Over the past couple of decades, I've rooted for the Republican Party -- to lose elections. It's not simply that I disagree with its platform, though I certainly do.
But there's a bigger issue involved: I believe that the less power the GOP has nationwide, the more likely spiritual revival will break out.
Before you dismiss me as a member of the loony left, hear me out. It's always been my contention that a focus on political matters -- specifically, conservative ideology -- has actually cost us in the long run.
The first thing you need to know is that the political right began as an entirely secular movement in the 1950s. Christians got involved only in the late 1970s, when former Nixon/Goldwater fund-raiser Richard Viguerie, whose spiritual leanings I'm not aware of, encouraged the late Jerry Falwell to found Moral Majority to add to the former's then-growing direct-mail empire. And that's how a pro-business ideology which has nothing to do with the Good News of Jesus Christ has wormed its way into "Christian" politics -- essentially, we sold out to the prevailing culture.
But there's a bigger issue involved: I believe that the less power the GOP has nationwide, the more likely spiritual revival will break out.
Before you dismiss me as a member of the loony left, hear me out. It's always been my contention that a focus on political matters -- specifically, conservative ideology -- has actually cost us in the long run.
The first thing you need to know is that the political right began as an entirely secular movement in the 1950s. Christians got involved only in the late 1970s, when former Nixon/Goldwater fund-raiser Richard Viguerie, whose spiritual leanings I'm not aware of, encouraged the late Jerry Falwell to found Moral Majority to add to the former's then-growing direct-mail empire. And that's how a pro-business ideology which has nothing to do with the Good News of Jesus Christ has wormed its way into "Christian" politics -- essentially, we sold out to the prevailing culture.
However, that alliance is crumbling, with "religious right" organizations becoming irrelevant -- notice that few people talk about abortion these days, and we've lost the war against "gay marriage" -- but secular conservatives becoming seemingly stronger by the day. Indeed, right now we couldn't witness to the non-religious right if we wanted to because our goals are almost exactly the same.
Thank God that He's doing something different. I look for a new movement that seeks reconciliation rather than division. I look for people more interested in ministry than demonization of "targets." And, above all, I look for reconcilers -- prayer warriors seeking Christ and His Kingdom and not satisfied with the trappings of modern "evangelical Christianity." So God has to take us out of all that -- and there will become a time when our so-called friends expose themselves as our enemies.
1 comment:
I have always thought that the "Religious Right" was wrong. A person cannot believe in Jesus and Ayn Rand, they are not compatible.
If you love your neighbor as yourself, you aren't going to ship his job to a place where they can enslave workers. (Those slaves are our neighbors too).
I am a leftie, love Jesus and TRY to follow him (not always succeeding), but no one can tell me that the Lord would let children starve so that multinational corporations can make a few more billions.
I will never hate Gays, Muslims, or average Americans. I don't care when the world was exactly made. It doesn't help me. (Though, I tend to believe science, but who knows how long God's days are, since the sun wasn't made until the third day).
I hope there is a true rise in faith, because there is true freedom in Jesus. Jesus attracted people, the Religious Right repels.
The Gospel is the "Good News" not something to scare people with.
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