Both parties know that Evangelical Christians, a broad category to be sure, play a large part in choosing the next president.
Barack's followers in general follow him with cult-like devotion. His non-followers think he's acting like the next messiah and and that it will be the worst thing ever to happen in the history of the world if he is elected president. Now, where have I heard that before? The idea that a Democratic president will bring about the destruction of civilization as we know it? It's coming back to me..... OH! I know! It's when Clinton was running for his first term. He was elected... society did not come crashing down around us. And I heard it some other time.... that's right, when he was elected for his second term. And... again when Al Gore, and then John Kerry, was running, but those men didn't win and thus society was preserved in the person of George W. Bush! After all, we are a Christian nation. The next Israel. God loves America more than anybody. We have to have a CHRISTIAN PRESIDENT because otherwise God can't possibly accomplish what He has in store for the US. Ahem. Sorry, that was getting off topic.
So, not only are the Democrats trying to get in on the evangelical Christian action, evangelicals are trying to get in bed with whomever they think will have power next. I read an article in World magazine with a quote from the pastor of a large Orlando church will shall remain unnamed, saying that now Christians can feel unhindered to vote for a pro-abortion candidate (I refuse to use the word pro-choice. That terminology is, to wax eloquent and mildly profane, BS.) The reason is because Democrats have changed their wording to say that their stance is that women should feel freedom to have their babies. Really? What the ****? This same pastor is doing his darndest to get on board with the global warming movement. This pastor and others have had the audacity (the bad kind, not the "hope" kind) to put recycling your plastic grocery bags on the same moral voter-decision-making level of importance with abortion. Gag me with a (expletive deleted) shovel. I'm all for doing what I can to recycle, conserve water, etc. (I'm very earth-crunchy, especially for a registered Republican, though I do feel rather ironic every time I pull up to Whole Foods in my SUV with a W sticker on it.) But it is not as important as stopping the daily murder of the unborn.
Back to the Republican party. Every 4 years, the Christian members become Chicken Little clones, praying against the Democratic party. Not necessarily in a specific way, against the morally degraded parts of their party platform, but against the idea of having a Democratic president. Here's the thing. America is not God's special nation. The founding fathers were not miniature Jerry Falwells and Pat Robertsons. In fact, many were Deists. Yes, our moral foundation is based on Judeo-Christian ethics. But we are not, and were not meant to be, by the Founding Fathers OR God, to be the New Jerusalem. Putting our faith in earthly kings is a sure way to be disappointed. If Barack wins the presidency, does that mean God's favor is no longer with us? We might pay more taxes and not be able to purchase guns. It may be harder for Christians to speak out in public places. Does that mean we aren't God's favorite anymore? Speaking of audacity, how dare these types of Christian Republicans equate economic and political comfort with God's favor. Does God not love the persecuted Christians in China, who have to hide their worship and face torture, imprisonment, and death on a daily basis? Does God not love African Christians who face the same? What about Christians in Muslim countries? Are those places not God's favorite? Does He not love those followers as much, because, poor them, they aren't Americans?
Throughout the history of the world, God's people have faced public scorn, physical and spiritual warfare, torture, imprisonment, death. God's people have been ruled by insane tyrannical dictators who covered them in pitch and used them as torches to light a garden party. God's people have been mutilated by the government. God's people have been thrown in dank prisons with no kind of amenities by the government. God is sovereign. God not only allowed those things to happen, He was ultimately glorified in that. God doesn't do anything that ultimately isn't good for His people and glorifying to Himself. We are called unequivocally in Scripture to submit to our government because God Himself puts those leaders into place. Any political party that starts to claim Jesus as being on their side might want to take a closer look at what happened. The Jews were expecting a political, earthly revolutionary to free them from their physical bondage to Rome, Instead, He paid his taxes and told His followers to do the same. He told Peter to put up his sword and then healed the damage done. He told His people to not only do what the Roman soldiers made them, but do it well and do it fully. (Go the extra mile, anyone?)
Whoever wins in November will not be supreme dictator for life. They will serve their 4 year term, with Congress and the Supreme Court presumably checking and balancing as is their job. I think it is important to vote and be informed. As long as God is allowing us to live in a free political country, we should gratefully take advantage. But no matter who wins, be it Obama or McCain, we should remember that neither one has Jesus in their pocket. No matter who wins, our future is not bound up with them. Our future, our faith, our hope, is secure in the blood of Christ. He is our King, and that should give us confidence no matter what.
No comments:
Post a Comment