The Separation

I am still trying to decide how to blog. Is it all random or should I pattern? I guess for now I will share some of my studies and let conversation emerge from that and hopefully we can make a pattern with it.

In my last post I briefly explained how politics should not blend with religion. This is a tough accusation to make because there are many Christians who serve in politics. Now I must explain that I think it is not the end result of the blending of politics and religion as much as it is the root of it.

The information I have learned on politics has been from a non-religious point of view. Although I went to a Christian University, the professors were very intent on not blending the church and state (although they technically could). Likewise, my later years in examining the Bible and deciding my faith has not been from politics. I will admit, I was once a student in the school of "Jesus for President (because he would be republican)."

Note: I am not bashing Republicans and if you think I am it is only helping my point. The Democratic party and Republican party have much to stand for....

.......so do Christians!

There are many reasons why we must separate the Church from the State (also the State from the Church). Now, many Christians hate the idea of this separation because they only focus on one item - Prayer in School. If that is why you hate this idea then please e-mail me and I'll send you a paper I wrote. I know it's almost cliche but it's true that there will always be prayer in school.

Separation is good for the Church. Can you imagine Pastors preaching from the podium on the platform of the Democratic party? How can this help us? In addition think about the conversations that the body of the church would have. For many Christians, the issues of faith and politics are so completely intertwined that they cannot imagine how genuine faith could lead in a political direction other than the one they themselves have taken. It can come as quite a shock, therefore, when Christians realize that other Christians with faith convictions similar to their own actually support the opposite political party. It can ruin a church.

Maybe it has ruined the church.

In addition, the church should stay out of the state. I can explain this in a very simple way. In the US we have the luxury of 'church shopping' (going around until we find a church that fits our ideologies). WE (as Americans) do not like the petty things about other denominations so much that Catholics and Protestants rarely speak of their faith to each other. If the church was a political body, we would have the Catholic party, the Baptist party, the Cross Street North Memorial Evangelical Free party, and maybe an Atheist party. Any politician will tell you that nothing would get done (except a bunch of Yearly Meetings). This would ruin the State.

Please please please begin to examine the reasons you believe you are a Democrat or a Nazarene - maybe even why you're a Christian or what it would be like if you were not one .

Please be careful but not shy.
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my title

The New Class

This is the temporary name that is given to the Sunday school class I go to at my new church here in Clarksville. I have only been there twice but I can already tell it is going to affect my daily life. In fact, it's the reason I started blogging. The class is reading "Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw. After sitting through today's class I realized that the name "the New class" was going to stick in my mind even if it changed in the bulletin. This 'new' class is something that I've heard people talking about for the last 4 years. It is the Christian version of a grassroots political movement. It is a 'new' way to view money, neighbors, relationships, traditions, and the church.

Today we talked about the spectrum of politics. This is not Republican and Democrat. It is the activity Christians should be involved with politics. So many people have a fear of not knowing the right answer so they simply stray from politics. As well, there are people who grease themselves with politics and are simply allowing this to be the center of their lives. So where should a Christian place themselves?

There is a line between faith and politics. However, in the U.S. it tends to be a faint line. We are stuck in a society that has every politician (Republicans and yes even Democrats) claiming a faith of Christianity. How can this contradict itself so much! I know that the Bible can be interpreted differently and that is theology. On the other hand, how the hell do we let our Party ID become our religion? How can this 'faith' be rooted in our vote?

Claiborne writes, "When Jesus said, 'you cannot serve two masters,' he meant that in serving one, you destroy your relationship to the other."

Tony Compolo puts it, "Mixing the church and state is like mixing ice cream with cow manure. It may not do much to the manure, but it sure messes up the ice cream."

I am not stating that we should be apathetic toward government - at all. In fact, I think we should become vocal and active. This is not a 'new' thought friends. We need to be knowledgeable about our faith and our government. Knowing the bill of rights and ten commandments is not good enough!

I am not sure what to do.

By writing this and continuing to read this book, the Bible, and by watching the news, I intend to come up with some answers.... or at least more questions.

Here it comes

I saw a mother tickling her child the other day. When she started moving her hand toward the child she would say "here it comes!" By the sounds of the child's scream I could tell that it was going to be fun but painful altogether. I guess since I've never blogged (but planning on making this a hobby with a purpose) I can see the process of blogging being both painful and fun. I hope it is not boring. As well, I hope that some of the things I say will strike conversation (as every blogger must hope).

I assume that things I have vocalized have affected some and my assumption is that this blog will as well.

While I am nervous, I am excited to connect with friends and others that read this so......

Here it comes!