The
Start of the Discussion
For the most part I don’t believe that Christianity and politics
mix. The basic reason is that politics
cannot possibly be redemptive. Only
Jesus is redemptive. Once in a while,
I’m dumb enough to bite on an issue.
This year’s Republican convention is a case in point. Within a few moments, I was fuming and wrote
the following:
I’ve got no use for a non-Christian candidate hiding
behind the Christian hymn, “Amazing Grace.”
I’ve got no use for a candidate who can’t spell small business who
builds his opening overture on small business people. I’ve got no use for a small businessperson
who claims to blame business problems on no one else, then proceeds to blame
his failures on [his political] opponents.
I’ve got no use for a candidate whose only real policy is, defeat that
other guy. You’re thinking I’m
anti-so-and-so. You’re wrong. I don’t like either one of them.
My
Further Response to Comments from Friends
That's pretty much how I see it. I just can't escape the notion that both of
these men are evil. The image of Nixon
taking over a Billy Graham crusade keeps screaming at me. The choices in this election terrify me. However, I’m glad that I’ve got both Democrat
and Republican friends who have made peace with it, and I sincerely hope you’re
both right. Still, that can’t possibly
be true, can it?
My
World View and the Candidates
I guess my idea of the end of the world influences me
far too much, but I have a very pessimistic view of politics in general. I believe that a non-Christian hiding behind
Christianity is evil. I also believe
that betrayal of Christianity by a false Christian is evil. I think those two sentences describe our two
candidates adequately. I’ll leave which
is which unsaid; both sentences could be applied to either candidate in my
view.
If Obama wins, I see four more years of disaster. If Romney wins, I see four years of
Nixon. Which is worse, Tricky Dick
reincarnate or Slick Willy reincarnate?
I think our best bet is to hope for strongly opposing parties in
Executive and Legislative branches and four more years of locked up lame duck
do-nothing-ism. Maybe, four years from
now something else will surface.
On the bottom line, all my heroes have disillusioned
me. Newt is a rat. Fred Thompson has turned into a supporter of
bad banking. Paul’s foreign policy is
insane. McCain-Palin just shot
themselves in the foot. Rick Santorum
weenied out. Rick is still my guy.
My
Theological Perspectives
I get the Roman Catholic support of Romney, I really
do. In fact, I totally agree with the
five non-negotiables, I support them, they are Christian totally values, not
subject to debate. However, I think that
Romney, if elected, will just stab us in the back again, the five
non-negotiables will be in the trash again, and we’ll have other problems with
the big money power play, etc....
Both candidates talk like dictators, neither one has any
real moral strength, and the Republicans have yet to field one real
policy. At least Fred Thompson, shill
that he has become, knew how to form policy.
So did Reagan, but the current crop do not.
My
Christian Solution
I’m going to enraged many Roman Catholics and a lot of Orthodox just by
proposing the following silly idea. Even
though I’ve already lost, let me continue with my foolishness. Please bear with me.
My solution? The
Church must become One. The Roman Catholics,
the Orthodox, and all the little Protestant fragments have to stop saying we’re
IT,
and come to the table with real parity for a real Ecumenical Council. That means everybody invited has a real
equality in the discussion and voting.
It means that nothing is canonized or enacted without unanimous
consent. It also means we have a big
problem: for many groups call themselves Christians who have left the faith.
So how would we ever get such a group together? Well, the Pope could relinquish his claim to
be head over all, accept his office as First among Equals, and invite the
delegates from Orthodox and conservative Protestant bodies.
The first act of such a body would need to be the full
restoration of Apostolic succession.
That would require many ordinations to take place and be accepted by all
concerned, so that all could come to the table in Apostolic parity.
Then many cross confessions would be required, so that
all could come to the table having put away every grudge and historic
wrongdoing or even slight.
Finally, all local Councils and Synods, together with
all ex-cathedra statements would need to be vacated, especially those enacted
since 1054. Then the difficult task of
hammering out unity could begin. What
about the the five non-negotiables and the culture of death? The Pope would simply invite all who
sincerely subscribe to the five non-negotiables and oppose the culture of death. If we were lucky, we would at least have a
body that believes that the Ten Commandments are binding on Christians.
If such a body could ever be established it would need
to attack the issue of debt slavery very quickly and apply enough pressure to
put it out of existence.
A
Tentative Conclusion
Many will form the conclusion that I’m being
disrespectful of either the Orthodox or Roman Catholic or other churches. Nothing could be further from the truth. This idea comes from my deepest respect for
Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and other churches.
Now that I’ve managed to make the whole world mad at me,
I’ll quit with this parting shot. We’ve
got to wash one another’s feet. I saw in
the news, an Irish priest doing exactly that and I can only applaud his courageous
action. One thing for sure, if nobody is
willing to give up anything, the table of unity will never come together. I’d be glad to make a list of all the things
I’m willing to give up for real Christian peace: but then, I’ve got no
authority.
However,
if we continue to refuse to set aside our prideful boasting, we will continue
to be defeated. We must find a way to
give up the least important in order to find the most essential.
Yours in Christ,
Herb aka Augie
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