| Friday, October 28, 2005 |
| Christian Idolatry? Follow-Up |
As I've been marinating about my post from earlier today, my evening culminated in an NBC News special by Tom Brokaw called "In God They Trust." It covered the evangelical Christian effect on the nation, more specifically, in Colorado. The epicenter emanates from New Life Church. Ted Haggard, who is also the head of the National Association of Evangelicals, pastors New Life. New Life is a politically active congregation that sides rather consistently with the Republican Party platform. Pastor Ted gets weekly calls from the White House.
Brokaw covered stories of different people from the church. One couple was completely immersed in church life, the husband an employee of Focus on the Family [why did I hyperlink that?]; they fully buy into the church's stance on politics. But also shown in the story was a family where the wife was a believer, but the husband was a skeptic. He was interested in investigating Christianity and enjoyed the Bible teaching that took place in the church, but was disturbed by the way they constantly used the pulpit to spread their political views. So in this instance [and perhaps others] their political agenda was getting in the way of their gospel message.
Friends, this is what I fear: that we Christians aren't confident in the power of the message of Jesus to transform the world around us. So we think that in order to make this country a better place that we need to win votes instead of souls. Politics is a polarizing realm: black and white with no room for grey. Obviously the message of Jesus is also polarizing [the apostle Paul talks about the divide created by the cross in 1 Corinthians 1], but I would much rather let Jesus offend people than my voting record.
I know some of you still don't get how I see this issue, and that's fine. I've always been a loon. But I'd encourage you to really struggle how you feel about this. We Christians always talk about putting stumbling blocks in people's way yet we're oblivious that politics is a boulder [full circle to Colorado] to many people. I'd rather people give their souls to the right One than their votes to the right cause.
I'm done. Thanks. |
yet another musing of steve-o @ 9:56:00 PM  |
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