0036.

I realize this blog is a little late. I wrote it a few days ago.

I saw a Facebook status (the apparent passive outlet of choice for “passionate” college students) recently that read “Saved, therefore Republican.”

My heart was overcome with a mixture of anger and sadness.
Is this the conclusion we have come to? One party is innately better than the other?
Does this party adhere to more Christ-like standards in any way? Because it is more conservative? Christ was hardly conservative.

Not to say that he was a Democrat, either.

These parties are comprised of people. Broken, corrupt, depraved people. We all are. How can we expect a party, or even a church for that matter, to be exempt from these characteristics?

Jesus constantly challenged politics. He revolutionized society by championing the notion that one should serve God in Heaven above all else. Even the law—y’know, protest the sword if it’s not wielded well.
He even protested tradition.
We serve a King unfathomably larger than man.
Christ never affiliated himself with a political group. Why? He was something altogether different. After all, he was God. God transcends time. He transcends gender. Why would he not also transcend politics?

There are so many more important things to concern ourselves with. I think if all the time spent arguing over politics was spent finding ways to help out the poor or better yet, actually spending time with the poor, there could be significant change for the better.

Yes. You will certainly have your opinions. Who doesn’t? But you are probably not going to change anyone else’s just-as-firmly-rooted opinions with (sometimes hostile) arguing for 3 hours.
It’s enough to make anyone’s head explode.

I know I’m getting off-base, here. I’m trying to organize the thoughts swirling around in my head at the mention of this statement.

I think that as Christians, we are called to live set apart from the constrictions and labels men place on other men. We are not to affiliate ourselves with a candidate so strongly that we immediately judge someone based on what candidate they choose to vote for.
We are to affiliate ourselves with Christ and live radically, not conforming to the patterns of this world. I think one of the patterns of this world is becoming enveloped in and identified so much by a party or a candidate that we are willing to cut down others in order to be correct.
We refuse to voice our opinions with love and gentleness. Rather, we voice them with an air of arrogance and vindictiveness. Anything, even statements which merit no response, to disprove the other and have the upper hand.

No one knows how the plans of the president elect will pan out—whether they will do what they say they will do, whether what they do will be “successful” (whatever that means—more money for the US of A? I don’t know.). Maybe your candidate will be the best leader the world has ever seen. Maybe he will be the worst. Maybe we have no real way of establishing objective qualities that determine a “good” or “bad” president.

But as Derek Webb so eloquently puts it, “we’ll NEVER have a Savior on Capitol Hill.”

I am a Christ follower first, above any other category we place on ourselves. Even “Democrat.” Even “Republican.” Even “American.”