When I think of political elections and some of the messages that some Christians project, I think “doom and gloom.” It seems that for some, we’re always right on the precipice of the Apocalypse with each election. This is often tied to the Dispensational eschatology that was so influential with the Christian Right, but it also has a lot to do with the fact that the Christian Right tended to capitalize on fear-mongering as a political tactic. During the 80’s, it simply got votes… everyone did it, Democrats included. The Christian Right was just a lot better at it.
A few years ago, the year before President Obama was elected for his first term, I was at a big conference. One of the main speakers spent most of the time telling the 20,000+ people that the coming election (between Obama and McCain) was the “most important political showdown of the age” and that it would change the course of history. At the time, I don’t think I was nearly as disenfranchised as I am now, but I remember thinking to myself, “You people have been saying stuff like that since I was a kid.”
And it’s true… I have heard those types of statements forever. Republicans and Democrats both spend billions of dollars painting pictures of what the future could look like if the other person is elected. It happens at the local level, state level, and federal level. “The Republicans will have us taking away the rights of women and minority groups!” “The Democrats want to take God completely out of our country!” On and on and on and on… the fear-mongering goes.
Don’t worry, 2012 isn’t over… the Apocalypse may still occur. There’s plenty of time for Obama to be revealed as the Anti-Christ. There’s plenty of time for the Republican controlled Senate to work to end all social justice concerns and give money to the rich… there’s plenty of time for your Apocalypse to still happen this year!
Or… maybe we can get some perspective here. Fear-mongering, in a post-modern culture, does not work. It probably backfires.
Anyway, Democrats, congrats. Obama has been reelected and I will continue to pray for him. I don’t think he’s nearly as evil and crazy as some suggest. Yet I fundamentally disagree with him on a number of big issues… but I will honor him by praying for him and advocating for the things that I believe he is wrong on in a gracious and truthful way.
Republicans, I’m sorry you are so bummed. Hopefully you won’t give up. I’m sure you’re going to make some big changes this year. I’d thought you’d have learned your lesson four years ago, but maybe the second time around will change the course of things. In fact, I think you need to take Michael Dougherty’s “How to Explain Romney’s Loss to Shocked Conservatives” seriously. This country has changed… a lot.
For those of us who are Christians, whether we are Democrat or Republican or Independent we need to continue to keep our commitment to the Kingdom of God. Our true citizenship is heavenly… which means we should certainly advocate for justice and righteousness. This means that, at times, we weigh in on items that are deemed as “political.” But our allegiance is to the King and the Kingdom… and that King is still on the throne.
No “election day blues” for me… I’m going to go get some sushi.
Luke is a pastor-theologian living in northern California, serving as a co-lead pastor with his life, Dawn, at the Red Bluff Vineyard. Father of five amazing kids, when Luke isn’t hanging with his family, reading or writing theology, he moonlights as a fly fishing guide for Confluence Outfitters. He blogs regularly at LukeGeraty.com and regularly contributes to his YouTube channel.
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Enjoy
Hmmmm
My links did not go through
Oh well, Mohler, DeYoung, Burk and Justin Taylor have some good insights.
Daniel 2:21 keeps my head level
I am sad that babies will still be killed in the name of freedom and homosexuals will continue to walk in slavery in the name of preference but I guess that would happen no matter who’s in office 🙂
I haven’t read anything from the Gospel Coalition folks… I’ll have to check my feed reader soon… been awhile since I did that!
I am always level headed about this because I believe strongly in the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation as well as world affairs… such a comfort for me.
I’m super disturbed that abortion remains legal and that there are fewer politicians legislating against it… which is one of the reasons why I couldn’t ever vote for Obama myself (I understand many Christians, in good faith could… I’m just not one of them). The marriage issue is less of a concern at this point because I have yet to really get into the logical reason for opposing homosexual unions as an “attack” on the Christian view of marriage, but I haven’t given it a lot of though yet. The abortion one I’m 100% in opposition towards and will never vote for someone who cannot start at the basic moral / ethical place of protecting the life of the unborn.
Which makes me a liberal conservative. ha ha ha ha.
I’ll give you your reasoning on homosexual unions. Please describe to me how someone “in good faith” can vote for a baby killer? 🙂
Please do give me my reasoning on homosexual unions. I’d love to know what I think on that matter. I’d also like to know how you were able to get into my brain and figure that out! 🙂 Wait, maybe you didn’t mean that…
I think there are plenty of people who can vote “in good faith” for someone who is Pro-Choice. And again, this isn’t my perspective… it’s just that I understand that there are many people who believe that there are other issues that are just as important (or more so) than the abortion issue. Do you have a Bible verse that makes the issue of abortion the primary political issue of God?
