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?
posted by Wade Poe at 2:41 PM
3 Comments:
If as Christians our only goal is to serve God, then outside of taking care of the important things that we are instructed to do like telling the good news and baptizing believers and following the greatest commands, what time do we have left to worry about the political scene. I know that is maybe a cheesy answer, but if we are truly focused on the absolutely neccessary things, it seems like this other will be worked out by God. No political wackos are going to push anything through legislation that God doesn't allow, and if He allows it surley He has a plan to deal with it.
That's not cheesy to me. I've been amazed by many folks as of late who're experiencing a resurgence of political involvment where using government, etc as a tool for Christ/The Kingdom is seen as viable. Though I may just be missing it, I don't see anything close to that in the NT and if I understand my history from late BC/BCE on, even where there were opportunities for similar alignments of 'the church' and governments, those who really are disciples of Jesus have generally opted out of such a joining of forces with the understanding that politics makes strange bed-fellows and someone eventually has to sell out. Usually government doesn't sell out. Thanks for your post!
Agreed. I think the radical side of things is what gets me the most; when people buy into a philosophy (political or otherwise) and attempt to marry it to church/The Kingdom. I certainly agree that people shouldn't be uninvolved pacifists, but that we really ought to at least think through the implications of any political movement that we're tempted to join or co-opt the church and it's resources in to.
I guess what really started all this thinking with me is hearing of several folks being very passionate about caring for the poor and those in poverty and calling on other believers to join in on a small set of political actions, campaigns, etc because it was the 'Christian' thing to do. Some of their ideas were laden with assumptions about God, governments, motives, etc...
Thanks for you post. Interesting food for thought...
Post a Comment
<< Home