As I was getting ready to crash a couple of nights ago, I was setting the time and volume of my radio alarm clock and I heard a southern drawl from the voice of a radio preacher as he exhorted listeners. “The victorious result of this election, leading to the second term of the president George dubya Bush is a diiiirect result of the prayers of Christians and I want to thank all of the listeners to this radio program for those prayers.”
There is a lot wrapped up in that statement that troubles me in a way I can’t quite put my finger on. Sometimes I think “Christians” believe that God is an American and that if Jesus were here he today he would be a middle-class white Republican who would agree and endorse even the smallest detail of the Christian sub-culture.
Brian McLaren in his book, A Generous Orthodoxy asks, “Has he (Jesus) become less our Lord and more our Mascot?”
Jesus called us to a life as one of his followers. I think Jesus rather than being our Lord who we should follow has at times become the banner we hold up to justify our way of thinking and acting. Which is sad because you know what? I have some godly friends who are no less Christian than you or I and they made a very prayerful decision to vote for John Kerry…
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
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2 comments:
Nicole - I believe "godly" is an adjective that requires a little "g". And I'm sure my actual vote wouldn't have made you proud so don't be so quick about thinking I've "seen the light".
One thing that really disturbed me recently was when, having emerged from the service, I viewed a bumper sticker that said 'GOP-Gods own party'. I felt how misguided.
Neither party, IMHO, stakes a claim on God's will, whatever that is. Each aims to help people, or help themselves. Once republicans used to stand for less government involvement, lower taxes, etc.
Now they infuse the government into every aspect of our lives. GW is not a conservative, he uses the moniker but he is not a conservative. Which is fine as liberal ideas tend to win out over time. BUT he needs to return to the fold of shrinking government, it is a true conservative positon.
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