As we continue on the path towards the conventions where the political parties will nominate a candidate for November’s General Election, I must give pause and consider that my brethren in the faith are on both sides of the aisle. Some are supporting Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and the Green Party; and while I understand (to a degree) why many of my brothers and sisters are supporting the candidate of their choice, I always wonder if their support comes from a true understanding of the political system, the true context of the issues, and our faith. I also wonder if their support is more emotional fanfare than it is heartfelt substance, because if it’s the former rather than the latter, then I also wonder about some of their other life decisions and if some of those decisions are more emotional than they are substantive. If so, which life decisions are they, and why? Conversely, if it’s the latter rather than the former, then that begs the questions, “through which lense or context are my brethren making political decisions?”
To be clear, the Body of Christ is not a political party, and this is not a partisan article. The Body of Christ is a spiritual organism (a body of Christ’s believers throughout the Earth) through which the life of God is (supposed to be) made manifest. God is not the creator of any political party. Humans created these parties and whether or not humans in these parties are following God and/or His principles is another topic.
So what does all of this talk about God and His followers have to do with the election? Well, it has to do more with how some of our brethren and their political parties of choice are being exposed. Now, for the sake of time and space, let’s just focus on the Republicans and the Democrats.
Generally-speaking, the Republicans pontificate about their love for God, the Bible, and a strict adherence to the Constitution. But if you examine many of the actions of some of its member, it is clear to see that much of their love for God is not as much in deed as it is in word. I’ve called out many Republicans on their beliefs and asked them to cite a Scriptural context to shore up their assertions. More times than not, I get some lame excuse or political nonsense as an answer. So call it a disconnect or hypocrisy, but the reality is that the walking and the preaching are not always a harmonious tandem. An example of this is Republican Party’s soapbox platform stance that mirrors the beginning of the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed;”
The Political Party 2016 Pt. 2