6 replies to this topic

[Amppax]

This article was spot on, imo. http://www.ncregiste...eligious-right/

here's a sample:

True culture change cannot come through the political process as a primary means. It was a politicized Christian conservatism that obscured the essence of the Evangelical movement (Christ and evangelism), and left in its wake a kind of moral political movement that diffused its own real capability of bringing about lasting societal change. The irony of this evolution is that while this was happening with U.S. Evangelical conservatives, it was also playing out on the left in the Catholic Church with a Christianized Marxism known as Liberation Theology. Both movements essentially displaced a transformative relationship with Christ at the center of real change and replaced it with political or structural power — a formula that never works.

[ThePenciledOne]

Makes sense, I wouldn't say it is all Liberation Theology, I would more likely blame our trust in 'conservative' or what I've started to call (light classical liberalism) as to say our flaw here in America. Interesting reflection on the 4th though.

[brianthephysicist]

Unfortunately I have to admit I fall to that same mistake far too often, forgetting that true change can only come with Christ. Thanks for sharing this, it's extremely helpful.

[timwho]

I think to go along with that would be this: http://www.barna.org/ a site that shows research into the changing nature of American perception of Christianity.

[MissyP89]

This is an incredibly insightful article. We're not going to win this war by putting the right people in the right seats, so to speak.

Yes, changed hearts vote, speak and act according to divine wisdom — but deep and lasting convictions that reflect divine wisdom rarely, if ever, come through TV commercials, speeches or political campaigns.

I would add that changed hearts don't come through bumper stickers, t-shirts, squabbles amongst each other on who the morally acceptable candidates are, or sharing every picture of Jesus that comes along on Facebook.

It comes through building real relationships with people on a deep emotional level. We can't be motivated by politics, by the desire to be "right," or even the desire to win souls for Christ, as noble as that is (anybody remember "flirt to convert" from a few years back?).

It's just about loving people and wanting them to have the best most fulfilling life they can. And that doesn't even start with the Bible...it starts with loving people as Jesus loves.

[/soapbox]

Forgive the rant. It just seems to me that every election year, especially this year in the wake of the HHS nonense, we lose sight of what really matters in the desire to win elections and arguments. If anything, that only serves to cause more division and hurt. If we stop leading with love and real compassion, then anything else we say or do is lost in the noise.

[Socrates]

One's faith should inform one's politics, rather than vice-versa.

But this means that one's faith should influence one's political decisions and how he votes. Christians should do what they can politically to support the sanctity of human life, of marriage, and religious liberty. For instance, we should politically oppose things such as abortion, "gay marriage," and contraception mandates.

Plenty of people want Christians/Catholics to keep their moral principles out completely out of the voting booth and public sphere and restrict them to behind closed bedroom or church doors. Bringing moral principles in accord with the faith into the public political/legal realm will of course upset a lot of people, but there's nothing wrong with that.

As long as Faith and love of Christ and neighbor remains first in our lives, and our faith is not primarily a means of political affiliation. But that's primarily a choice on the personal spiritual level. And, as noted by the author, it applies as much to the neo-Marxist "religious" left as it does to the so-called "religious right."

[BG45]

That article was so spot on.

The key is putting first things first. Political action — absent the foundational values that reflect the most important relationship of every living person — will only yield fleeting results based on the charismatic nature of leaders, the effectiveness of their arguments and their use of the media. Yes, changed hearts vote, speak and act according to divine wisdom — but deep and lasting convictions that reflect divine wisdom rarely, if ever, come through TV commercials, speeches or political campaigns.

Charismatic leader that promised change...sounds familiar. I'd add to Missy's soapbox piece that I distrust politicians who wear their faith on their sleeves rather than in their actions. Any politician who says he/she will put the nation first and that their religious views will not influence them, is not truly living out their faith, because a truly lived out faith should be one which informs every action we take.