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Faith and Politics |
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Location: Blogs Brad's BlogMid-Week Missive |
 | | Posted by: Brad Miller | 1/31/2008 9:19 AM | Okay: enough. This stuff is starting to bug me now.
Never have religion and faith been such talked about issues in our political process. Oh, there were questions in the 1960 election as to whether a practicing Roman Catholic could be President and be trusted to do what was best for the country rather than follow the “instructions” of the pope. Just about the time that the question began to seem very antiquated, the same questions now surface with a candidate who is a devout Mormon. Reporters begin asking questions like, are Mormons really Christians or is it a cult? Will the power structure of the Mormon church dictate their wishes to a Mormon President? Then, we saw a candidate come on the scene who was once a pastor and a self-declared evangelical Christian. Suddenly there was a flurry of activity among reporters and pundits talking about “the evangelical vote” and their power in this election. Then a candidate who had a non-Christian father has had the “authenticity” of his Christianity questioned. Had he gone to a downtown Chicago United Church of Christ church for 20 years in order to position himself for his opportunity to become President? Had his close relationship with a controversial pastor strongly connected to programs seeking to empower inner city African Americans damaged his ability to represent all the people? And on and on it goes: questions surrounding a candidates faith being used as weapons, as blunt instruments to bring their credibility into question.
Of course someone’s faith is an important part of who they are. But what I object to is others making broad statements about someone’s faith in a way that clearly seeks to raise questions about the independence, the ability, the strength of a candidate. The implication seems clear to me: if you are a person of faith, somehow you can’t relate to people of differing faiths, or to people of no particular faith AND you have a pre-built religious agenda that will always be your top priority. But those notions are too absurd for words. People of faith do not check their brains at the door. They do not suddenly lose their ability to reason. What they do is bring the teachings of their faith to bear on issues as they come up. All Christians do not interpret the teachings of the faith in the same way. All evangelicals are not fundamentalists. All Christians are not conservative. Yet, you would be hard pressed to convince some in our media, both on the left and the right, of that
I appreciate you letting me rant for awhile. What is the answer? I don’t know for sure, but I am convinced that we all have a duty, maybe even a sacred duty, to participate in voting and politics. Not so that we can shove our beliefs down someone’s throat, but rather, so that all voices are heard. This is a nation that values religious freedom and what is more important to protecting that freedom than being able to be heard? So, here’s what I plan on doing sometime this week: sitting down with a number of voting guides, reading up on who is running, and then, after saying a prayer of thanksgiving for the chance to participate, vote for the candidate of my choice. I hope you will join me on Tuesday.
For an updated prayer list and full list of upcoming activities, please go to www.brookhavenchristian.org
Update for your prayer list
Cynthia Freeman continues to improve. After a “lost week” she is feeling better and the doctors are heartened by her progress. Please continue to keep Cynthia and Darrell in your prayers.
Announcement
This Sunday is the first Sunday of the month which means it is time for “Praise on Peachtree” in the fellowship hall at 11:00. The theme this week is “The Shema” and the scripture is Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
Next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday and we will be gathering for a joint worship service with Oglethorpe Presbyterian Church in their sanctuary at 7:00 p.m. Please join us as we begin this important Lenten Season with a service of repentance and remembering.
Dinners for Eight returns Saturday February 9 at 6:30 p.m! If you would like to, either fill out a form on Sunday and drop it in the offering basket, or e-mail Lynda Anderson at lynda@andersonrealestate.biz
and let her know.
If you or your child is interested in being baptized at Easter, please contact me by return e-mail so we can make arrangements for a preparatory class during Lent. Easter is the traditional times that new Christians were welcomed into the church and baptized into the Body of Christ. Let me know if you are interested!
Hope to see you Sunday as we celebrate “Praise on Peachtree” together.
Be peaceful,
Brad
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