There are plenty of Christians who believe that other areas of “social justice” are important, and Obama seems to best encompass what they believe to be the solution to those problems.
Are you suggesting that no Christian should vote Democratic? If so, what makes you think that? I grew up with that as the predominant view around me… and it wasn’t ever really defended, just assumed. So I’d love to read someone else’s reasoning… (since I have my own).
Don’t confuse my acknowledgement that there are other perspectives as if I’m suggesting that those other perspectives hold me captive. I did not vote for Obama. But I can understand why other Christians did… regardless of whether I agree on the main issue (since everyone, at the end of the day, is what I call a “primary issue voter” in that everyone has one primary issue that causes them to vote for someone even though they likely do not agree with every single idea that the candidate endorses). And I can respect their vote too (even though I might push back on their reasoning and even disagree).
Of course, I’m not using in good faith in the sense that you may be… because it almost seems as if you are using in the sense of regula fidei “rule of faith.” Maybe I’m mistaken… or misreading you? Not sure…
Anyway… blessings!
Paragraph 1 – I apologize for using “reason” I was merely agreeing with you
Paragraph 2 – Do you have a verse that says we should vote for people who approve of abortion? Have read Piper and those men on the issue?
Paragraph 3 – That is a straw man argument. i am not buying it.
Paragraph 4 – What biblical support do you have for someone to vote Democrat? I have yet to meet anyone who is a believer that votes Democrat that has any verse to support their decision.
Paragraph 5 – I guess in honoring the title think theology, I would like you to state why you”fundamentally disagree” with him and did not vote for Obama. I would bet your reasons might encourage others to change but they way it was stated was in my opinion, “you hold your and I’ll hold mine” and we’ll all be okay.
Paragraph 6 – I do not see how someone can look at the Bible and “in good faith” vote for someone who supports the killing of babies and homosexual unions. If you are looking for proof texts, there aren’t any, it is the whole flow of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. So if the Republicans go pro choice and pro gay, then I have a decision to make.
(1) I was looking forward to having my thoughts read. Dang it… 🙂 ha ha.
(2) Your response proves my point. Voting issues are more complex than “the Bible says vote for…” I have read Piper on the subject. I’m not sure who “those men” are though… are you speaking of Mohler and DeYoung and the others you mentioned? If so, I’ve read most of them. I’m not sure why reading them is seen to prove anything though. Have you read Calvin and Hobbes? I love them.
(3) I’m not sure how you see this as a straw man argument. I was simply giving you an observation. Did you think I was selling you something? What are you not buying? You are not buying that some Christians believe that other areas are more important than abortion? Well I guess a lot of people lie then! Or are you saying you don’t agree with their reasoning? Those are two different things, Judd. I don’t now how in the world you could not agree that there are some Christians out there who do not see abortion as the most important issue. I know of plenty of Christians who believe welfare or health care are important issues, and for some of them, more important than abortion. And again, I’m not saying I agree with them. I’m simply acknowledging that they exist… I find that acknowledging that those differences exist is more helpful in dialogue than just saying, “no they don’t” and covering my eyes and ears.
(4) Since we’re in the habit of just referencing names or books, I’ll give you Carl R. Trueman’s Republocrat: Confessions of a LIberal Conservative as a starting point for laying out some of the reasons why being a strict Republican is problematic for some. Or Greg Boyd’s The Myth of a Christian Nation (I realize you will likely just ignore this one). Some feel the implications of Isaiah 58’s emphasis on social justice as a challenge to certain Republical policies (generally attached to economics and dealing with poverty). Perhaps some of the other folks who read this blog can answer your question better though… because I’m not a Democrat 🙂 ha ha.
(5) So what you are saying is you want me to write what you want me to write so that your opinions will be communicated properly? And if I don’t, I’m not honoring the title of this blog?
That’s certainly possible, but I’m also okay with you writing your reason for not voting for Obama (or Democratic)… that’s kind of the point of having comments. Or, if you’d like, you could write a blog on the subject and have it posted!
You are absolutely correct that I’m okay with people having differing views on politics though… 🙂
(6) That make sense. I’m not suggesting that you do understand how people can do that. And I’m not demanding that you do either! But it sounds to me like you are identifying yourself as what people generally call a “single issue voter.” Is that true? I don’t want to read into what you are writing… it just seems like for you, abortion is the primary concern you have.
For me, I’d say that abortion is probably the highest issue too. But I could also say that I’m beginning to have significant issues with policies related to immigration. I’m also what is referred to as a “consistent advocate for life” by some (I’m Pro-Life and personally opposed to the death penalty), so supporting certain candidates gets difficult because I might agree with their position concerning abortion but not with the way that the death penalty is handled.
For me, it’s a bit more complex than it seems you are trying to make it.