Thoughtful commentary on a difficult issue. For many years I had little time or interest to follow the political scene beyond a few headlines or a brief nightly newscast. I feel that the huge presence of the media in most of our lives now adds an uncomfortable dimension to our political/voting choices. Presidential candidates in particular are revealed with all their foibles and grand-standing pretensions, the trading of insults and accusations takes the place of thoughtful dialog. Commentators and 'talking heads' distill the news before we have time to ponder it ourselves.
The real issues, the trends, beliefs and projections that should influence our choices at the polls are increasingly obscured by personalities and 'sound bites.' Partisan? Very much so and with the unhealthy tendency to excuse the mis-management of our chosen leader by stating in effect that the last party in power did worse things! Whether our choices are for Republican or Democrat our supporting arguments shouldn't be prefaced with, 'Yes, but...'
I think we are each in the position of groping [hopefully prayerfully] for a response with which we can live.
We are in God’s hands—God of love, God of mercy, as Jesus teaches us.
I see no reason to dwell end times. Let’s just try our best to create a world in God’s image. We won’t fully succeed—but surely it pleases God if we try.
William Wilberforce is a good example of how to be a Christian and use politics to achieve goals such as abolishing slavery and preventing cruelty to animals.
Yes! A great example! I've shared this story before, and would have liked to have had room to share it again in this piece, but I heard N. T. Wright speak 15 or so years ago and I asked him, during the Q&A, how to find the balance with this very question (politics and the gospel), and he specifically cited Wilberforce as a wonderful example of that "balance."
One of the best methods here seems to be regularly evaluating how consuming politics has gotten in your life, as well as where you currently are in what you support and the methods you support to achieve it. It is awfully easy to take a path that leads you to some terrible places you would have sworn when you began you would never condone.
As far as the Adventist tradition, Ellen White’s writings on politics and the role of government, as limited as they are, I’ve always found surprising. Especially in light of what I was told and modeled growing up. I have found it strange that I’ve never seen those grappled with. Doesn’t mean they haven’t been, but certainly isn’t common.
And I’ve enjoyed a quote I saw from a user on Twitter years ago: “Don’t make politicians your idols or your gods will always be overthrown.” For me, there is far too much celebrity worship, or idolatry, if you will, of politicians on both sides. They are all human beings like us, and all with common flaws we all share. That is one area the temporal can destroy our eternal focus. Thanks again for writing this!
Look at the damage done by the Biden Administration. Huge inflation. Young families can’t afford homes and even have a hard time eating. Energy costs way up. Gas… Granted they (Democrats) were not elected. But the fact that people don’t see what they have done, or know it, is a repeatable tragedy in the making. The Demonic Democrat Party has once again brushed over their tracks blaming the trashed economic hard times on Trumps first term, Covid, and yes even the “world economy, circumstances beyond our control.” All bunk!
Right now in the U.S. between the WickedMedia and the internet, the truth is gone! Do this, punch in J-6 “insurrection,” (that was their official narrative at first) and you won’t find any reference to Trump’s speech where he said, “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.” You can read and scroll until your blue in the face but unless you go to a conservative website no where will you see any reference to those words!
If we don’t speak out we are doomed to the same fate as the Germans. Globally. And when we do speak out we will be attacked by all the uninformed bad Americans mired in their own hate and sense of ignorant belonging. I think it was Martin Luther King Jr. who said “Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
But hey, you brought up Germany, not me and I was touched by that. Good job over-all but you know, back in the 1990s, Bill Clinton had a whole team of henchman on TV every night: Lanny Davis, Paul Begala, Leon Panetta and James Carville, lying their guts out every single night and Clinton won the election because the American people deeply admired a good lier.
Those were partisans! Not todays truth tellers! For someone to call “partisan” or “hyper-partisan” when someone is speaking the truth, is to be accused of lying.
I don’t know you. I’m trying not to read you with my deep red glasses on lol. But if I were going to Australia here’s what I would say, are you sitting down:
“Our founders never wanted a two Party system. They warned against it and now we know why. One of our political Party’s has been an untold cancer on our nation. A complete fraud. They have exposed themselves in every way and we hope we are rid of them for good, but our new president is a quintessential ‘nice guy’ and won’t send them the bill for all their transgressions.”
“We are fairly sure we will have Republican leadership for at least the next 12 years but morality is in the toilet right now in America and so all bets are off. Even with Republican leadership we are still not sure we can ever bail out of our current financial situation and if things go south again politically we will permanently lose our rights just like you did.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer died on this day in 1945. Love one of his quotes: “If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.”
