Letter to the Editor

Christianity Today

sent 22 Feb 2005

Dear Editor,

In his Back Page column (The New Civil War, February 2005), Chuck Colson (with Anne Morse) suggests that we religious conservatives should extend an olive branch to our political foes. This after stating correctly that the cultural divide was created when "we [apparently meaning leftists, since "conservative" MEANS not doing this!] abandoned belief in a moral truth that is knowable." In supreme irony, he [the onetime ruthless political warrior] laments the passing of a more gentle and polite age of political disagreement, tarring both sides (lefty-PC fashion) as ideological and utopian. Further, he equates the term "libertarian" with a disregard for moral truth. But Truth has always been resisted by strong and committed enemies and required fierce defense. The wake of a great victory is no time to "go wobbly" (in the immortal words of Margaret Thatcher). Finally, most libertarians will strongly defend the idea of objective, moral truth as opposed to subjective, relativistic preferences as the only sound basis for the liberties we enjoy. I really admire Colson and consider him a great evangelical leader, which is why my advice is 'steady as she goes,' stay on offense and resist the urge to pander.

Steve Sawyer