Looking over some photographs from this weekend's Tea Party protests in Washington D.C., I came across several signs saying things like, "This is a Christian nation - Not an Obamanation."
This is a fascinating line of appeal to me. I am fairly well read in the gospels, but my understanding was that Jesus was not a supporter of earthly governments, but a witness to God's kingdom, which is
not of this world. But what's more, I am fascinated by the idea that cap-and-trade laws, healthcare reform, gun control, big government and Keynesian economic policy are specifically unchristian political views, while, apparently, deregulation, privatized healthcare, access to weapons, smaller government and Austrian school economics are What Jesus Would Do.
So let me ask it this way. Decent people of all political persuasions want to reduce poverty. Reducing poverty seems to be a goal in line with the general thrust of "love your neighbor," so that's something Christians can support. Now, one group of Americans thinks the best way to reduce poverty is to create social programs that aid the poor and alleviate some of their necessary spending on food, education, etc., so as to give them the ability to invest in their future and pull themselves out of poverty. On the other hand, another group of Americans says that this policy creates dependence, and it's much better to give tax breaks to the upper-class who can then create more jobs, which will give the poor the ability to pull themselves out of poverty.
Now, how can we label either of these approaches the Christian approach, when Jesus never implied anything about what social programs should be created or how tax-cuts should be applied? What Jesus did say about the poor had nothing to do with politics. He said that when you personally give someone a meal, a jacket or a place to stay, you have fed, clothed and housed Christ himself. He said that the poor are
not a problem to be solved, but people to be loved.
Those are Christian politics. Love the people God brings into your life, whether strangers, neighbors or enemies. Suffer with those who suffer. Be willing to die for the ones who are killing you.
When it comes time to vote, if your conscience will allow you, vote for whatever policies you think are best for running a nation. That's fine. But don't confuse the politics you believe most effective with Christian politics. Jesus never said anything about cap and trade. Jesus never said anything about a public health care option. He only said, "You, repent and follow me. For the Kingdom of God is at hand."
-NDSR
What do you think? What are Christian politics?
True 
Premium
Comments (52)
Excellent post.
I love this post. god bless.
Great post! No political party has the right to claim it speaks for Christians. We strive to serve others as Jesus asked us to do, and we strive not to judge, as Jesus instructed us. When we Christians get in trouble is when we let a political party manipulate our good intentions to further their earthly power.
preach it!
I would just like the government to leave me a little extra money that I can give to the organizations I want to give to, not tax me to death, take all my extra money and use it of what "they" think it should be used for.
There are basic principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Government must be limited so as not to interfere with these God-endowed rights. This is the principle of subsidiarity.
A government that extorts the livelihood of productive citizens in the name of charity has no moral legitimacy. It is the duty of Christians to vote such immorality out of existence.
A government or political party that enshrines baby killing genocide (aka abortion) is immoral and must be voted out of existence also.
All issues boil down to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Christian is morally bound to vote for people and policies that foster these basic, God-endowed rights.
Therefore, abortion and cap and trade have no moral legitimacy. Neither does universal healthcare, welfare, social security, medicare, medicade or the 16th amendment to the Constitution.
The Christian is obligated to vote for those people and policies that have moral legitimacy.
@fallingraindrop@xanga - "All issues boil down to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Christian is morally bound to vote for people and policies that foster these basic, God-endowed rights."
This is the problem. Nobody, Christian or otherwise, sets out to vote down life, or liberty, or anyone's pursuit of happiness. People simply disagree on what constitute those things and on what policies foster them.
Regardless of how you work out the politics question (and everyone is going to vote for the policies they think are best; that's fine), don't confuse your vote with discipleship.
Very well said. Though the government of first century Palestine was far different from what we have today, I cannot imagine the ministry of Jesus or the early Christians being different if they did have a democracy... they would not have been involved in politics nearly as much as we the church are today. Thanks for sharing.
PS... Just a thought: “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” while not wrong in themselves, are Jeffersonian and Lockean concepts, not Biblical ones. We need to be careful... Life and liberty, according to the Bible, are a bit different than what our founding fathers said they were.
This was certainly one of the few entries about politics on revelife that I've read that was, I believe, carefully planned out and contains solid substance behind the subject matter. Good job =]
@SirNickDon@xanga - don't confuse your vote with discipleship.
