God and politics. Oh no, not you too?!
I am just all over the place with this some days and am really curious as to what others in my circle or out there in the cybersea think about it. I know that 'among us' in the churches of Christ lives a wide variety of political opinion. So...where do you think God and/or Jesus stand on this whole political thing? Which way goes God 'lean'? Do you think God leans like you do politically? Think about a whole range of topics as of late and how you think God would land on them...
- Medicare, Social Security, Prescription Drug Benefits, etc.
- Capitalism versus Socialism and other 'ism's'
- Illegal immigration and the US
- The war in Iraq
- God's name being removed from the pledge of allegiance
- And any other topic that you've found to be interesting or frustrating with government or politics, etc
Now before you shoot from the hip and tell everyone how it is, think also of how God and/or Jesus has dealt with governments, countries, cultures and societies, since...well, ever.
- Yes, God did have his people wipe out a few cultures that were being a royally bad influence and were thus an 'indirect harm' and/or who were threatening his people with direct, physical harm
- God sent Jonah to preach to a culture/city that was not 'Jewish' as we think about it and told them to repent. As far as we know, they didn't suddenly become good Jews, but repented of some evils and God spared them.
- God intentionally brought in other cultures/societies to 'take care of business' among his own people when they weren't turning to him after a good long time period
- When Jesus and the other New Testament folks arrived on the scene, the Romans ruled the day in most of the known world.
- Jesus said to give to Caesar what belonged to him and to God what belongs to God.
- Paul and Peter admonished us to either give honor to all, even politicians, and to especially pray for them so we could have peace.
- And so forth...
I see a lot of 'Christians' of various stripes taking up very interesting postitions about a variety of things that seem so odd or not very well thought through and it makes me wonder:
- how much most believers/disciples have allegiance to a political party or cause first and then to Jesus
- and whether or not Jesus/the church is simply a tool or a means to an end for some believers
- what other scenarios are 'out there among us' who claim to follow Jesus?
What do you think? How many things can a person throw into a worldview?