US Christians: Do you think Christian political activism is a good thing or a bad thing?

If you are asking this as a serious question to help yourself get a clearer understanding of the issue, it is probably too indepth a subject for this type of forum.

A couple points about Christ. He clearly made it well known that his kingdom is not of this world. Not only was he a revolutionary against those in power, he himself turned down political power when it was offered to him by Satan (Lk 4:5-8, Matt 4:8-10). He didn't command his disciples to go and grab the reins of political and religious power; he said go and make disciples.

1 Tim 2:1-2 states:

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (NIV)

In other words, pray that the govt sets up laws that allows the most righteous and innocent subjects to practice their beliefs in peace & quietness. The laws should do nothing more than proctect the righteous & innocent.

Martin Luther stated, "I would rather be ruled by a competent Turk than an incompetent Christian." In a similar vein, Gene Callahan, author of Economics for Real People stated, "I am relatively uninterested in who holds the reins of power. My interest is in making those reins a lot less powerful, so that I won't care so much who is holding them."

Unfortunately, the average evangelical American Xn (both left wing & right wing) place their faith and hope in the political process instead of Jesus Christ. The bible states not to steal and not to covet. Yet Xns covet political power in spite of Christ's example to do otherwise. Using political power to force other people to pay for what you want done is theft. Xns need to come to a clear understanding that political power is not the goal of Christianity. As Christopher Manion once said, "I know we're supposed to render unto Caesar, but who said we had to vote for him?"

In regards to fruitcake's point about school: The problem is not getting the right curriculum in the schools, the problem is that the govt runs the schools and determines what is taught. Education solutions (as most everything) should be left to the market. That way parents can make decisions they prefer on where & how their children receive formal education.

Regarding Mikenanda's point of separation of church and state: A big problem is that the state doesn't allow separation. They force non-profit organizations to get registered and licensed by the state & irs. The govt regulates non-profit entities and continually threatens them with revocation of their charity status if they do anything the govt doesn't like. As long as the govt doesn't allow freedom to charities there cannot be separation of church and state.

The govt has historically stood in opposition to the church. There is good reason the Antichrist as well as the smaller antichrists mentioned in John's epistles and Revelation are government entities and political figures. The church needs to return to its historical roots and and take a stand against the immoral govt, not try to seize its reins of power in a ridiculous and unbiblical attempt to use those reins to advance the kingdom of God.

I believe it is wrong.

Laws and policies should be decided on the basis of right vs. wrong, not whether it is Christian or not.

"Christian" is a vague and loose term used by almost anyone who believes almost anything. Saying you are a Christian does not tell me much per se.

Take the issue of religion in schools. I'm a Christian but I am not Church of God, Catholic, Mormon, JW, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist or Pentecostal. So I would not want my child taught in school that their major beliefs are right.

I would want them to be taught the Bible and about it's influence on Western thought and history and exposed to its great literature

Other "Christian" issues such as homosexuality, abortion, gay marriage: Christians and Christian churches have different views on these topics.

There is no such thing as "Christian" politics just as there is no such thing as "political correctness".

YES! It's very normal. You have to persevere and push through it. It's spiritual opposition to following God. It's actually a good sign. Christianity is often portrayed as a battle and if you're being hit with slings and arrows, you must be a threat to the enemy. Tell your friend to continue in prayer, reading the Bible, and going to church. Quite often, Christians will remember the first couple of weeks after becoming a Christian as the hardest ones in their walk with God. It's not all "puppies and rainbows" as someone on here said. But you do adjust and learn to deal with it. It's part of the process.

I am fed up with Christianity in US politics. There is supposed to be a separation of church and state, but that has disappeared over the past 7 years.

I fully support freedom of speech and have no problem with any group speaking publicly, but I currently see Christianity as overstepping the line (by alot) that separates church from government.

I am also for politicians practicing whatever religion they want, but it should not be invoked in domestic or foreign policy.

It depends on the issues.

IF Christians are active in moving their government towards righting the wrongs and injustices of extreme poverty,. the wealthy stealing their wealth off the backs of their workers (not paying them enough to live on!), helping other countries improve their living conditions, and eradicating the slavery American corporations force on people from other countries who can't afford to fight back, if it is focused on forcing companies to stop using and making destructive and cancer causing agents such as organichlorides, if it is based in fighting against pollution and global warming, than yes, give me some of that Christian Political Action. Let's get it going.

However, if it is going to be about forcing our laws of personal behavior (and some of ours aren't even agreed upon by all) and trying to hinder homosexuals or end abortion (oh, my mother tells me horror stories of CA when they insisted on having every instance--even ectopic pregnancies--agreed upon first by a usually all male ethics committee. Many women DIED waiting for them to make a stinking decision), than I have to say that we need to remember that we Give to God what is God's and give to Ceasar what is Ceaser's.

What people who are concerned with the second form of law imposition, is that somehow, when these laws are passed, all of a sudden, everyone else will slap their foreheads and say "Oh, boy. How wrong I was. I should have become a fundamentalist Christian eons ago" What they don't realize, is that focus on those issues, only give the message to others that all Christians care about is law, condemnation, and judgment.

The first activist list I cited, however, is more concerned with ushering in Christ's vision for the world, in which the poor are given what they need, the wealthy begin to realize how much they don't need and freely give it up, we are good stewards of God's creation, and we help everyone live together more peacefully and mindful of each other and each other's needs.

I think it is immoral to assume that other people are less moral because they don't share your religion. Religion has no place in political discourse, as it is a personal matter.

Today, a young man gave me a silly poem because he's religious and thought he was doing something nice. I was highly insulted by it, but I realized that he doesn't know any better. The poem assumed that I was confused, downtrodden, and in need of help. None of these is true, and I found it quite intrusive and presumptuous that he would target me in this fashion.

Morality has NOTHING to do with Christianity. Many people who have never heard of it are morally pure and superior to most Christians that I have met. There is no need for Christianity in politics to create better morality in the population.

Can you understand, then, why Christianity is completely unwelcome in political life?

No matter what, we will always come in contact with opposition. We will be told we are shoving our morals down their throats. And those who usually say this are the "enemies" of the christian belief.

We are to expect opposition.

The way it has tuned out is ,it's either our morals or there immorality.There is another group of people between us and the atheists called liberals.They didn't say yes but didn't say no either.

Very well written question. Those that feel their views are absolute, don't need democracy. In fact, it's an impediment to the truth.

chrisitianity plays such a stupid role in politics, being republican is the christian thing to do right? why??? and what religious agendas to these politicians actually have???...

And best of all ann coulter spews hateful words in the name of god and elephant...