If we’re Christians we’ve got clear directives in the Bible about what we are supposed to look like to the world and how we are supposed to behave. None of those directives mentions any political party or philosophy. ANY political party or philosophy. God knows that we are all crafted differently, and makes it a point to say so, several times. (I am the vine, there are many branches; the body has many parts, etc.) I truly believe that Christians are called to different political points of view as a method of iron-sharpening-iron. What can I learn from other believers who are Communitarian? As a libertarian what view of God do I have that may be helpful to Democrats and Republicans? If our first allegiance is to Christ, how do we best show that given the tools we have in place? God is God here, in this representative Democracy, but God is also God in communist nations. God is not diminished by the version of statecraft in the land where people worship God.
I know too many Christians who actually suspect their fellow believers of being weak in–or totally lacking–faith if they support an alternative political point of view. That probably shouldn’t come as a surprise seeing that we often suspect others of not being Christians if they are X denomination. (For the record my theory on denominations is much the same. There are different ones that appeal to different people because of how they are constructed.) We are such little eyeblinks of existence, and the arrogance involved in judging another’s eternal soul by their temporal political leanings is sickening.
This is not directed solely at Republicans, Right Wingers, etc. I’ve seen many Democrats and Socialists be just as arrogant about their position. (“Jesus said feed the hungry, and my belief in letting the government do that is more holy than your belief in letting churches and individuals do it.”)
The closer we get to this election the more my flesh crawls at all of this corruption of the church. Because that’s what it is.
The CHURCH is individuals. It isn’t an organisation. We as individuals are mandated to do those things Christ calls us to do. Feed the hungry, clothe the poor…that is for you and me. The antiseptic approach of joining a club–a church or a political party–and appointing a sort of amanuensis to do your tasks for you is not really what Jesus expected. We are growing way too comfortable with letting other people do the hard work. Checks in the offering plate or to the IRS man are not substitutions for our call.
I must admit to being very judgmental of Christian neocons and their pro-war stance. I just don’t understand it. It makes me very upset. But you’re right. Christianity doesn’t dwell in one political party or denomination. I look around me, and I see that Catholics in my state are mostly Dems because it’s tradition and that Southern Baptists are Dems, but other Baptists are Republicans, and it’s all tradition. I grew up in a libertarian state (Oregon), and I have strong libertarian leanings. FTR, Oregonians tend to be libertarian Dems or libertarian Repubs, but are libertarians nonetheless. For that reason–that people are largely attached to their traditions and culture–I try to judge people on an individual basis by their actions. Of course, that means I have to do a good bit of self-judging as well.
I can’t follow politics anymore, in part because of what you refer to. Christianity is getting so mangled in the mix. And to think, this year we get to hear non-stop talk about Mitt Romney’s Mormonism. No, I don’t agree with that extra-Biblical book, not at all. I don’t agree with Obama’s version of “Christianity” either (sorry for the quotes; just can’t help myself because I think its just another front to get votes) but can we focus on the country’s problems please”…because these problems are quite severe and in dire need of attention. (By the way, I don’t give a cr@p about Herman Cain’s late night texts either, but sadly we apparently require our presidential candidates to be “saints”.)