I'm 30 years old now and I have tried to 'get into' and really care about politics, but i find it difficult. Don't get me wrong, I believe that politics has its place and that a country's government has the opportunity to genuinely and legitimately help and provide for it's people. However, I believe the danger comes when we place too much stock in terms of what we expect out of our government. We demand that our government do this or not do that and get frustrated when they 'do' or 'don't.' While talking to a gentleman I have known for quite sometime, I listened to him begin to passionately talk (and begin crying) about the government and the United States. I had never seen him get this passionate in our 100+ conversations regarding his faith in Christ. Why is that? Why is it that some believers expect our government to do and be what Christ has called the Church to do and be?
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Perhaps largely because the church hasn't done or been. Not to say that the government can or will, but with each new regime, we think maybe this time around they might. When they don't we get angry, but still think we do our part by voting even though we know we could do much more on our own. It's so easy to see the statuesque institution of the church, its shepherds acting like those seeking to constantly bring the sheep back into the pen, rather than the organic fluidity of a nomadic flock traveling and changing so as to seek and save the lost.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, it is somewhat important to note that just because someone can express their feelings about a topic in a dramatic and passionate manner does not mean that they are more important to that person than the more stoic topics.
I probably approach this from a different viewpoint than most in that I prefer the government do less so that we can and must do more. You are so right! It IS our job to "do and be" but the government has taken that away from us and it has made it very easy for people to get monetary help without ever getting the real help they need in a relationship with Christ.
ReplyDeleteThere was a time when the Catholic Church and other Christian-run hospitals provided free services for people in financial need. Now the Catholic church is considering closing their hospital doors over a controversial law that would force them to provide birth control to their workers-including the abortion inducing drug.
It seems like the government wants to force Christians out of their role to provide for the needy by taxing us higher which takes away our ability to help others (while using that money to fund things we as Christians are against) and by enforcing laws that push us out of the picture when it comes to helping people. If we can get people in the door by offering a service they desperately need we might possibly get them to come to a relationship with Christ over time. If nothing else-offering help to the needy paints a good picture of Christianity in general which we really need right now. But the liberal sect of the government doesn't want that. If the government can provide for all of our needs, then less people will turn to the church for help. And the church offers so much more than a quick fix to a financial problem.
So for me, politics is very important. I want to vote in and help support people I trust to pass very few laws and of those they do, I have to trust them to only support laws that will not hurt the church. I also want them to repeal laws that are already hurting the church but beyond that, preferably, to try to avoid passing laws altogether. January 1, 2012 brought in 44,000 new laws nation wide. Pretty scary when you think about it. many of those have a direct impact on the local church.
But to your original point-why DO some Christians expect our gov't to do and be what we should do and be? I wish I knew because it seems to be dividing believers and making more and more Christians embrace socialism which can have a direct effect on the church.
Great thoughts from both of you. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you're 30. (Can you believe I'm 23?) It's been a long time since my youth group days. :)
ReplyDeleteI share your attitude toward politics. I too have tried to care more, because I do think it's important to use any power and take any opportunity we can to advance the Kingdom of God on earth. But my political interests begin and end there: I'm concerned about helping the poor and disenfranchised, primarily, so to that end, when I venture into politics I often find myself leaning a little to the left of center. I will say that it does strike me as a little odd that the expected position of an American Christian is much further to the right. (Before anyone gets offended, I find I do agree with the right on some things, too. It depends on the issue. But with money and aid for the poor, I tend to lean left.)
All this to say, I'm not sure that it's a problem not to be particularly zealous politically. I don't think that, were Jesus bodily among us today, walking around, he would be running for president. I think he would be in the homeless shelters, and at the gay bars, and in the red light districts, and in the hospitals. I think that's where we should focus most of our attention, too. Undoubtedly God calls some to be passionate about politics and become world leaders. But it is not my role. I vote and try to be reasonably educated about things (to be honest I could probably do better in this area), but I am not going to get too up in arms about politics.