I can't believe they wrapped Jesus in an American flag

I can't tell you how many e-mails I got before Tuesday about the Christian values at stake in this election. The calls to prayer... the passionate pleas to mobilize our congregation...  I haven't heard from those people since.

This is a dangerous post for me to write, but I think it might be good for us to be 'losers' in the political arena for a while...

...Just in case we got the idea we could legislate our way to a transformed culture. ~ Just in case we aligned the church with a particular political party. ~ Just in case we mistook the USA for that city shining on a hill... rather than the Church of Jesus Christ.

I'm afraid people have associated the movement of Christ a little too closely with a political agenda. And it's killing the church. It would be highly beneficial in our 'Daily-Show-culture' for us to be stripped of any political influence until we can learn to rely on Christ for cultural transformation. We cannot legislate our way to a revival.

Comments

[John Smulo]

I'll be the first (though maybe last!) to give an "amen" to that.

[Joel]

Not the last - Amen, amen, and amen.

[Bryan Smith]

I'll third it...

chill

[carl]

I thought I was the only one.

[bill streger]

Great post, Ben. I won't add another amen, since there have been a few already. Instead, I'll give you one of these...

Fo shizzle.

[Casey Ross]

Let me be the 6th to say great post! Thanks for saying that!

[matt]

word

[Robb]

Hey Ben,

I usually don't post in your comments sections since I get your blog via rss and am too lazy to make my way over here. But this post was a home run. Our citizenship is not of this world and while I am proud to be many things I am a Christ follower first. Thanks for the reminder brother!

[scott hodge]

Man, that's good....

[Perry]

DUDE--you hit the ball out of the park!!!

[Tim Stevens]

Ben - thanks for a very insightful post.

[neil]

listen to the comments! The far right is not as strong as they think they are. American evangelicals as a whole get the idea that God is likely to bless America as any other nation and that His kingdom cannot be legislated.
Christian and Republican or American are not synonymous!

[Jay Hardwick]

Great perspective, Ben. Thanks!

[Austin Lewis]

and if you could, in fact, legislate your way to a revival, would it be the revival you wanted?

[Kevin Behringer]

Ben:

While I agree with your sentiment that mixing politics and religion are often a recipe for disaster, I can't fully endorse your message. I feel that you are completely right that confining Jesus to a specific political party does Him a disservice and limits our understanding of Him. I understand we are to be in this world, not of this world.

At the same time, I struggle with this concept that many of the "with it" evangelicals have of Jesus being a "liberal" because of His compassion. When a specific political party, by and large, stands for so many things contrary to the message of Jesus, it is difficult to NOT side with the party that is aligned with those teachings.

Abortion. (MURDER of the unborn)
Embryonic Stem Cell Research. (See above)
Defense of the Oppressed. (Sure, many of one political party see the current war in the middle east as oppression...I see it differently.)

I agree that to fit Jesus into a certain political opinion is dangerous because politics are CREATED things, while He is the Creator. But, to not side with a certain philosophical point of view that, in many cases, is specifically opposed to many of the teachings of the Gospel...I think that is a dangerous proposition as well.

[Ben]

Kevin, some questions for you...

What if America's political system wasn't democratic? What would you do then? In other words, is winning elections the Christian's primary means of cultural transformation?

Is murdering unborn children a political issue or a spiritual issue?

I'm not siding with these issues. I'm saying that Christianity is looking too much like a political party these days.

[Shawn Brann]

The "murder of the unborn" bothers me when it's used over and over. Simply put: Those of you that favor strong anti-abortion laws have a right to do so. But, why don't you do something really great and raise these children that are going to be raised in screwed-up households? You can't tell me that a child of rape is going to have a good life. But, that's my opinion and I'm entitled to it - just like everyone else.

[Kevin Behringer]

Ben:

I may not have been completely clear in my last comment (believe me, that's not difficult to imagine!)

I don't think we should "legislate" our way to transformation. I don't think it's possible and it's a waste of time. I disagree with people that equate Christianity with conservative republicans.

I agree that Christianity should not be associated with one political party...we should be our own. I think to have everyone who is a Christian vote a certain way would be a disservice because of the image it would portray.

I don't think we can or should legislate our way to cultural transformation. We can't. To assume that by electing the "right" people we can bring about spiritual change severely limits our faith and belief in the transforming power of Jesus.

I am saying that for many people, politics and religion are the two issues that are closest to what they stand for...and one is usually going to influence the other. I think that the political arena is one that many people listen to and we shouldn't shy away from it.

Also, many of the decisions of how the world, and people live their day to day lives are dictated by politics. Abortion, gay marriage, etc. These are issues that are both spiritual and political and we need to back our opinions with sound reasoning. I think the extent to which Christianity and politics should mix is that of an individual basing their voting decision on their belief in Christ and His teachings...not trying to get Him elected president.