The Christian And Politics

     There are certain issues that are non-negotiable to many conservatives. Most pertain to religion and Biblical truth but some revolve around our Constitution.  Is it unreasonable to hold to non-negotiable opinions.... opinions that do not change with the fickle fleeting passions and desires of modern man? It's our belief that the God who brought this universe into being out of nothing also brought this nation into being out of an assortment of diverse and imperfect men, and that should we deny this and reject God, that this nation would then proceed on its own....and proceed into oblivion. Our beliefs will not be changed by opinion polls and we place no hope in military might without God's favor, for as the mouse can frighten the elephant so we could be routed by the seemingly most insignificant of enemies if we deny Him who has sustained us up till now. We also know that no enemy is too great, no mountain too high and no valley too deep should God will us to succeed. We would choose to lose in the political arena before we would we deny Him.....and there's the rub...we are willing to lose in this life while others are only willing to lose in the next. The following blog was written a few weeks after the 2008 general election.
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November 30, 2008

I agonized for a long time over how the Christian is to deal with politics. I read books on the subject and certainly went to Scripture. I've been on both sides of the issue. Edmund Burke wrote "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." Burke was not a Christian, and I am not "good," but the concept and the logic still hold weight. Our nation is crumbling fast and most of us are the proverbial frog in the kettle. The local news from the metropolitan city that I live near started their telecast last night with three different killings among young black people. Yesterday's paper had a picture of two beautiful young children joined at the head while the surgeons were dismayed that nothing could be done for them. Every day the sufferings of people are there to remind us of the fallen condition of this world. We say that we yearn for Jesus to come back but do we? Martin Luther once said when asked what he would do if he knew that the Lord was coming back the next day, "I would plant a tree." In the final analysis, we cannot quit on this nation. If people's sufferings are to be alleviated, if we are to return to at least being a "God-fearing" nation we have to seek God's mercy and try our best to be good and responsible citizens. This blog title has the word "conservative" in it to get the attention of who it is meant for but conservatism itself will save no one! Our hope is not in princes or their military power. Christians, who have been relegated to being part of the "religious right," must remind themselves of this every day. This does not mean that we do not support a political party or ardently work for its success but it does mean that we never alter our ethical beliefs or compromises that which is our only hope, the gospel of grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We lost our moorings in this long before we lost this last election. Our churches are social gatherings with political causes meant to assuage our guilt of not knowing who we really are in Christ. Our pulpits mention Jesus every week but rarely preach His cross for they have lost faith in the power of preaching Christ and prefer to give biblical advice on how to live. I stumble into church every week to hear the atoning power of the blood of Christ and of what He has done for me and how He will keep this poor wretched sinner despite my gravitation to dally with the world. More than anything, we need to pray that ministers enter their pulpits, look over the congregation and set forth to lay out the glories and majesties of Jesus Christ present in every book of the Bible. Only having done that can they begin to exegete the passages on how we are to live.

Theologically/Politically Conservative

         I may have to cut back on my posts. The neighbors are asking my wife if I've moved out from not seeing me. I'm starting to talk to the newspaper, and the television is jealous. I'm making up jokes. Here's one: An Eskimo is fishing for Walleye on Lake Erie. A school of noisy Muskie swim by stirring the water and the Eskimo jumps up and yells "Hush you Muskies, Hush!" Here's another one for the Blondie comic strip. Dagwood is driving to work with three friends. They enter a tunnel and one starts screaming. Dagwood says "It's alright, he has Carpool Tunnel Syndrome." When I sign my name to a retail credit card purchase, I look for the spell check and publish buttons. I have daydreams where they ask me to write op-ed pieces for the Washington Post, the problem is I don't want to live in D. C..
         I have two recurring nightmares. One is where I add a counter and no one has ever stopped by. The other is where I look at my 100 posts and it is one sentence over and over again "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country." So, you see my problem. More seriously, there is a lot of criticism by "theologically conservative Christians", towards whom they see only as "politically conservative Christians." They deride Christians entering into culture wars. They present a good argument but invariably have few answers of their own to give. Consider two men rowing across a lake. They are halfway across and the boat springs a leak. The one man starts bailing and the rower says "Your crazy bailing. This boat will need a whole new hull. " The one bailing responds "Just keep rowing while I bail and we just might get to the other side and save this boat." There is, what I perceive to be, a serious problem that inhabits many very good people. They won't attempt something because they may make a mistake and subject themselves to the resulting criticism. There is a touch of idolatry here, protecting the revered reputation. On the other hand, our mistakes reflect upon our belief. I'm a part of both of these groups. The first is more important, the second is, at the very least, a personal right. We need to both row and bail.