coffee talk with Drew and Fred ::3::

Patriotic v. Christian

The Patriots are marginal this year with the loss of Tom Brady, however citizen patriots are coming out in droves as the impending election is upon us.

Here at PYM we love political commercials. We approve the message that they send in bashing opposing views. Personally, we’d like to see Obama commercials set to music like “This is why I’m hot” by Mims. Or McCain commercials set to Mariah Carey’s “Hero”.

America is where being patriotic means being a Christian. After all, our money contains the phrase, “in God we trust” right? We sing, “God Bless America” at the 7^th inning stretch. God bless America? God has. (Bell & Golden, Jesus Wants to Save Christians)

This is beyond ‘church and state’. It’s about the individual viewpoint of allegiance to a flag or a kingdom? So how should Christians conduct themselves in matters of politics and patriotism?

Conversation:

Pharisees ask Jesus about giving to Caesar. Jesus seems not to care and says, “Give to Caesar, what belongs to Caesar.” As they’re question is usually the wrong one to be asking.

Where is the line between pulling up and not being a part of anything and not taking it too far with our involvement?

The church and Jesus were taking part in the political process, could have revolted, but they don’t. They don’t protest. Maybe they are with their lives. Would martyrs view their lives as protesting a nation or an empire? No, it was for Christ. It was for His Kingdom.

Christians have a responsibility to stand up to injustice that is done on the political level. Sometimes we supersede God when we elevate and accentuate ourselves in the political realm.

It’s dangerous when Christians attach themselves to a candidate.

Do we vote with our faith because we don’t want to do the hard work of leading a grassroots movement to uphold the values of life that God cares about?

Isn’t it lazy to attach to a candidate who may or may not stand up for the issues that Christians care about? Candidates use buzzwords that scratch the itch to get the ‘evangelical’ vote.

What would Jesus’ response be to what is going on in an election year? Would He even be caught up in it? Does not being involved insinuate that He is apathetic?

We ask the question, “How would Jesus vote?” What if the answer is, he wouldn’t.

Voting polarizes people. Politics polarizes people. Division is not apart of the Kingdom of God.

Didn’t Jesus polarize and divide people? Yeah, so were the Prophets. A messenger of God who speaks with authority is going to be controversial. Are you for God or against God?

Leave America out of it.

Love the people of America regardless of their political beliefs. Love displays sanctity for human life. Life, to the full that is given by a Savior by giving up His on the cross. Liberty, from the sin that entangles our life, binds us to our mistakes and destroys us from the inside out. The pursuit of happiness, as we live each day in step with God’s Holy Spirit in truth, beauty, love, and restoration of our mind, body and soul.