Nationalism and politics seems to be the perfect canvas upon which to paint hatred, lies, and the careless evisceration of one‘s opponents and/or other ethnic and religious groups. Four Americans were senselessly murdered, including the ambassador, in Libya last night. Before the attacks, yes, before the attacks the American embassy in Libya issued a statement condemning hate speech and specifically speech which denigrates another religion. The statement was an obvious attempt to disarm a volatile situation stemming from an American who constructed a video attacking Mohammed. It is reported that among other things the video depicted Mohammed having sexual relations.
Well the statement did not dissuade deceived and misguided people form killing those four Americans. But here is a situation in which we can see the repulsive depths that is regularly visited in the political darkness. Before the families of that fallen were notified, the candidate Mitt Romney pounced upon the statement and once again accused President Obama of apologizing for America. And even after being made aware that the statement in question was given before the vicious attacks, Romney again made his attacks with even more inaccurate verbiage.
Even Sarah Palin, a professing evangelical, made a mockery of this horror quipping that the President cannot see Libya from his house. And here is a post on Facebook from Palin last night. “President Obama likes to “speak softly” to our enemies. If he doesn’t have a “big stick” to carry, maybe it’s time for him to grow one.” And that kind of salacious language comes from a professing believer? Reprehensible and without conscience.
You see, politics on both sides is only after one thing - power. Facts do not matter, courtesy is seen as weakness, and even national tragedies are used and abused for political capital. It is and always has been a disgraceful exhibition of the wretched heart of mankind. But here is where I want to make a point. How can any believing follower of Jesus support such a system? How can you read God’s Word and engage in such a cesspool of unchristian speech? How can we look at and embrace the cross of Christ and yet embrace that which is clearly against that same cross?
I do not know the spiritual condition of those four Americans who lost their lives, but to me they were more than Americans, they were souls. Please, let all who name the name of Christ come out from among the political dunghill and show the redemptive grace in our words and in our lives. Hasn’t this carnal quicksand of politics and nationalism dragged us down far enough?
Eph.5: 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
I have been convinced for some time. Involvement in politics is proving what is NOT acceptable unto the Lord.
So true, politics and Jesus Christ are completely at odds with one another. The so called "voices" of the right have no more assimilation to Christ, or his teaching, than Muhammed "the prophet"'s teaching has to bringing peace to the world. Jesus taught us to love, and pray for our enemies. Islam's Muhammed taught that the enemy (simply the non-believer)needs to be killed and destroyed. Which is the faith that preaches peace? Not only in Word, but in present day action? I think that is pretty obvious. Unfortunately for the true follower of the Word, most so called "Christians" have not yet learned the value of "turning the other cheek".
ReplyDeleteAmen !! Playing the world's game, on the world's field, by the world's rules has obviously NOT made the world more righteous. (How did we think it would ?)
ReplyDeleteAnd it's had the obvious result in the other direction that you note. A Church that has relinquished its unique righteousness, peace, truth, wisdom, and power: Jesus.
In Him, Steve
It's been said that tragedy draws out the true character of people.
ReplyDeleteThese must be the last days, or the last of the last days. The saints weren't commanded to use militancy, and go on crusades. It's so obvious that those who claim themselves as believers have hijacked and bewitched many in the churches into believing that they are on God's mission to fight for the American christian's rights and freedoms. But what they are really doing, is fighting against the fruit of God's spirit. They fight against humility, peacemakers, the weak, the vulnerable, the poor, sick. There's no room for being like a lamb; their christian missive is to be like a lion and thrash anyone who chooses meekness. Meek christians who leave the battle up to God are considered ineffective.
Pompousness, hubris, arrogance, sarcasm, is the preferred weapon of these political christians. They are so wrapped up in it they can't see through the veil. They prefer to "feel" justified, "feel" superior, "feel" clever, "feel" righteous lifting their christian banner OVER thankfulness, giving glory to God, giving honor and praise to Jesus, forgiveness, sacrifice and submission. Their idea of sacrifice is some fictitious idea of King Arthur-style crusading rather than staying out of the fray. They are so caught up in this earth's Kingdom, and are trapping other new believers into their webs of deceit. It's not enough that they are led astray, they lead whole groups astray as well, into damnation.
And I have my problems as well, because I get caught up in the news, allow myself to get personally angry at the hypocrisy, and can only withdraw and pray for God's protection and mercy in these times. Probably each century since Jesus' arrival has had these same patterns where the churches compromised with the world.
The crazy thing is that it's happening in the U.S. right now and we never would have believed it to ever be so. The same methodology where churches had major splits in Europe, and where Kingdoms infiltrated the clergy and controlled citizens could happen again, History repeating itself.
I pray that's not the case, but, it's becoming heated out there. 2 Peter 3:18To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Good comment. The moment the church hitched its wagons to democracy and patriotism the compromise was inevitable.
ReplyDeleteI was researching the plight of Christian believers living in occupied Palestine (it's not just Muslims that live there) and my heart sank as I read the posting:
ReplyDelete"Dear USA: Your 9/11 is our 24/7."
Contrary to what we are trained to think, as we let our juvenile media and childish patriotism shape and dictate our view of the world around us: The lies and violent teachings of the Koran and immature cartoons are NOT what *ultimately* anger and despair people, young children even, into terrorism.
Contrary to what we are trained to think, it is not merely the repressive tenets of Islam that make citizens of the Middle East suspicious of well-meaning Christian missioniaries, especially those who hail from a nation (America) that claims the name of Christ, yet blasphemes His name as it justifies barbaric and militaristic actions that go wholly against His core teachings.
If anything, the misdeeds, blasphemies, and blatant sins of the USA have done more to put our Christian brethren on the mission field in jeopardy, than any Quranic verse.
If anything, Islam merely fuels pre-existing flames.
As we privileged citizens of this empire mindlessly sip our Starbucks cups, and curse and demean our multiethnic President ---
As we clothe ourselves in sweatshop-made outfits, and fill our gas tanks from the oil fields our armies bomb....
Hopefully little by little the veil of our American Dream mirage will be lifted from our eyes and we will see the world, and our neighbors more clearly, and love them better, and idolize ourselves less.
LORD, deliver us, citizens of this superpower idol of an empire, from the false pretenses that we use to cover up our savagery, and make us worthy ambassadors of Your kingdom instead.
I dont think that there is a specific right way to handle this problem at all times. Sometimes we are to turn the other cheek, other times we are called upon to expose darkness and speak the truth. We cannot become wise in our own eyes in how we are to handle these problems. We need to continually seek after the Lord Jesus Christ, to be led by the Holy Spirit. Since He calls us to respond in different ways to the same situations, we need to have ears to hear so that we can obey His commands. However, whether we are called to turn the other cheek or to expose darkness, we are to do all of it out of love.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is we forget our OWN darkness. Our OWN crines before God and humanity as a greedy, war-addicted secular nation--as individuals making up the Christian community in this secular nation. We go on as if our less privileged, less powerful, more vulnerable, more oppressed Arab counterparts are the only people deserving of judgment and we are just innocent helpless victims of *their* crimes?
DeleteWrong.
Anon: I don't understand what you are trying to say, about Him calling us "to respond in different ways to the same situations...sometimes to turn the other cheek and other times to exose darkness." My understanding is that we are ALWAYS to turn the other cheek while also ALWAYS to speak truth and expose darkness. They aren't mutually exclusive at all; not one or the other, but both at the same time. Isn't that what Stephen did while being stoned? What all true prophets do when hardened ones take rage at them?
ReplyDeleteVictoria