Causes

My wife told me about an interesting article she had read in the New York Times the other day. And it happens to be linked on Mike Cope's blog from a couple of days ago. Here is the link to the article.

"NY Times Article""

Basically the article is about a preacher who would not use the pulpit/church as a platform for political causes. In some cases this angered some church goers in others it let them feel a bit more free.

I think it is very dangerous to have the church be linked to any one cause other than serving others and saving the lost and trying to expand the boundaries of God's kingdom. This is not to say that causes in and of themselves are bad, such as trying to keep marriage between a man and woman or pro-life causes. But what is bad is expecting everyone because you go to church with them to have the same stance on your cause and then if they don't not be able to reconcile the fact that they are still your brother in Christ.

I remember going to a church in abilene one sunday where a member there was running for some political office. He basically got to do a little campaign speech at the end of service and then as we were going to our car after service we were thrust a campaign leaflet by some church member and then had others on our car windshield. I wondered that day, what if I didn't want to vote for this guy because I didn't agree with the policies that he had or just liked the way things were currently being done - does that mean I am not a Christian? The way it was handled it certainly left that impression.

I have also always wondered how people in the historically black churches in America deal with being isolated behind causes. It was church leaders who spurred civil rights movements and historically have supported democratic candidates in elections to promote this cause. But somehow the moral majority claims republicans as the party which must be supported and that democrats are the harbingers of alternative lifestyles and general social undoing. So, what is an african-american christian to do if they associate their church with a cause? Which cause to pick, civil rights, social consciousness? The reality is they probably wish they could chose both - and so do I, but I don't have that choice.

Sometimes I feel very isolated, because there is no political party I will wholeheartedly back. I would like to start a normal human party at least my definition of normal humans - I think there might be some others like me out there, but maybe it would be just a political party of one. No problem for me, I am pretty comfortable inside my own skin.

But to circle back to the original point, do we consider someone who doesn't agree with our political positions somewhat less christian? If we do, I think we have let our earthly causes infiltrate the church and this is just what the devil would like to see happen. But please don't get me wrong - there are some things that aren't a cause and are not up for debate with me: the deity of Christ, the fact that there is one true God, the ruler of the earth and that he sent his one and only son to die for the remission of our sins. This isn't a cause - it is a calling. But outside of that and maybe a few other things if you push the right buttons I am willing to hear your side on many things as long as you are willing to hear mine.

At least that is my fine opinion on this matter.

So just to fill this post with the most irony I can...be sure to vote for Texas independence on Nov 7 - He ain't Kinky, he's my governor! Or I guess you can vote for the other guy, what's his name. Either way - I still love you all - my fine republican or democrat or normal human party friends! Cigars and bio-diesel for all!