I begin by wishing you a Merry Christmas.

Over this semester my fellow columnists have berated the religious right on issues both important (government corruption) and trivial (Jesus action figures). In our lifetime, the term “religious right” has evolved tremendously. What was once a fairly benign moniker now packs a hostile punch as pundits and general populace alike apply it, almost always with scorn and derision, to describe any Christian who applies his faith to every facet of his life – including his politics. As politically active Christians have grown to one of the largest and most powerful voting segments in the country, for every one of these who stands up for a biblical worldview, two or three more call for Christians – and the religious right in particular – to leave God at church.

It is becoming increasingly unpopular in our intensely, oftentimes aggressively, pluralistic culture for Christians to shape their political beliefs from the Bible. When someone supports or opposes legislation based entirely on “the Bible tells me so,” cries for separation of church and state immediately arise – along with the condescending attitude afforded to anyone who could possibly be so close-minded.

But those who demand Christians to leave the Bible on the shelf when acting in the political or public sphere demonstrate a lack of understanding of both the Christian faith and democracy itself. First, I cannot imagine how I would divorce my faith from my politics; they are thoroughly and enduringly intermingled.

Nor do I believe God intends for me to live my life by separating myself into those sorts of categories – Christian, student, citizen, friend. Instead, He asks that I be a Christian student, a Christian citizen, a Christian friend, and yes, a Christian columnist. In Matthew 5, Christ commands His followers to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” He says “Let your light shine before men” and so I cannot conclude that keeping my faith as something private and personal fulfills this instruction.

Few deny Abraham Lincoln’s charge that government be “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” yet at some point it became inappropriate or offensive for Christians to bring their beliefs about God’s will for the world into the marketplace of ideas.

I’ll pause a moment to redress a few misconceptions here. God does not want a theocratic state. The U.S. is not God’s chosen country (Israel isn’t either, by the way, and those who believe so are missing crucial and clear New Testament evidence to the contrary). God bless America, certainly. But God also bless Turkey and Sudan, Holland and Argentina. God bless everyone, everywhere.

God does not ask for forced conversion, intolerance and hatred towards mankind on any level, or align Himself with any particular political party. God is not a Republican, a Democrat or anything else. His infinite understanding and power go far beyond our man-made boxes.

Certainly Christians have been guilty of these misunderstandings as often or perhaps even more than those outside the faith. For that, I apologize. I apologize for often focusing on only a few hot-button issues (however worthy these issues may be) and forgetting responsibilities to the poor and the weak. I apologize for being too quick to judge, writing off groups of people and perpetuating discrimination on any level. I apologize for being inept at showing Christ’s love.

But I do not apologize for using God’s word as my moral touchstone in all areas of my life. No one has any justification in telling me the Bible is a less legitimate compass than any other standard by which people live their lives. Anyone who has read the accounts of Christ’s life knows that He is a worthy model.

This is why I wish you a Merry Christmas. If you choose to reply with “Happy Hanukkah” or “Happy Kwanza” or “I don’t believe in any of that garbage,” that’s fine. I respect and uphold your right to do so.

But not for a moment will I disregard, for political correctness or societal nicety, that this season and this world point toward the Christchild.

“For to us a Child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6