Saturday, January 27, 2007

Talking Faith and Politics

Some people are offended by the political stances of the church. It is as if faith shouldn't affect your world view. What nonsense! I have heard both sides (liberal and conservative) use the church and theology to bolster their agendas. Which side is the greater offender? Well, that probably depends upon who you ask!

What grinds my gears is the ill informed opinion of Christians that fail to think through their arguments thoroughly. Recently a sister in the Lord confessed her disapproval of our churches stance on a political issue. It would have been nice if she would have tried to engage in some thought provoking discussion but that isn't how she expressed her disapproval - she just left. I am sure that many Christians are the poorer for not having to engage and think through the issues that this sister was facing. Who knows if some hearts would have been sensitized or even won over for her cause, had she shared what was on her heart. But alas, she didn't have the stomach to discuss the political realities as she saw them. I am sure she sees herself as very enlightened and liberated but I fear that she doesn't understand both sides of the issues. Too bad for us all!

But let me wonder outloud for a few moments about political differences.

Why is it that conservatives give more of their personal money away to charity than "caring and sensitive" liberals?
Why is it that people who claim to have a faith in the Bible don't care about God's creation around us?
Why is it that the people who are most sensitive about testing make up on animals never are the ones protesting abortion?
Why is it that the tight fisted and stingy in our society always think that governmental funding is the answer for personal problems?
How can people of faith in Jesus ignore the earnest poor?
Why do left leaning people think that we should feed and house every drug addict and deilinquent-insulating them from the realities of their poor choices?
How come when you sin it's a disease and when I do it's hypocrisy?
Why do some people say they are "personally against abortion" but refuse to take a stand publicly in spite of the increasingly confirming evidence in the scientific community?
How is it that defending the traditional interpretation of marriage is controversial? And why is it hard to rally people around a cause as fundamental as that?



Boy I could go on for hours! But it wouldn't solve anything... it would only make me more frustrated. I just wish that christians would be informed enough to discuss freely their political views. Once they are out on the table, tempers may flare abit but eventually we may increase sensitivity to the important issues of policy in this nation. These aren't easy answers to come to grips with- which is why well meaning Godfearing people disagree. But at least lets have the guts to talk about them!