The Requisite Politics Post

I have come to believe that I am the only democrat in my entire church. That might be in error but, so far, I haven’t come across another. It’s come more and more to light recently because people are talking about the election. Well, I say “talking”, but it’s mainly ranting against the evil little “socialist” democrats and how only Republicans are Christian.

Baloney. That’s what I think of that. God will use anyone, regardless of their political affiliation; and there are certainly non-Christians in the Republican Party. I think of the scripture in Romans 9, when Paul is talking about the authority God grants to earthy governments. I see the scripture as saying that the government as a system is allowed by God (as are the people that run it) to work His will; thus it is also allowable for Christians to participate in the system. The Bible does not, however, dictate which affiliation a Christian is to have.

I believe that Christians should follow Jesus’ example; care about the orphans, widows, the poor, the sick and infirm, the elderly, etc, etc. So as Christians, we should be concerned about social welfare, justice, equality, and peace. We should care about social security for our elderly, and health care for the poor, and fiscal accountability for our cities.

It often irritates me that Christians seem to focus only on a few areas to the exclusion of all others. And we all know what they are: Homosexuality, abortion, and more recently, bioethics like stem cell research. Yes, those are important issues, but they are not the only ones! Yes, I am pro-life, in that I believe life begins at conception, but I also don’t believe it ends at birth. I should be just as concerned about the adoption process, or the foster care system, or education reform. Yes, I believe that homosexuality is a sin, but it is not the sin above all sins, and honestly, I’m not really sure that the government should regulate its citizen’s private sex lives beyond the norm. I certainly don’t want them butting into mine, so why should I ask them to get involved other consensual, adult relationships? My purpose here wasn’t to rant specifically about homosexuality or abortion (although you’re welcome to start a conversation in the comments).

My purpose is to widen the lens a little to show that democrats and Christ are not mutually exclusive. Nor are Republicans only a “Christian Party”. I certainly don’t claim to know everything, and my political affiliations may change, but I firmly believe in the causes Jesus cared for. I believe in whole societies and whole people. I believe in a society that holds children in high regard. I believe in a system where regular people can make a difference. None of those are on either party’s manifesto; they are, however, on Christ’s.

So, for this election, as the partisan squalls rise to new levels, let’s not lean to the left or to the right, but stay centered; well, Christ-centered, anyway.