How many sermons have you heard that point to professional athletes and corporate magnates as examples? Have you ever wondered why a Christian should want to be like Michael Jordan or Bill Gates?
Whenever hard work, persistence, and determination are illustrated for us, it's typically in the form of some hardscrabble story, like the one about the poor boy from East L.A. with rickets and hydrocephaly. He ignores the naysayers, overcomes peer pressure from his street gang, and becomes a Heisman trophy winner, NFL Hall of Famer, millionaire, and movie actor married to a beautiful blonde. Too bad he's also O. J. Simpson.
It seems as though it never occurs to those that regurgitate these stories that not all hard work, perseverance, and winning is good. In fact, much of this striving is based on a warped need for approval or control. It's often self-centered, obsessive, and damaging to those who love the supposed role model. But does that matter? No! They're winners. And shouldn't we all desire to be winners?
No. We should desire to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.” (Micah 6:8) Well, most kind and humble people don't get a lot of reward or recognition in this world. They usually don't win ball games or the corner office. In fact, they really don't CARE about those things anyway.
I know that God often gives those things to people who are serving him faithfully. One biblical example might be the Joseph of Technicolor Dreamcoat fame. And I know of godly people who have gained position and financial security. But they couldn't care less about those things apart from any use they may have for God's glory. They pour the money back into charity and church and use their power to effect positive, compassionate change.
Another fallacy of these illustrations are the unrealistic expectations they set up. But that's a whole other post.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Jesus and the GOP
I must have missed a critical Sunday School lesson somewhere along the way. I know I learned that Jesus loved me. I also remember reading about his kindness to those who were outcasts such as tax collectors and prostitutes. I vividly recall the story of his death and resurrection, his visit to the disciples afterward, and Thomas touching his scars and believing.
But I must have been out the day everyone else read about Jesus registering with the Republican Party and adopting a platform just this side of Barry Goldwater.
It could very well be true. There are plenty of lessons I learned by inference and the example of others rather than in church or from the Bible. This is how I found out God is not too keen on seeing movies at theaters but you can watch them at home anytime. He especially detests smoking but will let gluttony slide. And beer sold on Saturday at 11:59 p.m. is tolerable but on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. it's an abomination.
So it is not altogether unreasonable to deduce - what with the political ads implying so - that Jesus is a Republican. With conservative Christian values, of course.
So, if I'm getting straight what I hear from Christian TV and radio, Jesus is a laissez-faire free-market capitalist who detests government regulation of business. He thinks anyone who considers the environmental impact of manufacturing is a tree-hugging, Birkenstock-wearing pothead. He's never seen a weapons system he didn't like. He figures cutting government contract deals with cronies is just part of doing business.
Had enough sarcasm?
My point is that we all say (I hope!) that God prefers neither dominant party or ideology - Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal. But Christians got suckered into acting like He does about twenty-five years ago, give or take. Before that, evangelicals were largely populists - social conservatives and economic liberals. The Republicans co-opted our vote primarily by opposing abortion and supporting school prayer (without actually doing much about either). We've been a lock for them ever since. But instead of us influencing them, they've influenced us. Evangelicals now support the party line on everything - from the economy to social security to oil policy - simply because the party courted us on two issues, got what they wanted, and comes back wrapped in the flag and God's name every two years to get more.
Should we tell injured parties that corporations must operate unchecked and that over the course of decades market forces alone will eventually make these businesses public benefactors rather than threats? Doubtful. Do we really want to tell our children that we take little thought of the environment they will inherit or the resources we squander? I don't think so.
Yet we do it every time we support politicians who make corporations immune to lawsuits in exchange for campaign support, future board positions, and exotic travel opportunities. We send that message every time we defend energy policies that foul our air and avoid new power sources strictly out of blatant subservience to huge oil conglomerates. And we repeat it every time rights and liberty are eroded in the name of security.
It is wicked and abominable that we allow them to use us in this way.
