Jesus' "Political Affiliation"????

[Scarletprayers]

I'd have to agree with Nebula on this one...if we're gonna try to put Christ into any political viewpoint, I'd have to say Theocratic.

I 3rd Neb's post!

[mathqueen]

And I 4th it, but as I said in my second post here, how do I respond to the other issues in a way that makes these people want more of Jesus and less of "Protect your family from the Chrisitan coalition" stickers?

[Iryssa]

Apart from writing up examples of "what to say when they say _____," (and I could never possibly cover everything they might say) all I have is this:

- pray before you speak

- remember that your goal is not to make them believe abortion is wrong or that homosexuality is wrong: your goal is to show them Christ. If they come to accept Christ, the rest of that stuff will follow.

- Your walk has more effect than mere talk: Don't worry if you don't have all the answers. In fact, when you don't have the answer, you could just say "I don't have all the answers, I just love the One who does."

[mathqueen]

Apart from writing up examples of "what to say when they say _____," (and I could never possibly cover everything they might say) all I have is this:

- pray before you speak

- remember that your goal is not to make them believe abortion is wrong or that homosexuality is wrong: your goal is to show them Christ. If they come to accept Christ, the rest of that stuff will follow.

- Your walk has more effect than mere talk: Don't worry if you don't have all the answers. In fact, when you don't have the answer, you could just say "I don't have all the answers, I just love the One who does."

Thanks a bunch! Very practical advice, and I will do that.

[forrestkc]

They didn't vote in Jesus' day. They were under the oppressive rule of Rome. Of note is He did nothing to change that.

Because he did not want to be charged with sedition. However, he did not found a compartmentalized religion either where one thing is expected of ones personal actions, and another of their elected governments.

[Treasure]

I understand that this is a serious topic but the thought that has crossed my mind in reading this is that Jesus was (and is) a liberator, even the liberator. He came to set the captives free.

[forrestkc]

A colleague and I were discussing the results of my quiz (I tested socialist/democrat, which was a SHOCK because I have always believed Christianity = Rebublican,

That is because of the rhetoric of the Religious Right and of many Republicans associated with them. Tom Delay told crowds more than once that God wanted them to vote Republican, and these "voter information guides" handed out at many conservative churches are a joke, nothing but propaganda for the Republican Party.

That all said, there is a bestseller from a couple of years ago that addresses this very subject, its God's Politics - Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It, A New Vision for Faith and Politics in American by Jim Wallis.

Basically the message of the book is that there is a politics of God, neither side really gets it, and that God is personal but never private. He talks about how faith should influence your politics, a moral response to terrorism, peace in the Middle East, asks "When did Jesus become Pro-Rich?", asks "When did Jesus become Pro-War", and asks "When did Jesus become a Selective Moralist".

The message is, and wholly backed with scripture, that the left is right about poverty (but services it instead of also recognizing personal responsibility), social justice, conservation, and largely right about peace, and right is right about personal responsibility (except that we do also have a collective responsibility to the less fortunate) and the sanctity of life, but does not have a consistent ethic of life.

Anyway, its a popular book, probably would be a good way of answering your questions.

[Iryssa]

That all said, there is a bestseller from a couple of years ago that addresses this very subject, its God's Politics - Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It, A New Vision for Faith and Politics in America by Jim Wallis.

I haven't read it (probably never will bother, given that I'm not an American)...but I definitely approve of the title.

[mathqueen]

A colleague and I were discussing the results of my quiz (I tested socialist/democrat, which was a SHOCK because I have always believed Christianity = Rebublican,

That is because of the rhetoric of the Religious Right and of many Republicans associated with them. Tom Delay told crowds more than once that God wanted them to vote Republican, and these "voter information guides" handed out at many conservative churches are a joke, nothing but propaganda for the Republican Party.

That all said, there is a bestseller from a couple of years ago that addresses this very subject, its God's Politics - Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It, A New Vision for Faith and Politics in American by Jim Wallis.

Basically the message of the book is that there is a politics of God, neither side really gets it, and that God is personal but never private. He talks about how faith should influence your politics, a moral response to terrorism, peace in the Middle East, asks "When did Jesus become Pro-Rich?", asks "When did Jesus become Pro-War", and asks "When did Jesus become a Selective Moralist".

The message is, and wholly backed with scripture, that the left is right about poverty (but services it instead of also recognizing personal responsibility), social justice, conservation, and largely right about peace, and right is right about personal responsibility (except that we do also have a collective responsibility to the less fortunate) and the sanctity of life, but does not have a consistent ethic of life.

Anyway, its a popular book, probably would be a good way of answering your questions.

Thanks forrest! I'll check that out. Btw, you did see that this is all your fault, right? I was perfectly fine in my delusion until that quiz of yours...

[forrestkc]

Thanks forrest! I'll check that out. Btw, you did see that this is all your fault, right? I was perfectly fine in my delusion until that quiz of yours...

Well, if it is any conciliation, Democrats are not socialists, and compared to the rest of the world's political party would be fairly centrist.