Election Week Musings (1)

 

O my, where to begin? This is like trying to walk across an eight-lane interstate highway without being hit by a car or truck. I have a number of thoughts; perhaps I’d better do a series of posts, otherwise it will be too much.

 

 

For the record, the United States of America and the Kingdom of God are not the same, they are not even close, and they never have been. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God; that’s me, that’s you, and that is any and all political systems and governments of this world which are, of course, made up of people born in sin.

 

Now if you are reacting against the above notion, and you are a professing Christian, I’ll have to ask why you have heartburn? Ought Christians not to be clear that we are to have no other gods in the Presence of the One True God? We can’t serve two masters. Ought not our testimony to the world be clear and certain that the Church and Gospel transcend borders, ethnic groups, economics, and political preferences?

 

I realize that this is difficult for those of us raised in the United States, I can’t speak for those raised in other countries, I can only speak from my own experience. As I have written before, I was raised to think and feel as if the United States of America and the Kingdom of God were, to all intents and purposes, synonymous. Just as someone once said that what is good for General Motors is good for the United States, I was functionally raised to think that what is good for the United States is good for the Kingdom of God. I saw no functional distinction between the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bible. It was not until I was in my early 50s that I began to question my uncritical outlook on politics, government, and syncretistic Christian - nationalism. Here is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to a young pastor earlier this year:

Some Background:

I was not only raised to think and believe that the United States of America and Christianity were virtually (and certainly functionally) synonymous; I was also raised by a politically conscious mother. I vividly recall wearing presidential and senatorial campaign buttons to school during the election of 1960 (we could still do that back then without fear that we’d bruise feelings). Kids who displayed buttons for other candidates were still friends – we didn’t let our campaign buttons come between us. I imagine the buttons were more for fun than for anything else, but at least the experience made us aware that there were political campaigns in process.

I recall watching political conventions on television as a child – when such conventions still actually mattered.

I recall, as a child, going to hear candidates speak.

I recall, as a child, my mother talking to me about politics.

I recall, as a child living in the Washington, D.C. area, countless trips to memorials and museums.

I have loved history since my early days, and have read history, including U.S. history, since I was a child. I was so well – versed in U.S. history, that I recall an occasion in the sixth grade when a fellow student did not have his oral report ready on U.S. history and I volunteered to give it on the spot…and did so. (As I write this it appears that I was arrogant, but I really didn’t have that feeling at the time – though I know what it is to be arrogant! – I simply loved history and wanted to talk about the subject – I think it was the Missouri Compromise).

I volunteered for the Army during Vietnam (I was stationed in Germany and the States).

Both of my two brothers volunteered for the Army and one was a career solider.

Many of my ancestors have served in both political and military arenas: My Dad in WWII, my grandfather in WWI, my great-grandfather (and others on both sides) in the Civil War (my great-grandfather was captured during Pickett’s Charge).

My great-great-great grandfather Withers (and others) served in the Revolution.

Patrick Henry, my fifth great-grandfather, who did much more than his famous “Liberty and Death” speech, was a father of the Revolution. He was a member of the First Continental Congress, and a multi-term governor of Virginian who helped keep Washington’s army supplied during the war. (Story for another time – Henry came to see how “patriotism” could be a cloak for avarice and injustice and contrary to Christianity!).

My point in all of this is the same as Paul’s point in Philippians Chapter 3, I have a pedigree and I am about to make some statements that are contrary to the common assumptions of my pedigree. Goodness, I’ll soon be 70-years old and I don’t need someone to say, “Wow, Patrick Henry is your fifth great-grandfather!” I’ll be dead sooner than later and on my face before our Lord Jesus…not before Patrick Henry or anyone else – though I do believe Henry came to know our Lord Jesus (story for another time).

 

My First Watershed Moment:

My first watershed moment came during the President Bill Clinton – Monica Lewinsky scandal. I was home one afternoon watching C-Span on television. The channel was showing a national conference of a “Christian” organization whose focus was “family values” and politics. Speaker after speaker was attacking President Clinton with vitriol and disrespect. As I watched and listened to the venom I thought, “What is a non-Christian thinking who is watching this? How is this portraying Jesus Christ? Where is a heartfelt appeal to the President and Ms. Lewinsky that acknowledges that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, including the speakers? Where is the message to Mr. and Mrs. Clinton that God heals marriages?”

Before this particular afternoon I had been disrespectful of the Clintons on many occasions and I was deeply convicted of my own attitudes and words as I watched, as it were, myself in this succession of speakers.

I still thought that Mr. Clinton should have resigned or been removed from office, and I still hold that position, but I realized that a call for accountability and repentance should be imbued with mercy, hope, and communicated by messengers with broken hearts before our Lord Jesus Christ.

I’ll also mention that during this time a nationally - prominent “Christian” leader was spending much of his television time, and the resources of his formidable network of Christian organizations, relentlessly attacking Mr. and Mrs. Clinton – without mercy, without charity, without brokenness, without the hope of the Christ of the Cross and the Cross of Christ.

While the Clintons were being attacked by one “Christian” element, a group of pastors and other followers of Jesus were meeting with the Clintons on a regular basis trying to help them. I knew one of the people in this network and I recall him saying, “One of the questions the Clinton’s ask us is, ‘Why do so many Christians hate us?’” (Titus 3:1 – 2 has become a “go-to” passage for me).

However, as you will now see, I am a slow learner and our merciful Father had to once again convict me of my attitude toward the affairs of politics and government – this had to do with the Bush – Gore election.

 

My Second Watershed Moment:

I wanted George Bush to win the election – period. I’ll not explore why I wanted this because it really isn’t important, but I wanted him to win. When the problem with Florida voting became known and the issue worked its way to the United States Supreme Court, I wanted Mr. Bush to win and Mr. Gore to lose. I was intensely passionate about this; it was something that took residence in my mind and heart. When Mr. Bush won the election, or at least when the Supreme Court decided in his favor, I was relieved and happy…for a short time, for a very short time. Isn’t it a grand and wonderful thing that our Father and Lord Jesus love us enough to show us who we are outside of Him? Isn’t it marvelous that they do not leave us to ourselves?

Within perhaps a week of the Supreme Court’s decision, the Holy Spirit essentially said to me (in my heart and mind), “You didn’t care what the truth was about the votes. You didn’t care about the facts. You simply wanted George Bush to win and Al Gore to lose no matter how it happened. You didn’t care about righteousness and justice.”

Well Jeremy, my soul was smitten, and I was convicted. I thought, “O my! I am not only a Christian, a son of the Living God, but I am a pastor – and I don’t care about the truth!”

This frightened me, it scared me, and it broke my heart before our Lord Jesus. This wound that heals remains with me and is a reminder that when I touch the politics and governments of this world - that I am to live in the Cross and the Cross is to live in me.