In thinking of the last posting, I feel that I need to add that if we were to invest as much time on our knees praying for our nation as we invest in being engaged in the political process, we would be better off and so would our nation.
So few of us actually spend time with God interceding for this great land. No, CNN crowds it out, doesn't it?
Here's my challenge to you today: Spend five minutes daily praying for this nation and this election. Don't try to dictate to God who should win ... just intercede ... ask His blessings on the election and on our nation.
Five minutes daily. Can you spare it?
Showing posts with label Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obama. Show all posts
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The 2008 Presidential Election
Well, I guess I have reached the end of my intellectual and spiritual rope regarding this presidential election. Funny, it feels very comfortable here!
If I hear another Christian say, "Democrats are Christians and Republicans are not" or "Republicans are Christians and Democrats are not", I think I will explode.
We, as Christians, should not ally ourselves with temporal, political structures of this world. They are all unable to withstand even the slightest moral scrutiny before they collapse. Democrats charge that Republicans defend the unborn but will gladly and quickly bomb the born while Republicans point out that Democrats are all socialists and baby-killers.
Both parties, in fact all political parties, cannot present airtight cases that rise above hypocrisy. Why? Because they are creations of man. And therefore very fallible.
Did I say not vote? No! Please vote your conscience. It is your duty as a citizen.
But do not go around attempting to persuade others that any political party is closer to God than its rivals.
Before Jerry Falwell came on the scene, virtually all Christian leaders took this view. Put your energies into promoting the kingdom of God and vote your conscience privately. To do anything else would be a disservice to the kingdom of God.
Mr. Falwell came with a different message ... ally yourself with a political party and make a difference for the kingdom in the here and now.
I think he did a great service by perhaps bringing into focus the civic duties of Christians but it has gone overboard, in my opinion. WAY overboard.
It is not uncommon for Christians to put far more effort into politics than into promoting the kingdom. And it is a sad sight indeed to see a Christian arguing McCain's position or Obama's position. Who knows how many non-believers have been alienated from Christ because they did not quite see eye-to-eye with the stated 'Christian' position?
There is no 'Christian' political position. The Christian position has to do with doing good, loving God and walking humbly with Him. It does not have anything to do with endorsing a particular candidate because he or she is more Christian. The 'more-ness' of a person's Christianity is completely up to God.
In summary, please do not say 'vote Republican because they are closer to God' or 'vote Democratic because they are closer to God' because you are just plain wrong. You should transcend the political parties because, in not doing so, you might find yourself having to defend fallible structures of this world and I, for one, have never seen anyone do this successfully.
If I hear another Christian say, "Democrats are Christians and Republicans are not" or "Republicans are Christians and Democrats are not", I think I will explode.
We, as Christians, should not ally ourselves with temporal, political structures of this world. They are all unable to withstand even the slightest moral scrutiny before they collapse. Democrats charge that Republicans defend the unborn but will gladly and quickly bomb the born while Republicans point out that Democrats are all socialists and baby-killers.
Both parties, in fact all political parties, cannot present airtight cases that rise above hypocrisy. Why? Because they are creations of man. And therefore very fallible.
Did I say not vote? No! Please vote your conscience. It is your duty as a citizen.
But do not go around attempting to persuade others that any political party is closer to God than its rivals.
Before Jerry Falwell came on the scene, virtually all Christian leaders took this view. Put your energies into promoting the kingdom of God and vote your conscience privately. To do anything else would be a disservice to the kingdom of God.
Mr. Falwell came with a different message ... ally yourself with a political party and make a difference for the kingdom in the here and now.
I think he did a great service by perhaps bringing into focus the civic duties of Christians but it has gone overboard, in my opinion. WAY overboard.
It is not uncommon for Christians to put far more effort into politics than into promoting the kingdom. And it is a sad sight indeed to see a Christian arguing McCain's position or Obama's position. Who knows how many non-believers have been alienated from Christ because they did not quite see eye-to-eye with the stated 'Christian' position?
There is no 'Christian' political position. The Christian position has to do with doing good, loving God and walking humbly with Him. It does not have anything to do with endorsing a particular candidate because he or she is more Christian. The 'more-ness' of a person's Christianity is completely up to God.
In summary, please do not say 'vote Republican because they are closer to God' or 'vote Democratic because they are closer to God' because you are just plain wrong. You should transcend the political parties because, in not doing so, you might find yourself having to defend fallible structures of this world and I, for one, have never seen anyone do this successfully.
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