Discipleship encompasses all of life. The vote, therefore, is an exercise in discipleship.
@T Valentine - “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” while not wrong in themselves, are Jeffersonian and Lockean concepts, not Biblical ones.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are natural law. Consequently they are biblical.
@fallingraindrop@xanga - You're definitely right. The vote, if you choose to vote, is an exercise of discipleship, but discipleship does not consist primarily of voting.
in general i enjoy this post. i love the idea of it. i agree with most of it. but i do think jesus (and the prophets--check THEM out) had a lot more to say about poverty and oppression than you imply here.
@fallingraindrop@xanga - I wrote a blog you might disagree with (but hopefully enjoy).
Greg Boyd wrote a small book a few years back titled The Myth of a Christian Nation. It's very good. Even if you disagree with him you'll take a lot away from reading it. I think every Christian in America should read this book. He'd agree that when you vote you do so out of discipleship.
I really appreciate this post. Being a supporter of the the "Obamanation", I get really annoyed when I see signs implying that I'm not a Christian because I support a government that goes against the "Christian" political party. I'm a Christian and a Liberal...it's possible to be both.
it often seems as though you HAVE to be a conservative a la Glenn Beck in order to be considered a true Christian. it's depressing, and one of the many things that holds me back from considering Christianity as an option for a faith.
An excellent post
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - it often seems as though you HAVE to be a conservative a la Glenn Beck in order to be considered a true Christian.
To be Christian, one must have Christian values. Baby killing (abortion) is not a Christian value. Government imposted extortion through the tax code is not a Christian value.
Oppressive government regulation that negates the pursuit of happiness is not a Christian value.
Socialism is not a Christian value. If you believe in non-Christian values, it is no wonder that you have trouble with Christianity.
@LoBornlyte@xanga - funny, i always thought that the only thing required of being Christian was to accept Jesus Christ ask for forgiveness for your sins...
is war a Christian value? how about racism or sexism, or any form of discrimination? murdering people in church because they do something you don't like? wasteful and irresponsible energy consumption? hoarding wealth? million-dollar bonuses? adultery? lying?
and stop citing socialism... i highly doubt you even know what the word means.
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - funny, i always thought that the only thing required of being Christian was to accept Jesus Christ ask for forgiveness for your sins...
Who is the Jesus that you would accept? All things were created through him. Therefore, he is order and harmony.
War comes about because of insane people. Sane people must defend themselves from the insane. In this case war is justified for it manifests self love and love of neighbor.
Racism, sexism, murder are not Christian values, they are liberal values. Liberals like you are racist, sexist and murderers (you believe in abortion). For you belong to a political party that condones such things.
We have endless supplies of energy. Nitwitted idiots like you swallow the propaganda of tyrants hook, line and sinker. If you knew how big an idiot you were you'd probably puke.
Wealth is also endless. The socialist idiot (you in particular) hasn't noticed what has been happening for centuries in the economics department: capitalism
Our supplies of energy and wealth are endless. It is only the tyrant socialist and his idiot minions (you) who don't see that.
I know what socialism means. It means slavery. Only idiots (you) and tyrants believe in slavery.
If people followed Jesus' message to love their neighbour as themselves, we wouldn't have poverty, warfare, terrorism, etc. If someone is starving, it is not because the system doesn't work, but it's because you and me and many others like us, do not love that person enough to do something about it. Jesus didn't need to say more.
God Bless,
@LoBornlyte@xanga - are you capable of discussing anything at all without resorting to name-calling like a child? it's disrespectful and sadly un-Christian. if being Christian means being anything like you, i think i'm better off agnostic.
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - i really am sorry for that. i know that's completely meaningless because Christians ought to get blamed when our fellows diss out non-christians, and if there were a way I could do anything to change that, I would, but for now I'll just say sorry.
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - it's disrespectful and sadly un-Christian. if being Christian means being anything like you, i think i'm better off agnostic.
Stupidity and idiocy deserve zero respect. Every comment you make is anti-Christian and intellectually vapid. A stupid idiot has no standing to call others children.
Either get ahold of an original thought or shut up. Your comments are like Chinese water torture. Drip, drip, drip.
Take hold of your handle and shut off the drip, PLEASE! The God haters count on the fact that Christians will just bend over, grab the ankles and take abuse up the poop shoot.
Not this grrrlll. A spade is a spade. And an idiot is an idiot.