Monday, September 1, 2008

The Election

While the purpose of this blog is as a ministry to Christian Martialists and not primarily political, a lot of what I post has political ramifications. This is because I try to interpret life from a Biblical perspective, and God's Law/Word has political ramifications. Therefore, I will depart from my usual format and make an overtly political statement in this post.

There seems to be a dissatisfaction this year among American Christian conservatives with their choices for president. On the one hand, you have a statist liberal Democrat who makes sweeping promises to use civil power to solve all our problems. On the other hand, you have a statist "conservative" Republican who also claims to have the answers -- which he, like his opponent, defines in terms of state power.

The 1980 election of Ronald Reagan first saw evangelical Christians getting involved in politics in a big way. Before that year, the Christian Right was not seen as voting bloc. From that year until this, evangelicals have, as a bloc, voted Republican. To borrow a phrase from Dr. Phil, "How's that workin' out for you?"

In each election, the presumably most principled segment of voters has elevated electability above principle. The evangelical mantra against minority party candidates has been,"A vote for [someone who really stands with us] is a vote for the humanist liberals." Then they pray for God to bless their expediency.

In the year 2000, George W. Bush courted the evangelical vote, and Christian conservatives accepted him as one of their own. Not as well known is the fact that he also courted the support of the Log Cabin group (a sodomite lobbying group within the Republican party), and he received their support, as well. He made promises to both groups.

A house divided against itself cannot stand. While President Bush opposed stem cell research to placate evangelicals, he also appointed more openly declared homosexuals to federal posts than any president before him. When the question of same-sex marriage arose, he came out against it (sop to evangelicals) but said he did not oppose same-sex civil unions (sop to sodomites).

In 2004, the sodomites had enough character to withdraw their support of George W. Bush. Evangelicals did not.

Almost 2000 years ago, a Canaanite woman said she would see it as a blessing to get even the crumbs from the Lord's table. In our lifetime, we have seen Christians hoping and praying for the crumbs from the table of statist politicians. Again, "How's that been workin' for you?"

Perhaps it's time for Christian conservatives to change their strategy. Using politics to fight statism is like using gasoline to fight fire (i.e., it just makes things worse.)

Christ's plan for changing societies did not involve voting in a new government with Christian programs. He told us to disciple the nations, teaching them to observe His commandments. If the Church fulfills its mission and brings individuals and families under the rule of Christ the King, then society WILL change, and the civil government will follow.

Reference my essay: What Will It Take for the Church to Fulfill the Great Commission?

1 comment:

Bruce said...

You mean to say that mcCAIN isn't the second coming? Here comes death, riding his palin horse?

Or O'biden, the Irish candidate?

Put zero confidence in princes, we say.