discuss: debating politics
I came across this interesting article from the Assemblies of God website. I liked it because it reflects some of my views on religion and politics.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am no authority in this arena. I have no idea how Jesus and the American polical system are supposed to jive. But I know something wrong when I see it, and this article talks about it.
In fact, it kind of touches a bigger realm: arguing about anything other than religion. The other night, four of my housemates and I engaged in a heated argument about American culture and American views of immigration. I’d not gotten that fired up in an argument in such a long time, not since the days of debating politics around the lunch table in high school.
Since a stupid argument that I started on my Xanga almost three years ago (there’s another post on the topic a few posts later) and following a stiff rebuke that came from a friend, my desire to argue about non-spiritual matters rapidly declined. I’ve since realized that arguing things takes a lot of work, there’s a sharp difference between arguing and discussing, and my bull-headed closemindedness didn’t exactly help my witness as a Christian.
So back to the discussion in my house the other night, where I found myself passionately defending my country’s politics and culture. Was I wrong for doing so? No, I don’t think so. Where I went wrong was that I lost my cool over it. When everyone settled down and started speaking rationally, it was amazing to find that people are willing to listen and accept the views of others! Amazing!
The question is:
How should you, as a Christian, be engaging the realm of political debate?
June 19th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I do recommend participating in politics, since we are called to promote Jesus. I will agree that it is bad to get angry when discussing anything but religion for the reasons and the article mentioned above.
But I will go so far as to include that it can be extended into arguing about religion. Donald Miller writes in Blue Like Jazz that “sooner or later you just figure out there are some guys who don’t believe in God and they can prove that He doesn’t exist, and some other guys who do believe in God and can prove that He does exist, and the argument stopped being about God a long time ago and now it’s about who is smarter.”
I was rather intrigued by what was written there. How can it be wrong to argue about the existence of God? My answer would be when it’s not about the cross. If you are discussing something just to promote yourself and your ideas, and not Jesus, then it should not be discussed. Sure, a conversation can start with good intentions. But if you’re forgotten the true meaning of life on Earth, then you’re just living like the world.
June 20th, 2008 at 12:20 am
That’s a good point. Jesus never called us to have all the answers in an apologetics debate; He only called us to spread the Word. Now I’m not knocking apologetics as there is certainly a place for it, but it’s not required to say that Jesus died for your sins.
Just to play devil’s advocate, PCEevee, how should a Christian engage a subject such as, say, taxation of the wealthy or the USA PATRIOT Act? Things that may not be blatantly related to our faith but we feel passionately about? Should we accept our rights being limited for the sake of fighting terrorism or should we look at it apathetically because, rights or not, our mission as Christians remains the same?
June 20th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Okay, you got me there. We do have to live in the world and not distance ourselves from it (though not live like the world), so that does involve saying worldly things, though we shouldn’t ever forget the cross.
But I will ask how people can feel passionate about the political subjects that you mentioned if they are focused on God. Maybe it’s just with me, but I actually was going to say in my first comment that said that there was a (possibly related) negative correlation between interest in politics and interest in Jesus. I feel that Jesus can cause change in people, much more than being in politics (though I’m not saying that politics can’t change people, just maybe not that inspiring due to control outside of ordinary humans). It’s kind of hard to explain, in my opinion.
Though if they do feel passionate about said subjects, then as long as they have spent time asking God about it, then they can promote it.