Posted on 07/12/2024 12:09:29 PM PDT by OneVike
Most people would agree that politics and religion are the two most likely topics that divide even the best of friends. Websters dictionary says that politics is the political opinions or sympathies of a person, while it says that religion is a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith. I don’t see the difference between the two.
When I watch elected officials on the floor of the US Senate or House, I am reminded of an old friend of mine who pastors a church in Columbus, Georgia. He will flail his arms all around as he preaches his views on the Holy Scriptures. If your in agreement with their opinion, you could easily get engrossed as you listen to them share their deep-seated and fervent beliefs in such an animated way.
During the election season, we watch with anticipation as our chosen candidates addresses the issues. Like a congregation sitting in the pews of a church, the crowds long to hear something that will touch the part of their soul that yearned for truth. These yearnings differ from crowd to crowd depending upon the candidate on the stage. In a similar way, every church crowd is a bit different in the things they want to hear.
An interesting dichotomy about the makeup of these crowds are the way their loyalties can change once the discussion goes from religion to politics or from politics to religion. Nothing will put a damper on a good conversation quicker than mentioning either topic in the wrong venue. If you enjoy civil wars, try bringing one of these subjects up at a family reunion.
I remember the day I attended a rally supporting the troops shortly after the Americans entered Baghdad back in 2002. I was standing next to a rather large fellow who held up his sign and waved his flag with pride. We had a grand old time talking about our common political views. I asked him what church he went to, and soon we found ourselves disagreeing on some pretty essential points of Christianity. Well, it wasn’t long before we were standing on opposite ends of the rally line. Oh, we were cordial to each other, but our comradery was never the same.
A gentleman at a church I attended in California agreed with me on almost every topic raised on the Scriptures, but the moment our conversation moved to politics, all similarity between our thinking changed. It was as if the guy I was speaking to a moment earlier had morphed into a Marxist, I am sure he was thinking similar thoughts about my right wing “extremist” views. However, whenever we walked by each other in the church after that day, we never again had discussions other than to acknowledge each others presence.
Experiences like these and others have led many to form three rules of etiquette for gatherings:
For most people that seems to work just fine, so everyone in their groups are happy and content. At least, that’s what they think until I join the party.
Inevitably, there are always going to be the few, like me, who refuse to conform to the rules. Those with my mindset find it literally impossible to separate one’s faith in God from our political beliefs. We are no different than our Founding Fathers. America was founded by those looking for either religious or political freedom. These two topics are the main reasons we joined together in our fight against King George.
To tell a person to leave their religious beliefs at the door with the hat rack is not only an insult to their intelligence but also an affront to their freedom of expression. I for one always have, and always will, base my political opinion on what I believe religiously. Like the Founding Fathers, I cannot separate the two. Even if I never mention religion in an article I write, my religious belief will always factor into my opinion pieces.
People are deceiving themselves if they think they can remove their religious beliefs from their opinions on politics. For those of who say they have no religious beliefs, I would advise them to step back and look at the things which are important to them. Where their heart is so to is their faith, and it is that faith that ultimately guides their worldview.
If anyone should take umbrage with my using the name of God or Christ to drive home a point in political discussions, I say take it up with the Founding Fathers. They used God’s name in the preamble of the Constitution and throughout the Federalist Papers. You will find no greater man-made political document that states a faith in God, than the Constitution of the United States of America. If the Constitution can be both a political document and a document of faith in God, how pray tell, could I do any less than to take God into consideration when I make a political point?
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You can bring your religion into politics, but you shouldn’t bring your politics into religion.
Only black racism..abortion..transgender children and gayness mix with politics.
"The first effect of not believing in God is to believe in anything..."
- Emile Cammaerts, The Laughing Prophet: The Seven Virtues and G.K. Chesterton
The spiritual drives the natural.
Either the Spirit of the Lord drives this nation or the spirit of antichrist. Depends on the spiritual state of the people and those in power.
Lately it’s been the spirt of antichrist (the engine of the Left) running the show.
To a Muslim, religion is their politics.
The two religions of peace.
When politics invades religion the way the LGBTQ movement became political and then invaded religion, then yes.
There will be no talk of politics at religious functions.
= = =
But can there be talk of persecution at religious functions?
But, when one believes in Christ and claims abortion is a right from God, then politics is part of religion, because all we do, and all we have should be guided by our faith.
Thus, a good Pastor will guide his members to know which politician to vote for. If he does not, then he is not properly guiding his flock.
Thus my politics is as much of me as my faith, for I do nothing political that is not controlled by my faith. Thus God is always in control.
The term “Christian” means nothing today other than a loosely organized segment of society that may or may not have anything-including spiritual beliefs-in common.
So you don’t think it proper for a pastor to warn his members of the politicians who believe in things against God’s precepts like abortion and transgenderism for children yet they then want their vote?
You don’t think the church should guide them?
There shall be no discussion of politics or religion at parties or family functions.
= = =
Well, just talk about the weather. OOPS Climate Change.
Or, that new resturant in town. OOPs unpaid migrant workers.
Or, I just got a new car. OOPs is it EV to save the planet.
Is any topic safe from morphing into politics in one step?
The better question to ask is “Can politics ever be separated from religion?” The short answer is “Never.”
I see that you still remember some days f your government school indoctrination. They are intertwined and inseparable.
ME: There will be no talk of politics at religious functions. (Quoting your article)
= = =
But can there be talk of persecution at religious functions?
+ + + + + +
YOU: So you don’t think it proper for a pastor to warn his members of the politicians who believe in things against God’s precepts like abortion and transgenderism for children yet they then want their vote?
You don’t think the church should guide them?
- - -
ME again. I never said such a thing.
Imagine a religious function, say a Bible study, with the rule of ‘no politics’.
Then someone mentions some politican who made a law that sent a Christian to jail.
And someone says that is political discussion, and against that rule.
Or is it persecution, which seems very pertinant to discuss?
That’s all I said.
Now about ‘should the Church guide them?’ Define Church. A denomination with leaders, or the body of Believers?
Makes a difference.
You are correct.
Unfortunately, no.
WWJD? As far as we know, Jesus never said one word about politics. I don’t know for sure, but I’m guessing it was because he knew that down through time, politics would be all over the map; occasionally good, mostly rotten, but certainly extremely varied, according to time and situation. He did warn us of the last days, but then, that encompasses every human condition, not just political. Down through the ages, Christians have lived through all kinds of evil political systems, which, of course, Jesus knew would happen. Knowing that, he still taught the two great commandments -— love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.
I don’t view abortion as a political issue. “Thou shalt not kill” is straight from the Bible, and doesn’t require a party affiliation. “Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molek” is also clearly religious, not political. Religion is above politics, and I don’t believe in watering it down.
small historical whatever ..group a , by their text, believes that they have been told to vo forth, subdue the land and make it theirs.
group b by oral tradition, lives upon the earth, as it was given them to roam and take sustinence from, so why own it?
group a thinks group b is nuts.
group b feels pity for group a penning itself in.
group a attempts to purchase, or trade, land that group b roams. group b states it cannot release land, because it belongs to the gods.
group a, irate, flustered, sez puckit, invades the godland, annexes it to groupaland, wipes out group b, and celebrates with a land rush for settlers, while praising their deity.
meanwhile, news reaches a farther off and larger group c, who prepare for the time group a arrives.
politics? religion? you tell me.
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