A friend of mine wrote a rant on his blog which seemed to be directed at my recent posts on politics. I’m not really sure, because if he was referring to what I wrote, he obviously didn’t understand most of it.
The last statement in his post really caught my eye:
And please vote so that those simple brethren can continue to have the right to their ignorant opinions.
At first I was really irritated by the “ignorant opinions” comment, but then I realized that that’s just the way my friend talks. He’s a black/white, all/nothing kind of guy, so if you don’t see things the way he does, you’re ignorant. Since we rarely see eye to eye, I’m considered ignorant most of the time. I can live with that.
What worried me, however, was this idea that by voting, someone can continue to give me the right to have my opinion. I’ve heard such said about military service, but that’s the first time I’ve heard it said about voting.
And I realized why such talk is so dangerous. Maybe not directly to those in the church, but definitely to those outside. When we start saying that America gives us our freedom, America gives us our rights, America gives us our prosperity and our way of life, America gives us just about everything the average person holds dear, is it any wonder that they see no need for God? Is it any wonder that the average U.S. citizen would just as soon worship America as worship God?
In this way of looking at things, our military gives us our freedom. Our government grants us our liberties. Voting allows others to have ignorant opinions. God gives a few spiritual things that aren’t of much consequence, but the things that really count are granted by the gods Democracy and the U.S. of A.
I’m not saying that this is what Christians believe, though many talk as if this were their outlook. I’m saying that when Christians talk in this way, non-Christians see that the presence of God in our world is not nearly as important as the continued existence of this country.
People had freedom in Christ long before the United States came into being. People had the ability to express opinions and ideas about Christianity for over 1700 years before this country was established. The freedoms that matter do not depend on your voting, your military service or any other human activity.
Some trust in ballot boxes, some trust in soldiers, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God!
praise God that some of us are intentionally free in Christ and not dependent on what the Govt does or does not do/give/allow/etc.
We are not living our Faith b/c it’s easy in America, in fact, we recognize that it is super hard, and many Americans fail to see that, their eyes blinded by our “God-blessed, Govt-given liberties”
Preach on, Tim!
People continue to ask me, “what will you say and do when the govt /muslims/gays takes away all our religious freedoms because we don’t vote/fight/etc.”
and I sadly have to remind them, exactly the same thing I am doing now
“praise God that some of us are intentionally free in Christ and not dependent on what the Govt does or does not do/give/allow/etc.”
Amen to that Brian!
I don’t think seeing things in black and white is an excuse to post a reactionary rant suggesting someone is ignorant. To do so reveals much more about the person making such a statement than it does about the person and issue they are criticizing.
Grace and Peace,
Rex
“For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong…”
– I Corinthians 1:25-27
Yeah, “your friend” does seem to be getting a little Tea-Party-ish. :)
Tim,
A thousand times Amen. i was just reading this verse this morning:
“You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18).
The type of objection you cite always makes my blood boil when i hear it typically in response to pacifism. “Pacifists are dependent on the violence of others in order for them to continue to hold to that position.” Rubbish! Christ is Lord, not America or any human government. If the pattern of thinking you point out isn’t an exact analogy of first century Christ vs. Caesar, then i don’t know what is.
–guy
Tim,
I’ve been away from my regular blog reading for the last three weeks, and just caught up on your recent posts. I continue to deeply appreciate your perspectives on the politicization of Christianity in the U.S., the unsettling and unhealthy admixture of Christ and country, and the demise of civil discourse in our culture. Blessings to you, your family, and your ministry.