Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
Things have changed. Now we have democracy. The common people can participate in politics and attempt to influence government. Surely for Christians to completely ignore this opportunity is irresponsible and backward.
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I grew up in a liberal family and today I am a liberal: a bleeding heart, leftist liberal. To me, it has nothing to do with my faith, which I would categorize as conservative, evangelical fundamentalist. I vote as a citizen, not as a Christian. I use logic and think as a taxpayer and a human. I find both current major parties and their candidates to be dismaying, but I go in and vote anyway.
Today, occasionally I write a letter to the paper. But mostly my interests and efforts lie elsewhere. In the past, however, I got very involved in elections, causes, and debates about current events. And I did so as a fellow citizen who happened to be a Christian. I appreciate living in a free society and interacting at whatever level I want to. And also that I can vote anonymously and don't have to wear my bias on my sleeve (and believe me, we are all biased. Only God is "fair and balanced").
I would like to reference
Igzy's comments on Christians using politics to influence democratic society, and that not attempting such is "irresponsible and backward". John the Baptist tried to influence Herod and got imprisoned. While he was there, he got impatient waiting for Jesus' influence in the political process, and sent messengers with a rather pointed question: "Are You the Christ, or should we (
read: I) look for another?"
Jesus told the messengers, "Tell John what you see. The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."
Jesus didn't say, "John, if this was a democracy I would try to influence the political process, but since we're in an autocracy too bad for you. I must limit Myself to 'good works' ". No, I think Jesus' kingdom was on another level. Different from John, different from Herod, different from democracy. He wasn't trying to change the rules, nor enforce them (see His "Man, who appointed me a judge over you?" in Luke 12:14 -- contrast to Solomon's grandson Absalom in 2 Samuel 15:4: "Oh, if only I could be a judge!").
There was an interesting song I heard in the early '70s. It was from a "rock opera". In one scene Jesus was coming into Jerusalem, and the crowds were gathering in anticipation: the pretender Herod would be tossed out (the line of David had been absent power for centuries), the Romans as well, and the glory of Israel would return. The crowd, including the disciples, were expecting "power and glory" from Jesus' ascension.
Jesus sings "Neither you, Simon, nor the fifty thousand, nor the Romans, nor the Jews, nor Judas, nor the twelve, nor the priests, nor the scribes, nor doomed Jerusalem itself, understand what power is, understand what glory is, understand at all."
The more I read the Bible, and interact with Christians, the more I sense this. We don't understand at all. If we did, the world would look very different.
Here is a link to the song; the quote is at 3:15. I was reading
Igzy's and
Disciple's comments and suddenly these lyrics started playing in my head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYfAIt1spGo