Things are heating up in the 2012 Presidential Campaign
between President Obama and Governor Romney. Attack ads from both candidates
aimed at the other are all over the radio and television. The amount of money
spent on these advertisements is enough to feed a third world country for years
to come. Frankly, this over-spending sickens me. It is nearly impossible to
tune into the news and get an unbiased, fact-based, spin-free take on each
candidate’s social, economic, and military policies. The volatility, angst, and
demonizing that fuels this campaign is, at first glance, hopelessly unredeemable.
However, upon closer inspection, this emotionally charged political context is
a field perfectly ripe for the Church and the optimistic hope she extends. So
my advice is not to disengage from the political pessimism, but to engage it
with values reflecting the kingdom of God. Here are a few things for followers
of Christ to keep in mind as November nears:
·
Be known
more for your allegiance to Christ than your political affiliation. There
are some Christians among us who are known in their workplace and neighborhood,
even their church, more for their Democratic ideals or Republican vision than
for their Christian faith. Our number one commitment is to the often
counter-cultural values of Christ’s kingdom not to the politics of our party.
Whether you are a Republican, a Democrat or an Independent, certain policies of
your party clearly do not always align with Christ. We gain credibility and
Christ gets exalted when we admit this. If I asked someone in your office, neighborhood,
or extended family to tell me what makes you tick, would they mention the
Prince of Peace or your political party?
·
Always avoid
political hate-speech. I have heard preachers from the pulpit call certain
politicians the anti-Christ. More often, I have observed long-time Christians
talking about Hillary Clinton or George Bush with venomous hatred in their
voices and words. It may be okay for a reporter on Fox or CNN to use
hate-speech, but when used by a Christ-follower it diminishes their witness to
the world concerning the God of love. I am not at all suggesting that in the
name of love we never speak out against the social and economic injustices of a
politician or a party. I am suggesting that our naming of injustice should
never turn into childish name-calling.
·
Don’t be
a lemming. A lemming is defined as “a person who unthinkingly joins a mass
movement.” Forgive me for the potential offensiveness of this imagery, but I tire
of watching Christians simply take their political cues from others without critically
and prayerfully thinking through the issues. While I sometimes appreciate the political
commentary of people like James Dobson, the late Chuck Colson, Tony Campolo,
and Shane Claiborne, it would be inauthentic and perhaps foolish to buy into
their political convictions cart blanche without thinking through and
developing our own. Perhaps your wrestling through the political issues with
the help of Scripture and prayer will lead you to some different, and maybe even
better convictions.
As
always I welcome your thoughts, even and especially if they conflict with my
own.
Peace,
Lenny
