I have been having difficult conversations this week with Christian friends who disagree with me on my political leanings. I haven't written about my politics because I have thought that they didn't belong here in my blog about clearing the clutter. But I have changed my mind about that.
As friends have challenged me on my voting for Obama - there, I've said it - and in particular on issues such as abortion and the perceived socialist/terrorist threat that they see Obama as bringing, I have found myself needing to respond, not being able to not respond. And what I've realized is that my politics are very much about clearing the clutter, about living a life with God in the world.
In fact, as I've become intensely agitated about people assuming that one party is more Christian than the other in this country, I have found myself going to God and begging for some peace, some solitude, some direction. And I have found it. Over and over. In the quietness of the creek. In the prayer book. In the gloria. In the repetition of the truths I know to be true - not American truths - Christian truths.
So tonight on facebook I did it again - I stuck my neck out there and started talking about how my Christianity informs my decision to vote for Obama. It was in response to my friend, Bruce's post, "What November 4 Means to Me". A couple of things he said the election is not about for him are things that it is about for me - the economy (the money as I say below), and the war in Iraq. So here you will find my not-so-eloquent response to at least a couple of Bruce's points. It is also not comprehensive, but it is simply a moment in time of my political/Christian thought.
Dear Bruce,
Thank you for your post, and I appreciate especially your request for others to be kind if they disagree. I've struggled as I've disagreed with some of my Christian friends and family to find a way to do that without being divisive.
I believe you and I are on different sides of this thing politically, but I welcome the opportunity to kindly share my positions. I proudly cast my vote for Obama last week in early voting. And I did so as a person of faith who believes with all my heart that we are headed in the wrong direction before God. The Scriptures have a lot to say about money, and so yes, I do believe it's about the money - not mine because I have precious little to be worried about - but about the way we all handle it, personally and collectively. It is about greed, and yes, indeed the answer is, "I am my brother's keeper." Check your OT for that one.
I also challenge you to read your NT and find a justification - any justification at all - for war. I know I'm expressing a VERY minority opinion here, but when we were going into Iraq, I prayed and agonized over that one, convinced it was wrong. In the process of praying and reading the Bible, I not only decided it was a wrong war, but that there is no NT justification for war - of any kind. A truly pro-life position would be anti-war. How can it be ok to kill soldiers and innocent civilians? How can it be ok to impose the death penalty? If you recall, the Israelites clamored for a king on a White stallion. I fear we may be more like them than we know. We are clamoring for the RIGHT (opposite of left) to win, but Jesus laid down his life instead of fighting. How do we translate that politically? I don't believe we've really tried. Augustine was the one who came up with the idea of a just war, not Jesus. That's not a Christ-ly concept at all.
Jesus' one act of aggression was, ahem . . . . about the money!! Specifically the money changers. Cheating, swindling, being greedy, taking advantage of their position.
I do not know what the political solutions are to all of these things, but it has been clear to me that what "Christian" means in political circles has become more about what certain Christian leaders and non-Christian radio personalities are spewing forth than it is about real Christian people considering all the issues before God and weeping for many things, including the taking of innocent lives.
Don't hear me to be saying that you are not considering the issues, Bruce, because clearly you are. What I do want you to know is that I am not hoping for a Messiah in Barack Obama, although I do believe he has a great deal of wisdom for leadership that we need right now. NO, we already have the Messiah - that position is taken. But I want you to know that as a fellow believer, a fellow follower of Jesus Christ, I have come to the opposite conclusion from you, and I can't be silent about it.
I appreciate the opportunity to share this in your space here on facebook, and I hope all those who disagree with me will be kind as well as we all "work out (our) own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12, NT).
Before God let us pray for his Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Jan Walker (those Walkers can be SO long-winded) Gunter
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I do not know what the political solutions are to all of these things, but it has been clear to me that what "Christian" means in political circles has become more about what certain Christian leaders and non-Christian radio personalities are spewing forth than it is about real Christian people considering all the issues before God and weeping for many things, including the taking of innocent lives.
Don't hear me to be saying that you are not considering the issues, Bruce, because clearly you are. What I do want you to know is that I am not hoping for a Messiah in Barack Obama, although I do believe he has a great deal of wisdom for leadership that we need right now. NO, we already have the Messiah - that position is taken. But I want you to know that as a fellow believer, a fellow follower of Jesus Christ, I have come to the opposite conclusion from you, and I can't be silent about it.
I appreciate the opportunity to share this in your space here on facebook, and I hope all those who disagree with me will be kind as well as we all "work out (our) own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12, NT).
Before God let us pray for his Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Jan Walker (those Walkers can be SO long-winded) Gunter
(~:
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Thank you Jan. You have captured the heart of so many who are Christian and politically progressive. Assuring my place in that cadre of long-winded Walker's you reference, let me add: 1)Jesus' message was fundamentally radical, i.e. in opposition to the status quo, i.e., not conservative--hence it's enduring value. 2)Until the Republicans become consistently pro-life, voting pro-life means voting Democrat. 3)As we learned in GCs home, "family values" include thrift (a truly conservative value of which the Republican party is utterly bereft--check your 401K or your house value today), peacemaking--the making of all things whole, and justice (i think the declaratory document of our nation qualifies "justice" with "for all!")
ReplyDeleteAnd finally, how dare we--any of us--conjoin our faith and mere politics. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling NOT a particular political agenda. (my mother's Nazarene church is promoting a Republican playbook. how dare you. i think i'm on pretty good grounds when i propose that Jesus would have overturned that table and all it's triteness.)
Well spoken, Jan. For whatever it's worth, I'm taking heat from fellow Christians for my support for Obama. Stand tall in your perspective and convictions and keep trying to articulate the "whys" for those who have closed their minds and hearts to anything other than the RNC/conservative evangelical party line. I recently posted Jim Wallis' response to Dobson's toxic letter. That sums it up for me.
ReplyDeleteClint & John - Thanks for your encouragement and great comments. It is a painful time for me to have to articulate myself over and over to my Christian friends. I've been pleasantly surprised, though, but friends who do respect my positions when I explain them, even though they disagree. If we can just be in that place where we can actually dialogue and respect each other as fellow believers and not question each other's faith, then that is a good place.
ReplyDelete