Am I a Democrat? No way. Their capitulation to the abortion industry and militant secularism is abhorrent. But I refuse to make the blanket judgment that anything that comes out of any Democrat's mouth is wrong. Or, conversely, that everything a Republican says is right. That's utter foolishness. Wisdom is in a multitude of counsel, not in a gang of people who already agree with me.
We should not be married to any party or political ideology. Read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Can you honestly say - without qualification - that Jesus would be completely endorsed on every count, in practical application, by either side of our system? Not in a million years. And that's because He isn't about warring philosophies or beating the other guy or proving He's right. He's just Himself.
He is the truth - take Him or leave Him. But don't try to graft Him onto your politics. He transcends your ideology. And in many ways He will contradict your ideology. Please remember that the next time a politician tells you he's a God-fearing across-the-board conservative. Sometimes those two things are mutually exclusive.
But I must have been out the day everyone else read about Jesus registering with the Republican Party and adopting a platform just this side of Barry Goldwater.
It could very well be true. There are plenty of lessons I learned by inference and the example of others rather than in church or from the Bible. This is how I found out God is not too keen on seeing movies at theaters but you can watch them at home anytime. He especially detests smoking but will let gluttony slide. And beer sold on Saturday at 11:59 p.m. is tolerable but on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. it's an abomination.
So it is not altogether unreasonable to deduce - what with the political ads implying so - that Jesus is a Republican. With conservative Christian values, of course.
So, if I'm getting straight what I hear from Christian TV and radio, Jesus is a laissez-faire free-market capitalist who detests government regulation of business. He thinks anyone who considers the environmental impact of manufacturing is a tree-hugging, Birkenstock-wearing pothead. He's never seen a weapons system he didn't like. He figures cutting government contract deals with cronies is just part of doing business.
Had enough sarcasm?
My point is that we all say (I hope!) that God prefers neither dominant party or ideology - Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal. But Christians got suckered into acting like He does about twenty-five years ago, give or take. Before that, evangelicals were largely populists - social conservatives and economic liberals. The Republicans co-opted our vote primarily by opposing abortion and supporting school prayer (without actually doing much about either). We've been a lock for them ever since. But instead of us influencing them, they've influenced us. Evangelicals now support the party line on everything - from the economy to social security to oil policy - simply because the party courted us on two issues, got what they wanted, and comes back wrapped in the flag and God's name every two years to get more.
Should we tell injured parties that corporations must operate unchecked and that over the course of decades market forces alone will eventually make these businesses public benefactors rather than threats? Doubtful. Do we really want to tell our children that we take little thought of the environment they will inherit or the resources we squander? I don't think so.
Yet we do it every time we support politicians who make corporations immune to lawsuits in exchange for campaign support, future board positions, and exotic travel opportunities. We send that message every time we defend energy policies that foul our air and avoid new power sources strictly out of blatant subservience to huge oil conglomerates. And we repeat it every time rights and liberty are eroded in the name of security.
It is wicked and abominable that we allow them to use us in this way.
Am I a Democrat? No way. Their capitulation to the abortion industry and militant secularism is abhorrent. But I refuse to make the blanket judgment that anything that comes out of any Democrat's mouth is wrong. Or, conversely, that everything a Republican says is right. That's utter foolishness. Wisdom is in a multitude of counsel, not in a gang of people who already agree with me.
We should not be married to any party or political ideology. Read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Can you honestly say - without qualification - that Jesus would be completely endorsed on every count, in practical application, by either side of our system? Not in a million years. And that's because He isn't about warring philosophies or beating the other guy or proving He's right. He's just Himself.
He is the truth - take Him or leave Him. But don't try to graft Him onto your politics. He transcends your ideology. And in many ways He will contradict your ideology. Please remember that the next time a politician tells you he's a God-fearing across-the-board conservative. Sometimes those two things are mutually exclusive.
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