects, cults, and traditions has enabled me to understand the breadth of the human experience of worship. As a result of seeing so many good people in so many different religions, my embrace of humanity and my respect for other traditions is considerable. After my long spiritual pilgrimage, I have come to peace calling Jesus Lord.
Engineering is the basis of my life approach. My training as an Electrical Engineer at UCLA set my foundation as a man of reason and experiment. I demand that every problem be solved by reasonable and cost-effective methods. I expect that the forces involved will be identified and addressed and that the solution will be determined by rational analysis. Every system has limitations, and it is not possible to bring an optimum solution to a system which has limited resources. The American economy is one such system. Currently, there are virtually unlimited demands by every sector of special interest in America. An entitlement without productivity mentality has overrun the capacity of the working public to bear the burden.
The fall of the Roman Empire resulted when the leisure class voted for itself “bread and circuses.” The burden of oppressive taxes on the rest of society contributed to the fall of that great Empire. A nation will collapse if the creative sectors are not adequately rewarded for their contributions. The spirit of the individual is broken when too little reward proceeds from the effort of his work. The collapse of the Soviet Union proved that a “redistribution of wealth” mentality results in generalized poverty. A Free Market economy can only succeed as long as property rights are respected, and the workers retain a sufficient quantity of the fruits of their labors. In his book, America’s Real War, Rabbi Daniel Lapin of Seattle, gives many Biblical and historical evidence that a 20% flat tax, which allows a worker to keep 80% of his earnings, is the optimum tax rate to support the function of government, and maximize economic prosperity. Special interest groups, pork barrel politics, and corruption have distorted the political process. Federal Legislation should establish a social environment conducive to productivity: protective of people, property, and the environment, and direct the national effort toward solving long-term problems.
As a Naturopathic Physician, I have learned to view life from a holistic, dynamic, complex, cause-based perspective. The combination of a life-science and hard-science background has equipped me with a somewhat unique perspective. I view the forces of nature operating in the complex biochemical minutiae, while at the same time I see the forces of the cell, the tissue, the system, the organism, and the world operating on each level and between levels. The holistic approach arises naturally by engaging in an open-minded study of the facts of operation of life on many levels. When prejudice is relaxed, a large view of life and its possibility arises, but the absolutes remain.
I bring this complex life-view analysis to the study of society and solving the problems that keep our nation from prospering. It is my experience that when I submerge myself into the inner parts of a system that I am able to eventually identify the part of the system which is interfering with its function. I am a problem solver, a thinker, a negotiator. I move people by reason. Once an idea has been identified as True, it is only a matter of communication, action, and time before it becomes reality.
As a Christian Counselor, I have facilitated and witnessed personal growth and successful living. I have seen fractured relationships restored, addictions conquered, and inner limitations overcome. I have seen defeated and ineffective people learn to govern themselves by Biblical principles and proceed on in life with success. The Biblical principles of healthy relationship and personal habit extend beyond the bounds of the individual, couple, or family counseling session. They are the principles that must govern a nation.
As a philosopher and political scientist, I use the approach and methods I have used as a doctor and counselor. In formulating solutions, I first observe and understand the situation fully. I consider the issue in light of a Christian worldview of life’s principles. I use reason and logic to analyze the best outcome on all levels for all participants. I communicate with and confront the people involved. Together we come to a mutually agreed upon solution, and an action plan to manifest it. We then revisit the situation at regular intervals until the solution is solid and working. I have found these steps to solution compose a universally applicable strategy for problem-solving.
Counseling people on their deepest struggles and trials has given me a window into the human soul. The answer is always the same, on some level we must submit our hearts to the principles of Christ. These principles always produce success when implemented because the Bible is the highest metaphorical expression of proper human relations. Within its hologram are all the perfect patterns of health and social organization. As legislators and leaders of the greatest nation on earth, we must bow to that authority, reason together, and use our human knowledge and our heavenly insight. We will succeed in our efforts at proper national governance when we submit ourselves to God and limit our actions to Biblically consistent possibilities. When we engage this process, hope will return and prosperity will follow.
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