Thanks so much for your writing on this important issue for the church. I pray it will be fruitful. Blessings
Thoughtful commentary on a difficult issue. For many years I had little time or interest to follow the political scene beyond a few headlines or a brief nightly newscast. I feel that the huge presence of the media in most of our lives now adds an uncomfortable dimension to our political/voting choices. Presidential candidates in particular are revealed with all their foibles and grand-standing pretensions, the trading of insults and accusations takes the place of thoughtful dialog. Commentators and 'talking heads' distill the news before we have time to ponder it ourselves.
The real issues, the trends, beliefs and projections that should influence our choices at the polls are increasingly obscured by personalities and 'sound bites.' Partisan? Very much so and with the unhealthy tendency to excuse the mis-management of our chosen leader by stating in effect that the last party in power did worse things! Whether our choices are for Republican or Democrat our supporting arguments shouldn't be prefaced with, 'Yes, but...'
I think we are each in the position of groping [hopefully prayerfully] for a response with which we can live.
Thank you for your good and heartfelt reflections, Sharon!
We are in God’s hands—God of love, God of mercy, as Jesus teaches us.
I see no reason to dwell end times. Let’s just try our best to create a world in God’s image. We won’t fully succeed—but surely it pleases God if we try.
I love the way you've articulated that, Helen! So good.
William Wilberforce is a good example of how to be a Christian and use politics to achieve goals such as abolishing slavery and preventing cruelty to animals.
Yes! A great example! I've shared this story before, and would have liked to have had room to share it again in this piece, but I heard N. T. Wright speak 15 or so years ago and I asked him, during the Q&A, how to find the balance with this very question (politics and the gospel), and he specifically cited Wilberforce as a wonderful example of that "balance."
Excellent, as usual.
One of the best methods here seems to be regularly evaluating how consuming politics has gotten in your life, as well as where you currently are in what you support and the methods you support to achieve it. It is awfully easy to take a path that leads you to some terrible places you would have sworn when you began you would never condone.
As far as the Adventist tradition, Ellen White’s writings on politics and the role of government, as limited as they are, I’ve always found surprising. Especially in light of what I was told and modeled growing up. I have found it strange that I’ve never seen those grappled with. Doesn’t mean they haven’t been, but certainly isn’t common.
And I’ve enjoyed a quote I saw from a user on Twitter years ago: “Don’t make politicians your idols or your gods will always be overthrown.” For me, there is far too much celebrity worship, or idolatry, if you will, of politicians on both sides. They are all human beings like us, and all with common flaws we all share. That is one area the temporal can destroy our eternal focus. Thanks again for writing this!
Thank you so much, Chris! I really appreciate the reflections and encouragement.
Always a great source: https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-politics.html
Look at the damage done by the Biden Administration. Huge inflation. Young families can’t afford homes and even have a hard time eating. Energy costs way up. Gas… Granted they (Democrats) were not elected. But the fact that people don’t see what they have done, or know it, is a repeatable tragedy in the making. The Demonic Democrat Party has once again brushed over their tracks blaming the trashed economic hard times on Trumps first term, Covid, and yes even the “world economy, circumstances beyond our control.” All bunk!
Right now in the U.S. between the WickedMedia and the internet, the truth is gone! Do this, punch in J-6 “insurrection,” (that was their official narrative at first) and you won’t find any reference to Trump’s speech where he said, “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.” You can read and scroll until your blue in the face but unless you go to a conservative website no where will you see any reference to those words!
If we don’t speak out we are doomed to the same fate as the Germans. Globally. And when we do speak out we will be attacked by all the uninformed bad Americans mired in their own hate and sense of ignorant belonging. I think it was Martin Luther King Jr. who said “Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
But hey, you brought up Germany, not me and I was touched by that. Good job over-all but you know, back in the 1990s, Bill Clinton had a whole team of henchman on TV every night: Lanny Davis, Paul Begala, Leon Panetta and James Carville, lying their guts out every single night and Clinton won the election because the American people deeply admired a good lier.
Those were partisans! Not todays truth tellers! For someone to call “partisan” or “hyper-partisan” when someone is speaking the truth, is to be accused of lying.
I don’t know you. I’m trying not to read you with my deep red glasses on lol. But if I were going to Australia here’s what I would say, are you sitting down:
“Our founders never wanted a two Party system. They warned against it and now we know why. One of our political Party’s has been an untold cancer on our nation. A complete fraud. They have exposed themselves in every way and we hope we are rid of them for good, but our new president is a quintessential ‘nice guy’ and won’t send them the bill for all their transgressions.”
“We are fairly sure we will have Republican leadership for at least the next 12 years but morality is in the toilet right now in America and so all bets are off. Even with Republican leadership we are still not sure we can ever bail out of our current financial situation and if things go south again politically we will permanently lose our rights just like you did.”
Thats my take.
Interesting thoughts . . . .
Dietrich Bonhoeffer died on this day in 1945. Love one of his quotes: “If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.”