Religion and politics, I have been taught, do not mix. In fact, just one of those topics should probably not be brought up in casual conversation, and certainly not both. I have gone along with (and been grateful for) this ideal. But now I think that fundamental social norm has passed, as it should. Here are some things I've been reading that challenge my complacency:
For those of us who grow instantly nauseated at the mention of the word politics, maybe we can break it down a little bit. The English word politics derives from the Greek word polis, as in “metropolis” or “Indianapolis.” The word is rooted in the concepts of “city,” “civil,” “citizen,” “civic,” basically what it means to be a society of people. Anything involving humans living together purposefully is political, a polis. As the people of God, we are building a new society in the shell of the old, a new polis, the New Jerusalem, the city of God. This is essentially a political act. -Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution
The rhetoric of the race -- and the rhetoric of many evangelicals -- is disturbing. This race is important and necessarily so. We are talking about the next President of the United States, after all. But evangelicals have invested far too much hope in the political process. No government can make people good, transform humanity, or eliminate sin. The political sphere is important, but never ultimate. Jesus Christ is Lord -- and He will be Lord regardless of who sits in the Oval Office. - Al Mohler, AlbertMohler.com
For years, groups like Focus on the Family, the Christian Coalition and the Family Research Council adopted a narrow strategy. They zeroed in on "below the belt issues" — abortion and more recently, homosexuality. Politically, it worked. Evangelicals overwhelmingly supported George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004.
"The problem has become that we have paid so much attention to the human being in the womb that we have forgotten about the human being out of the womb," Hunter said. "It's become such a focus for some leaders that they don't want to address the other pro-life issues, such as climate change, such as poverty, such as AIDS." NPR and Joel Hunter
Dualism has infected the church, a dualism in which folks separate the spiritual from the political or social, as if the political and social issues were of no spiritual significance, and as if God had no better vision to offer this world... We are thirsty for social justice and peace but have a hard time finding a faith community that is consistently pro-life or that recognizes that there are "moral issues" other than homosexuality and abortion, moral issues like war and poverty. So some foks just end up trying to save indiviual souls from their sins, and others end up trying to save the world from "the system." But rarely do we see that the sickness of our world has infected each of us, and that the healing of our world not only begins within us but does not end with us. -Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution
When election time comes, I will be ready. And I pray, against all odds, that it will not be a popularity contest (at least not for me). And I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my Lord is already King, on the throne, and I follow Him.
7 comments:
good stuff anne marie! you should have been at lunch with lauren and i today. even our waiter got involved with our political discussion. i'm glad the quote you gave by Al Mohler. That's my Seminary President!
Great blog, I sat down to see the New Hampshire debates tonight (instead of the Football playoffs which is weird in all sorts of ways) and I noticed that Thompson and even Huckabee or Romney who are the evangelical type leaders in the race really don't strike a chord with me as my candidate...I am an independent so i don't get a vote here in Florida primaries but i really hope Ron Paul gets through...he has the right idea of what a constitutional government SHOULD be and what it has been corrupted into...vote for Ron Paul!!!!
Good blog, yo.
Alot of Christians i speak with believe that a "Christian" politician, if voted into office, will fix all of our social problems and the country will become one big believing family. Wrong!
....I wonder who the anonymous writer is....
I totally agree with the quotes, I'm glad you brought it to the foreground. And I totally agree with the anonymous dude or dudette. Vote for Ron Paul! I really looked into him, asked in depth questions, and he is certainly a guy I wouldn't mind as president. But don't take my opinion as fact, look into him and maybe you'll have a different opinion. God Bless
-Steph
Sorry, I have to vote w/ my conscience. If a candidate is not strongly pro-life, I cannot do it. I've tried, I really have, but my hands just wont do it:)
ah but ron paul IS pro life...he is a gynecologist by training and has delivered over 4,000 babies :)
his real differences with the other candidates are his views on running the government according to the constitution, and thus reducing the power of his own office and giving states more lee-way as to their decisions!...and his views on iraq and his assertion that we must apply the CIA term of 'blowback' to our foreign policy...in essence he believes in living life by the golden rule: do onto others as you would have done onto you...and viola all 700 of our military bases in the world go bye bye since we dont allow military bases of say, china, in our country...or even close to it! (ie. pay of pigs)
and so ron paul is the solution to everything :)
and i am sooo not a dudette! ;)
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