GOD AND POLITICS

This is my first post at my first ever attempt at a personal blog. I want my little place of the internet to be  peace filled place where all can exchange views but ironically, I find myself writing about a topic that is explosive in many circles-religion and politics. I am not posting out of a desire to be controversial but simply because it is what is in my heart right now.

We are in the midst of election hoopla right now. Even as I am writing this I am watching Hardball with Chris Matthews. Politics and government is a topic that is dear to my heart. In college I majored in political science and I then went on to law school. Although many have grown cynical and jaded with our government, I still believe in the goodness of democracy and I still believe that genuine public service is about improving people's lives rather than to serving oneself. I still believe that there are people in public office in this great nation that seek public office out of a genuine desire to serve rather than out of a desire to lord authority over others and I truly believe that one vote can indeed make a difference.

 I have to believe this--because to believe otherwise is to accept the complete and utter failure of the human soul and of American society. As a Christian I freely acknowledge that people have a bent towards sin, selfishness and evil-- but people for the most part are not completely rotten to the core, there is a bit of good or basic decency (humanity) in all of us. If this were not so we would not be able to be reached by God.  Like many Americans, I am not blind. I know that our society and government are far from perfect and have committed many mistakes in the past (supporting dictators that abused human rights in Cold War, Slavery in our early history etc), however even acknowledging this, I still believe that America is still  a better place than other places out there and that it has been blessed especially by God. This country was founded by  pilgrims seeking religious freedom and sought God's blessing as it was established, and for the most part God's blessing has indeed stayed with us. Go to the midwest and see the acres of corn and wheat--we are the breadbasket of the world. God has given to us that we may be a blessing others.

One thing that bothers me however, is that every election cycle when it comes near this time we see the body of believers deeply divided between political parties. America is unique in that it has a 2 party system, so people don't have a lot of choices politically. You are either for one candidate or the other. Although we are all Americans, and in the church we are all united in Christ--political differences tend to run deep.  It is ok to be a part of the political process and to be for someone--but we must not forget that first and foremost we are part of the body of Christ. Unfortunately In some congregations it seems that if Mr. X doesn't vote Republican (in mostly conservative evangelical churches) or Ms. Y doesn't vote Democratic (in mostly liberal mainline churches)  they are looked down upon and proclaimed to be less than Christian by others in the congregation. In my opinion we have become victims of  a culture of American party politics, we are manipulated by party machines that seek to get our votes. Instead of seeking to spread the lifesaving gospel of Christ to others- we seek to convert others to the gospel of partisan politics--having somehow confused the two.

If we are believers our authority must be the Word, and to me at least, it seems clear that God is above being a Democrat or a Republican. God is neither--He is instead the supreme ruler of the universe--he puts on the thrones of men those whom He wills to carry out his plan for humanity. That is the cornerstone behind biblical prophecy. God works out His will through history. When He was here on earth Jesus was asked if he was a king-- when pressed by Pilate to answer the question, Jesus  simply responded "my kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36) Yet some of us act as if party politics is about bringing the kingdom of God to earth. It is not-- neither party has a monopoly on godliness. 

There is no such thing as God's party, there are only fallible human institutions. Republicans stand against many of the things we view as being wrong in our society such as abortion on demand, gay marriage etc.  yet this same party is also the party that openly supports the greed of Wall Street and believes that helping the poor and elderly is best done by cutting social services to those who need it most. The Democrats have a soft heart for the downtrodden in our society and stand for things like universal health care and aid to the poor however  they are also the party that supports the increasing ungodliness of our society. Both parties have been involved in their fair share of political corruption, sleazy backroom deals and manipulation for political benefit, payoffs by PACS and other special interest groups, and immoral sex scandals. Every time Congress announces a new investigation into something the executive branch has done (something going back all the way to Nixon) I roll my eyes and say "what now?" Yet I am strangely relieved knowing that despite the malfeasance and bad faith of some, the political process IS working and correcting itself.  Ethically speaking however, the point is that it shouldn't happen in the first place.It is clear that both these parties fall far short of the gospel as it was preached by Jesus Christ and His Apostles.

So what is a Christian to do? Should we withdraw from the political process? No, Jesus said Give unto Ceasar what is Cesar's and to God what is God's. (Mark 12:17)  In this case what we owe to Ceasar is what any citizen owes to the American democracy--their vote. If no one were to vote our system of government would fall apart. So how are we to vote? Well this is where we come full circle  to the beginning of this post. We are to vote our conscience. We have to believe that there are still honest people that seek power in order to do right by the American public. We must believe there are modern day Daniels and Nehemiahs (Nehemiah although not a politician was the king's confidante and used his influence correctly) We must use the moral sense God has given us and examining the issues come to what we think is the best choice. We must vote for the person and party who we think will lead us in the way we need to go.  It is an imperfect process but the only one we have. We are responsible to God and to each other as Americans to vote our conscience. To let anybody else make that choice for us by telling us what to think, be it the media, the local party campaigners or the church pulpit, is tantamount to dereliction of a sacred duty. We will be responsible before God not for how Joe or Frank or Mary voted but for how we voted. Once we cast the ballot and someone is elected --whether we win or lose we are to pray for the leaders of this nation in accordance with the overall spirit of the principles enunciated in Romans 13 and Titus 3.

So go on--enjoy your political news show (i know i do!!), discuss the issues with your next door neighbor, go to your local political rally--but don't make how someone votes in your church a litmus test of their faith. It is something deeply personal between them and God and they may in fact have very God fearing reasons for voting for a party you wouldn't. Each person knows why they vote the way they do even if we don't agree with them. And remember that in the long run-- we are citizens of the Heavenly Kingdom. The eyes of the world will be upon us to see if God's body is indeed defined by its love for each other or whether we are simply like everybody else.