September 29, 2010

Christianity and the GOP

Before I forget, I wanted to call attention to a wonderfully thoughtful comment by Monk in our thread on
how Reagan might do in the modern GOP. I think this better explains my own angst at how the church of my youth has changed:
"How can anyone use hate to climb the rungs of power and might and call it Gospel living? No matter what, that is NOT the Gospel.

I feel like it isn't just a political party that has been damaged, it is the Church. We have been seduced by wealth and power, and put our faith in guns, bombs, and torture rather than God. It appears to me that we have forgotten the gentle Shepherd from Nazareth, and happily marched to war and torture with hardly a thought to peace or loving our enemies.

While being totally consumed with gays and Islam, we have forgotten those prisoners in our own gulags, and the thirsty world looking for Grace. Politics has stripped compassion from the Church, and we have given up our soul, our birthright for a meal next to the President."
His entire comment is worth reading. And I would be more than glad to see this conversation continue, and will even jump in there when I regain the ability to type.

1 comment:

Monk-in-Training said...

Thank you for your kind words, Streak. May you continue your convalescence.

I think that Christians would be far better served by paying attention to how they operate in the world than condemning it. No law passed by humans can undo the effects of the Fall. Only faithful lives, well lived can inspire others to the same, never arguments or lies.

I also think those concepts should bleed over into our political lives as well. The disconnect with the Jesus of the Gospels and the Jesus of the Christian Political Right is striking, in my opinion, and is driving away many (esp younger) people from the Faith.

Br. James Patrick