What does b_orphans think about politics?
My interest in politics has always been somewhat limited. Like most people, I tend to only get interested in the political arena when issues that concern me directly are at stake. For example, when I was in the military, defense issues certainly held my attention. They still have a place in my heart, but I can honestly say I don't pay as much attention to them as I used to.
I have voted in just about every election I could since I turned 18. However, I believe that my choices were pretty arbitrary. Many of us just follow the apparent choice of the crowd we believe ourselves to be a part of. My "informed voting procedure" usually consisted of deciding which candidate's ads appealed to me more. Unfortunately, there are probably a whole lot of people that vote in just this manner.
The current presidential race has opened my eyes quite a bit. It has forced me to rethink the way I look a politics. In particular, it has caused me to question the importance of voting, and the political process in general, for the American Christian. The views on either side of the argument abound. There are Christians out there who would equate voting for the "right" candidate with proper worship of God. You are at risk for being labeled a heretic if you vote for the non-Christian candidate. On the other side of the spectrum, some Christians find involvement in the political process decidedly non-Christian in nature. As a critical thinker I strive to explore both poles and the middle ground as well.
This is an emotionally charged issue for a lot of people. I did not realize this until I posted a discussion thread on this very topic. There are a lot of fundamental issues that come into play when discussing Christianity and politics: the role of law, morality, separation of church and state, etc. I believe that many people choose their stand on the bigger issue without looking into the implication their choice has on the smaller issues. For example, do I believe that government should be a moral agent, and enforce a collective moral standard on its citizens? Remember that the means government possesses is legislative power. Can law make morality? I think if we look at the Biblical stance, we would say no. The law does not serve to justify us, only to condemn us. The laws given by God were in place to protect and serve humanity. Moral actions should not have to depend on the law to justify them -- they are good in and of themselves. (I realize this is a dangerous statement epistemologically. Perhaps I will retract it after later thought. Please realize this is a work in progress!) Laws, then, are more descriptive of the collective morality.
So is this the case in the political process? The laws proposed by liberals seem to define their collective morality, ditto for conservatives. So where do Christians fall in the continuum? I would suggest, perhaps, that our morality is a result and not a precondition. We do not define what a Christian is, through moral imperatives, and then try to live accordingly. If our actions have any moral worth, it is only through the equipping of the Holy Spirit. It is only a reflection of Christ's death in us.
This article is waxing a bit long... I think I will be content to publish it at this point, maybe think a little more, and revist the issue later. Bye!
I have voted in just about every election I could since I turned 18. However, I believe that my choices were pretty arbitrary. Many of us just follow the apparent choice of the crowd we believe ourselves to be a part of. My "informed voting procedure" usually consisted of deciding which candidate's ads appealed to me more. Unfortunately, there are probably a whole lot of people that vote in just this manner.
The current presidential race has opened my eyes quite a bit. It has forced me to rethink the way I look a politics. In particular, it has caused me to question the importance of voting, and the political process in general, for the American Christian. The views on either side of the argument abound. There are Christians out there who would equate voting for the "right" candidate with proper worship of God. You are at risk for being labeled a heretic if you vote for the non-Christian candidate. On the other side of the spectrum, some Christians find involvement in the political process decidedly non-Christian in nature. As a critical thinker I strive to explore both poles and the middle ground as well.
This is an emotionally charged issue for a lot of people. I did not realize this until I posted a discussion thread on this very topic. There are a lot of fundamental issues that come into play when discussing Christianity and politics: the role of law, morality, separation of church and state, etc. I believe that many people choose their stand on the bigger issue without looking into the implication their choice has on the smaller issues. For example, do I believe that government should be a moral agent, and enforce a collective moral standard on its citizens? Remember that the means government possesses is legislative power. Can law make morality? I think if we look at the Biblical stance, we would say no. The law does not serve to justify us, only to condemn us. The laws given by God were in place to protect and serve humanity. Moral actions should not have to depend on the law to justify them -- they are good in and of themselves. (I realize this is a dangerous statement epistemologically. Perhaps I will retract it after later thought. Please realize this is a work in progress!) Laws, then, are more descriptive of the collective morality.
So is this the case in the political process? The laws proposed by liberals seem to define their collective morality, ditto for conservatives. So where do Christians fall in the continuum? I would suggest, perhaps, that our morality is a result and not a precondition. We do not define what a Christian is, through moral imperatives, and then try to live accordingly. If our actions have any moral worth, it is only through the equipping of the Holy Spirit. It is only a reflection of Christ's death in us.
This article is waxing a bit long... I think I will be content to publish it at this point, maybe think a little more, and revist the issue later. Bye!