(Excerpt from original posting on Theology of Nuance on October 15, 2006)

Our historical context hides the carnal biases and fools us into giving our hearts to these benign or even noble clubs and causes. Even when we recognize the potential for harm, we often have trouble tempering our desire (lust) for the thing or ideal with which we’ve identified.
Sports fanaticism may become “religion” for which we may spiritually harm our fellow man.

Governmental Political zeal may become “religion” as well, as we condemn those with whom we disagree, and thus harm our ability to reveal Jesus’ love, hope, and healing to these souls still held captive by our Lord’s adversary.

A single issue may become our “religion” and overtake our “faith”, as priority and focus.
1. Pro-life
2. Democracy
3. Freedom of Speech
4. Equality
5. Freedom of Religion
6. Right to privacy
7. Right to keep & bear arms
8. Right to Own Property
9. Liberty
10. Right to Pray

All of these and dozens, if not thousands, of other issues are offered to us by the world, or more accurately, the devil, to encourage us as “Ambassadors of Christ” to give up our purpose/focus and instead physically or intellectually fight our fellow man for an issue, instead of Spiritually fighting the adversary (satan) for the captured and lost soul of our fellow man.
["The meaning of life, is to Glorify Jesus…" "But how?" We should consider this question, because it helps us to focus our energy on the same goal that our Heavenly Father has.]

Should the purpose/focus of the Church be diverted by these various issues, which are only symptoms of our fallen world?

What happened when the Apostle Peter lost his focus on Jesus?

What happened to Field Marshal Rommel’s forces when Gen. Patton, in WWII, was able to divert Nazi Germany’s focus to Pas-de-Calais in Northern France?

Did Christ come to make this lost world more moral, just, kind, generous, equal, peaceful, progressive, conservative, environmentally sustainable?

Are we to condemn “Western Powers” for CO2 emissions?

Are we to condemn the world for abortion?

Are we to condemn the USA for the Middle East war?

Should we condemn the USA for not “helping” Israel more?

Are we to condemn the Democrat Party for weakening America’s defense status?

Are we to condemn the Republican Party for bloodthirsty war mongering?

Are we to condemn the Mass Media for distorting the “truth”?

Are we to condemn the Hezbullah for attacking Israel?

Are we to condemn Israel for attacking Hezbollah?

Should we be diverted to condemn immorality in the media, culture, USA, hip hop/rap music, Hollywood, (all of which are a.k.a. the World)?

What purpose did Jesus give for coming into the World?

Was he vague?

Was it for condemnation? Do we condemn?

Or do we serve and save?
Because…
1. Condemnation and salvation are not the same.
2. Condemnation is not a service.
3. Condemnation is not a mission.
4. Condemnation is not noble.
5. Condemnation glorifies satan (the accuser), not Jesus (the Savior).
6. Condemnation is not Jesus’ “Great Commission” to His Wife (the Church.) Mt. 28:18-20

God bless,

DSM

p.s. The painting at the top of this post depicts the last supper. Any idea how many divergent politcal views sat around this table? Yet, these men were focused on one thing…, the Kingdom of Heaven. Christ made them all political allies with only one special interest, saving their fellow man’s eternal soul. Maybe, this should tell us something, too.

Concerning the articles below…forget for a moment whatever your position might be on the war and pretend the same conflict of interests exists over one of your own pet issues…like say abortion, gay marriage, cat juggling or whatever…Say your Church takes a stand on that issue contrary to what the goverment is considering doing or has done and the government decides to make moves to shut you up and shut you down. This is indeed an untennable situation for us to be in. Now, really think about whether its possible to get around this situation of unacceptable compromise by infiltrating the government with Christians. Or would it not be better to work in unity and servanthood within the Church…in other words BE the Church…BE the City on a Hill….BE salt and Light…be an example instead of being in a business arrangement where you can never really serve two masters at once? This does not mean sitting back and doing nothing while the World (government) countermands us. After all…BE ( as in- BE the Church) is a verb.
I have long held the belief, bolstered by my knowledge of the American Indian experience (the concept of manifest destiny) as well as examples taken from Islam- that when geo-politics and religion, church and empire mix…bad things happen. Keeping the Church and empire seperate seems then to be healthy for both in the end. Feel free to comment…I am not trying to flaunt my “rightness”….I am seeking the right answers just like you.

Here’s two articles about a case that clearly demonstrates how the government always subordinates the message of the Church and how the Church co-opts itself to the Government. The second link that argues the Government’s case is the most telling of the two with its “Business Deal” thesis.
The third link is a pdf file of the incident that put the IRS on the Church’s tail.

Cut and paste these url’s to read the articles

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/1107-02.htm

http://www.christianexaminer.com/Articles/Articles Jan06/Art_Jan06_oped2.html

http://www.allsaints-pas.org/pdf/

ALERT!!!

Ok- forget whatever your position might be on the issue being discussed in this article and see if you can spot a slight inconsistency with the application of the IRS laws- this group apparently being immune. Be sure to run the video stream and take special note of the big posters of candidates behind the speaker…UNBELIEVABLE….the double standard…my God!! this regime is wiping their butt with the constitution…it seems they only police those who disagree with them…or at least just those that mess with their pet campaign issues (copy and paste the url):

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/05/05/1429230&mode=thread&tid=25

cross reference this article with the article entitled “The Christian Right and the Rising Power of the Evangelical Political Movement” – by clicking on “All Saints” at the bottom of this post.