Christianity and Politics

Barack Obama decries the political influence of the Christian right:

“Doing the Lord’s work is a thread that’s run through our politics since the very beginning,” Obama told church members. “And it puts the lie to the notion that the separation of church and state in America — a principle we all must uphold and that I have embraced as a constitutional lawyer and most importantly as a Christian — means faith should have no role in public life.”

“Somehow, somewhere along the way, faith stopped being used to bring us together and faith started being used to drive us apart,” the Democratic presidential candidate said in a 30-minute speech before the national meeting of the United Church of Christ.

“Faith got hijacked, partly because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, all too eager to exploit what divides us,” the Illinois senator said.

I disagree that “doing the Lord’s work” should have any relation to government. He could not be more wrong about it. The only relationship government should have with doing the Lord’s work is to get out of the way. It is the function of the church, fueled by donations of members, not the government, fueled by taxes of unbelievers, to do the Lord’s work.

I actually agree with him that faith should have a role in public life. The idea that Christianity is somehow incompatible with politics baffles me. I agree wholeheartedly that many Christians on both sides take it way too far, and I see it more in the right because that’s the “neighborhood” where I live. But a visit to Street Prophets should disabuse Obama and anyone else of the notion that this is one-sided.

Bryan at Hot Air has the video and comments on the revisionist history Obama employed to make his point. As to the “hijacking” of the faith, and the idea that the Christian right is deliberately divisive to further a political worldview, he writes:

Obama’s formulation actually furthers the notion that Democrats like him disrespect conservative Christians. Look how he treats us. We’re not brethren in Christ who happen to disagree with liberalism, we’re zombies. His formulation makes mindless drones of conservative Christians, and puts liberal Christians in the role of being the only ones who can and do think for themselves. It’s elitist and typical of the liberal worldview. Obama is saying, in essence, that if you disagree with his liberal views on abortion, gays and the rest, that you’re not honestly disagreeing with him and you haven’t come to your conclusions by any real soul-searching. You’re under the control of cynical people who want to “divide” America. He doesn’t even think you’re capable of thinking, let alone coming to a different conclusion from his that might be valid.

Gee, why on earth would anyone hearing that think that liberals and Democrats don’t respect conservative Christians?

Political activity should not be taken to excess because Hebrews 11:13-16 makes it clear where our priorities should lie.

They did not receive the things God had promised, but from a long way off they saw them and welcomed them, and admitted openly that they were foreigners and refugees on earth. Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. They did not keep thinking about the country they had left; if they had, they would have had the chance to return. Instead, it was a better country they longed for, the heavenly country. And so God is not ashamed for them to call him their God, because he has prepared a city for them.

That said, keep in mind that Jesus commanded us to give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s. In America, our federal republic form of government demands participation. If we don’t participate, it all falls apart. It’s been falling apart for some time – fewer people are voting and getting informed on the issues of the day, and the minority of people who do participate seem to be getting louder to make up for it. Christians should be looking at the issues from the standpoint of a Christian citizen, and making our views known to our elected officials. Do you believe (as I do) that life should be protected? Or do you believe that a woman should be free to make decisions about her body even at the cost of human life? Should we have more of a nanny-state government where citizens are cared for by the government? Or should we be more unfettered by regulation and taxes and take the consequences of that, good and bad? We should be studying scripture, coming up with informed answers, and acting accordingly. We’re not always going to agree, but a refusal to participate in our particular form of government will result in its failure, and I doubt we’ll like whatever replaces it better than what we have now.

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