I am increasingly alarmed by the unholy alliance between political parties and religious groups (see last two posts). Last year, Sojourners started a petition/movment called “God is Not a Republican (or a Democrat). At the time, I saw this as a one-sided attempt to criticize conservative Christian/republican politics, with inadequate critique brought upon liberal Christian/democrat alliances. Now, I think the need to sever the ties between religious groups and the parties is more urgent than ever.
I’m tired of hearing Chrstianity being equated with being American being equated with hating people whose ideology we don’t like.
I’m tired of Christians endorsing their political party as if it was right about enough stuff that it no longer deserves any critique from a standpoint of faith.
I’m beginning to think that Church-controlled medieval Europe isn’t all that different from the situation we have in America today.
Please do not take back this country for your personal cause. You are not the only person that lives here, and I especially hope you realize that if you’re a Christian. This country does not exist for you and your allies to get their way over those of a different race, religion, social class, or political ideology.
Please stop assuming you’re perfect and don’t have anything to learn from “the ___s,” whoever the “others” may be - socialists, arabs, illegal immigrants, muslims. You don’t have to like them, but you do have to learn to live with them without being an oppressor. You might consider Jesus’ words on the subject of getting along with those you perceive as enemies.
Justin-
I appreciate your frustration on this, but I also know how important it is to you that people live their faith in the real world. There are a lot of people of faith with whom I disagree in the area of politics, but it seems only natural and logical that one’s faith, spirituality, and worldview will have an effect on one’s political views, as well as the urgency with which those views are pursued. It seems as if you’re fanning the flames of incarnational faith with one hand and complaining with the other about the rising political temperature!
On Robertson, keep in mind that even aside from his Christianity, it may be possible for him to be wrong about assassinating Chavez and right about the amount of trouble Chavez could cause both the US and the world economy.
As nasty as it gets sometimes, divorcing religion from politics (if it were possible) would hurt both endeavors and damage culture as a whole.
Well said, THX. I appreciate your pointing this out, as it merits further thought and clarification.
I don’t believe that one’s politics and faith should remain in separate spheres - faith can and must speak to politics. But I do believe that Christians should not equate their political party with their religious affiliation. What I’m seeing is politics trumping faith, which results in crazy statements like Pat Robertson suggesting we assassinate the president of another nation. No Christian who puts Jesus before the GOP could ever say something like this.
[as an aside, I want to point out that I think that violence is sometimes acceptable when it will prevent more violence, but this was not at all the context of Robertson's remark - he was talking about ideology and oil, not a "clear and present danger"]
I do believe that Christians should not believe the political party they have chosen (if any) has it all figured out perfectly.
Christians must retain (or, dare I say, re-develop) the capacity to think critically. If you like Bible language and quotations, we need to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). I’m alarmed because I see the ideals of the Republican party (in the cases I’ve blogged about recently) and the Democratic party (in other cases) being held in higher esteem than the ideals of Jesus.
It is important to separate Christianity and Nationalism. I run into a lot of people who think that America is blessed by God over all nations, that our way of thinking should be imposed on societies that think completely different than we do. It is important to realize that America is not a Christian nation, nor do I think it ever will be and in line with the Christ nor do I think it should be. The separation of church and state not only protects the people from the church but also the church from the government. Once the government has say over the church or vice versa God becomes a bargining tool and made in service to manipulate the populace into a way of think that supports the political agenda, which I often think the republican party is guilty of.
OK, now that you’ve had a good rant (and we all need one every once in a while), where are you hearing/seeing all this stuff you’re so tired of? School? Work? Our little church? Media? Where? What inspired the rant?
Hi im new to your website. i appreciate this post and believe you are right. now a question, maybe ridiculous, but thought-provoking. why should Christians be involved in US politics anymore than Canadians???!!
Richard - See the previous two posts.
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