Comments on: Election-Year Musings: Part One

By: Robert Allen

Robert Allen — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 23:27:16 +0000

With all due respect, when has a ‘measure’ of our christian faith been our ‘likeability in the culture we live in??? Jesus didn’t exactly have a high approval rating among the religious leaders nor the Roman rulers when you say the church is the conscience of the state, you are exactly right, but that doesn’t mean that Christians have to remain in their churches as bunkers instead of actively engaging the culture and government on issues of morality..And just for the record, America is not nor has it ever been a ‘democracy’..which leads to anarchy . Rather we were established as a ‘constitutional Republic, and therefore the men we elect are to represent those who elected them..But when our christian values conflict directly with the law, we are told in scripture ‘obey God rather than man’..Having said that, in the future, if Christians don’t exercise their God given responsibility to VOTE , then we are commanded to obey those we elect, but that never precludes us from working to change bad moral laws or court deisions ( like getting Supreme Court Justices who are of the mindset that the Constitution is not a ‘living’ document and should be interpreted based upon ‘original’ intent…And when it comes to abortion, that means using every means legally acceptable to see that the American Holocaust , which has cost America over 60 Million unborn lives, to be relegated to the scrap heap of history..In my opinion, even according to Francis Schaffer, there is a no more noble cause than the sanctity of human life…

By: dan

dan — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 18:46:01 +0000

Election night and I’m surfing the net trying to find ONE evangelical leader who has not endorsed Romney (and since Donald Miller no longer talks about politics, I have returned to my all time favorite Christian voice: Yancey) – and I tell you, it ain’t easy. What’s going to happen in a few hours time, when Obama has won and all those pulpits will have to fight back their tears – tears that a man who does not even pray to the same God has not won!
It is a mystery to me how our Evangelical brothers are crucifying a man who cares for the poor (see his personal history, post-Harvard), wants to provide health-care for those who can’t afford it, obviously has a loving relationship to his wife (not his husband) – and works tirelessly to improve the welfare of our nation. Plus – I’m pretty sure he prays to the God of the Bible…
The Evangelical stance is making me sick – yet again!!!
(Thank you Mr. Yancey, you have given me hope during entirely hopeless times – and I am not referring to this election… cause my main man O will wrap this up in the next few hours!)

I see you’re safely in the U.K. so you can swing away! There are some Obama evangelicals, such as Jim Wallis and Brian McLaren and probably Tony Campolo, but not many. I’m sitting here watching election returns and you sound like a prophet. US politics must be a deep mystery from across the pond…
Philip

By: Liz

Liz — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 22:21:22 +0000

Christians were the only ones to stand up to the Nazis? Really?What about Jews??

By: Jude

Jude — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:55:04 +0000

A huge fan of Phillip’s books..just discovered this blog and SO happy to hear reasonable Christian viewpoints on this subject..especially the items that are Biblical mandates…health care, poverty, concern and aid for the NON-aborted child. If we saw and heard leaders on the right saying we must work together to fix these issues, that is is what we MUST do as followers of Christ…..what a tremendous witness this would be to non-believers. To really love our neighbor as our self. To BE the good Samaritan (could there be a more clear mandate than that?) and work for health care for all?

By: gabriela

gabriela — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:11:44 +0000

Phillip:
Do you believe that christians should vote? some christians believe that you should just pray, not vote. I was wondering about your insites on this.

I’m for voting! In a democracy, it’s the best non-violent way to express strong opinions.
Philip

By: Eden

Eden — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:27:05 +0000

that if what they say is from God, then what use is it to fight agniast God? I would suggest the same thing. So what if someone is saying “oh those daggone (liberals/republicans/democrat/emergant/fundamental/calvinist/muslim/whatever) have this wrong and that wrong and are evil and bad and dumb and bad and dumb…etc” If that person speaks God’s truth, then we’ll all end up agreeing with them in the end. If they don’t??? Well, they have somone far more qualified to show them the error of their ways…He’s clothed in the whitest white, and His voice is like the rushing of many waters. They won’t have a choice but take His rebuke.Now….if they profess to be Christians then the only rebuke to give can come from God’s word. We should always use the Bible as the standard of judgement.

By: Omar

Omar — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:48:00 +0000

Is there a way?Hmmmm. Once we frigue out how to be gracious in areas of politics, we can use the same philosophy when talking about issues of faith/religion. We tend to be just as “I’m really right,and you’re really wrong” in those discussions as well.I recognize my need to be more generous towards others who have a different point of view. But it is really hard when you know you are closer to the best way of seeing things.It’s hard not to be passionate, but I think the Jesus way of doing it is to be so gentle that it might look like you don’t feel very strongly about the topic at hand. And then continue to live out your life in a way that reflects your own understanding of what is right and wrong.It’s not easy to find the middle road on this.

By: David Pearson

David Pearson — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:05:38 +0000

Thanks for this Philip. Sadly, in Jamaica where I live the Evangelical Church has almost totally abandoned the political arena and have largely left moral questions, outside of issues like homosexuality, abortion and gambling, to the purview of secular legislators. As such evangelicals have had very little input in issues such as community development especially as it relates to the poor and outcast, general social legislation, and most pointedly the rescue of our boys and young men who are absent from almost every institution of society. We are aware of the other extreme, but the balance that you speak of is so necessary. We would love to have you visit us in Jamaica.

That’s an excellent balancing comment, David. I find the same sentiment in Eastern Europe: Christians are much more likely to be involved in political issues now, since they lived under the results of their exclusion for so long.
Philip

By: Heather Tredoux

Heather Tredoux — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:40:16 +0000

This blog is so uplifting for me. I have often felt that I don’t belong in the evangelical world, despite the fact that I have served the past 15 years in Evangelical churches. It means so much to me to hear such a respected Christian writer, thinker, leader…to write something so insightful and relevant about Christianity and politics. I have often felt that I must hide the fact that I’m not “anti”-Obama. That I don’t hate the man. That I don’t feel the need to ridicule him. That I don’t need to oppose every single aspect of his leadership. It hurts to see the way faithful Christians have allowed themselves to give in to sarcasm, disrespect, pride and even hatred toward their nation’s leader. Wouldn’t it be so much better to be “obedient to Christ in living out the Christian way” as Greg Denholm mentioned above. (By the way, Greg, your response was just great).

By: Aster Dibaba

Aster Dibaba — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:19:36 +0000

In many of the countries around the world,where Democracy has not been strong,Christians don’t participate that much.For that matter,very few countries even have elections. I am one of those new immigrant that got to vote ,for the first time at the age of 43.I still have a very new feelings every time I get to vote ( did for 19 years)It is a privilege to experience.

Yes ,if Christians really obey,the teachings of our Lord,a lot of our concerns we brought up would sound very different.I believe,the Lord will not call anyone of His followers,without preparing them for that task.Long before a person decides to be involved,he or she probably ,known or unknown to them, have gone through His schools of preparation.When the Lord needs that individual,they will be tapped in the heart,and they better answer,because it would be that familiar tap, that is known to him/to her for a long time. It is much more difficult ,to live the Christian faith ,in the secular place than to talk among Christian friends.