“The Left mocks the Right. The Right knows it’s right. Two ugly traits. How far should we go to try to understand each other’s point of view? Maybe the distance grace covered on the cross is a clue.”
Bono, lead singer of U2
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God is not a Republican or a Democrat.
So I’m currently reading the book pictured above, and aside from the fact that it repeats itself often – I am enamored by it. Why? Because I actually agree with an evangelical’s political discourse, which is rare indeed.
I just hate partisan politics. It does a disservice to the kingdom of God when Christians parade around spiritualizing their respective candidate or measure. I’m really tired of hearing people talk like God is a Republican. [This is in no way meant to be offensive, so if you are in the following category, please do not be offended.] Ok, so since being home I have ran into several people who are passionately pro-death penalty and pro-war, but are then pro-life. They call abortion murder, the death penalty justice and casualities accidents. Is that not a contradiction, and just another political game of semantics? Can you value one person’s life on the basis of age, or location over another? People are people – whether you’re in the womb or Iraq.
Wouldn’t Jesus be against anything destructive and dehumanizing?
Anyways.. I will get off my soap box, and just thought I’d like to share a passage that has stuck with me. It was taken from an article posted in The New York Times on July 16, 2004 and demonstrated that Christians, and evangelicals are not a monolithic voting block. I read it for the first time in the book, and although it is printed in the plural, I modified it to be in the first-person to explain what I believe is important when discussing politics and elections.
I believe that poverty – caring for the poor and vulnerable – is a religious issue. Do the candidates’ budget and tax policies reward the rich or show compassion for poor families? Do their foreign policies include fair trade and debt cancellation for the poorest countries? (Matthew 25:35-40, Isaiah 10:1-2)
I believe that the environment – caring for God’s earth – is a religious issue. Do the candidates’ policies protect the creation or serve corporate interests that damage it? (Genesis 2:15, Psalm 24:1)
I am not a single-issue voter.
I believe that war – and my call to be a peacemaker – is a religious issue. Do the candidates’ policies pursue “wars of choice” or respect international law and cooperation in responding to real global threats? (Matthew 5:9)
I believe that truth-telling is a religious issue. Do the candidates tell the truth in justifying war and in other foreign and domestic policies? (John 8:32)
I believe that human rights – respecting the image of God in every person – is a religious issue. How do the candidates’ propose to change the attitudes and policies that led to the abuse and torture of Iraqi prisoners? (Genesis 1:27)
I believe that our response to terrorism is a religoius issue. Do the candidates adopt the dangerous language of righteous empire in the war on terrorism and confuse the roles of God, church and nation? Do the candidates see evil only in our enemies but never in our own policies? (Matthew 6:33, Proverbs 8:12-13)
I believe that a consistent ethic of human life is a religious issue. Do the candidates’ positions on abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, weapons of mass destruction, HIV/AIDS – and other pandemics – and genocide around the world obey the biblical injunction to choose life? (Deuteronomy 30:19)
These are the major questions I have to ask myself – they make up my litmus test. I won’t say who I voted for last year, because well, it’s no ones business really.. but truth be told, I am still bitter that I was forced to make a choice between two people I disliked.. when neither came close to fully representing my values. I really believe that things can change and that a third party could arise and produce quality candidates that I’d be proud to support for four years. When will we say “enough is enough – I will not tolerate choosing ‘the least of two evils’ anymore”? *sigh*… soon I hope…
monicateresa:
I saw this book a couple months ago and really wanted to read it…I wish books didn’t cost so much! I’ll definitely have to find a copy somewhere and give it a go.
5 years ago
Wekwom_Teks: i wonder if “free_by_grace,” who posted a comment above on the old testament wars, remembers that the old testament is just that…an old covenant, meaning that for it to be referred to as old there must be a “new” covenant that we have now entered into. i think that the matter does require further research, but just as bono said in your quote at the top of your post, “maybe the distance grace covered on the cross is a clue.” in the old testament times, adherence to the laws of God were what ensured your salvation and so forth. but then in the “new testament”, or the new covenant, which we are now under, through God’s saving grace and Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, those laws are no longer solely determinant in our standing with God. what now matters most and is essential to our salvation is to come to believe in and have faith in the fact that it was all taken care of on the cross when Christ died for us. do we have faith enough to rely on God to find vindication and justice in a world without it, or will we have little faith and seek justice and retribution for the slights that we incur for His glory on our own? war to further God’s purposes on earth in the time of the old testament did happen, but the circumstances God’s people were in, namely, the conditions of the old covenant, were different than the new one that we are now bound, or rather set free, from. and to stand on one side claiming to be “for God” in the exploits and killings of fellow human beings smacks dangerously of the crusades. remember those? or how about the spanish inquisition? or the salem witch trials? any war today, regardless of it’s original intent and continued propagating, is easily and most definitely corrupted by the greed and selfishness of men. we are so steeped in and consumed by our own imperfections; we have fallen so far from the tree, that only Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient enough for us in any circumstance. no war, no killing, no political agenda will change that. when in doubt, ask yourself “what would Jesus do?” and you have your answer right there.
esther. i enjoyed your post immensely. i find comfort in the fact that no man, no government here on earth, no political power can ever get it right, and will fail in the end, for that testifies to the sovreignty and almighty glory of our God in Heaven.
much love and prayer.5 years ago
walkalongside: Esther. I am currently reading “A Revolution of Compassion”. It addresses your #1 ‘I believe’. For more info see my July 5 post, “My Salutes this Weekend”. Keep on sharing!5 years ago
free_by_grace:
Didn’t God have his people Israel (meaning Wrestles with God) fighting many many wars with other people. King David had men under him besides Uriah who were dying in war and killing in war. I am definitely not saying that God has initiated the wars we have today, but at the same time I am saying that God has endorsed war in Old Testament times, including the killing of people.
It sure seems gory and wrong, but I think it’s worth asking why there is this discrepancy between loving our enemies and the wars and killings of the OT.
5 years ago
XA_NMSU: Amen!5 years ago
WatkinsTalkins: I hear you and agree with you! :)5 years ago