Communicating My Heart re: Politics

[Josh]

If you are one of my evangelical friends, I want to communicate my heart to you. Perhaps you have felt frustrated, insulted, or belittled by something I have posted in the last year or two.


That has not my been intent. Most of you know that before Trump’s Presidency I was pretty avowedly apolitical (with very few exceptions). I was proud to pastor a church comprised of Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Independents that could somehow still love each other and usually get along.


I feel very strongly that my tribe has taken a wrong turn when they enthusiastically support Trump. To me I just simply find it hard to believe that we aren’t all appalled by the man, regardless of his policies.

The reason I can’t just leave it be is because I think that too much is at stake.


I strongly believe that a leader’s own personal moral integrity cannot help but flavor and determine in large part the outcomes of their decisions. By temperament, I can’t stand voting for the “lesser of two evils”. And whether I’m right or wrong, I feel that many evangelicals are being duped by a “wolf in sheep’s clothing”. It would be against my own conscience not to speak out on this. However, I also believe that the truth needs to always be spoken in love, and that that love must be apparent. I have not arrived at perfection with this, so I ask for your forbearance. I have always really tried to mean what I say with precision, but I have not always lived up to that. Even though I feel a lot of what I would call righteous indignation about the state of our country (all sides) I don’t want to come across as judging rashly or unfairly.


As a history teacher I worry (and believe myself to be justified in the concern) about the church’s political aspirations. Political power has often been the surest way to our corruption over the last 2000 years. Politics matter, but for Christians being the kingdom of God which speaks truth to the kingdoms of this world from outside their jurisdiction is paramount.


I hope whether you agree with me or not or somewhat (most likely) I hope I can be a burr in your saddle in order to stimulate clear thinking. We are living in a time and place where painful fractures are widening daily. I don’t want to further that, what I really want is for all of us to think in a more nuanced and circumspect way and for us to be known by our love.


For my failures to these ends, I apologize. As to my intent, I love the church and want her to be Jesus’ body in ever increasing maturity.

[gregory]

Hey Josh.

So, I think it is interesting to note something. People are angry that others are not as angry as them about the same things as them. Additionally, people claim righteousness in their anger, and a justification for it. This is political, social, ethical, indoctrination, fanaticism, homeschoolers vs drag queen story hour. But all it really comes down to is this: we are mad we aren't in power over others. And Christianity is mad that Christendom is dead. Christians feel entitled to a leader that is moral, that the dignity of office must be upheld, that we have a standard to live up to in how we vote, and this is progressive Christians lamenting the death of Christendom as they vote Democrat. There are others that have had their jobs taken, their children addicted, all of their grandchildren born out of wedlock, and these look to their savior, but not Jesus, and they want to reinstall Christendom, to fan it's dying flames to save them, and they vote republican.

I recommend mourning and lamentation over the state of the hearts of our countrymen, but the institution of man will never save us, all we can do is look to the murderous debauched and depraved Nero, Caligula, and others we vote for time and again, whom are always wicked, and obey, respect, and put our gloves back on when we visit the sick, the window, the orphan, the stranger, because politics is a distraction to where we are called. And it is never to lend legitimacy to the process that abuses these.