Why I Don't Join

A few times recently I've been asked to give my support in various ways to various "causes". My answer is always "no". I don't do rallies or petitions or donate to medical research or sell raffle tickets. That's right, I'm a mean, mean, nasty, horrible person.

Seriously, there is a reason I don't participate in any of these ventures. In most cases, their aims are good. I do believe that homebirthing should have an equal if not higher status than medicalised birth, but I haven't taken part in any rallies. I have a number of dear friends with MS who I would love to see healed, but I don't sell raffle tickets for the MS foundation (is that what they're called?). I also believe in many ideals that have no causes (that I know of) supporting them. I am against child abuse and neglect, but no one has ever asked me to donate to the child neglect foundation. Even if they did, though, I would say no.

I do believe that if anyone comes to me in need I should give as I am able. Food to the hungry, shelter to the homeless, etc. What I don't believe in is the politicization of these causes. As far as campaigning the government to change this or that legislation - where should I start? Sorry, but not home-birthing, as wonderful as it is. There are so many more serious and far-reaching cases of downright immorality in legislation.

The reality is, that while there are a handful of organizations I am willing to support, there are many, many more that in some way undermine the foundations of my beliefs.

For example, I worked in medical research for a year before my conscience got the better of me. I have seen how the world of medical research works, not just from my personal experiences, but in discussions with friends who are still heavily involved in medical research. Even those with the best intentions can't escape the premises and philosophies that underlie the whole system of research. Premises and philosophies that fundamentally deny God and His part in human well-being. It would be wrong for me to support a system that denies God.

As for signing petitions, or rallying, or campaigning - I live in a society that once again denies God's part in the very fabric of society. Any argument I have against laws or systems is based on the foundation of God's laws and principles. These arguments fall on deaf ears in a secular world. Nor can I put my name on a petition with those who believe that social justice simply needs a human solution. I don't believe that even a billion signatures could bring peace to the Middle East, or food to the starving, or protect orphans from exploitation. Putting my name on that list implies not only that I care about the cause, but that I believe my name can make the difference. I don't believe that my name can make the difference. I believe that we live in a broken world that only God can fix.

This is not an excuse for me to sit back and watch the world fall apart from my armchair. It is not a call to less but a call to more. Knowing that my human hands cannot make a drop-in-the-bucket difference, I have the greater responsibility of representing God's way of life to everyone I interact with. I have the responsibility to find ways that I can support the needy without compromising God's values. Importantly, I must guard every aspect of my own life from the lure of hypocrisy. My time as a human being is merely the journey, not the destination, so there will be wrong turns along the way, and I won't perfectly represent the one cause that I do stand for - the coming kingdom of God.

So that summarizes why I don't join - I have joined The Cause, and beside it, there is no other.