Timothy Buchanan
Inseparable: Politics and Religion
By Timothy Buchanan
Peace has departed from the land. Americans live in a state of tense detente. There is no denying that the United States is locked in a bitter struggle between good and evil that becomes more violent and treacherous day by day. From November 2016 on, we have been subjected to one long series of lies, distortions and politically-motivated smear campaigns after another and there are sure to be more in the years to come.
Despite these facts, many professing Christians claim that "there's too much politics in the Church." Secularists and liberals rail against the existence of any religious influence in the culture and the affairs of government, preferring the decrees of men. Therefore, moral and spiritual truth are cast aside in our culture and the affairs of government are not brought under subjection to their Maker.
President Donald Trump has provided us with a rare opportunity to wrest control of the nation's government from entrenched criminal and parasitic elements that devour wealth and freedom. All of the most vile and sinister forces of liberalism are arrayed against him. Rather than join with the president in the battle to preserve the precious form and character of our society, many oppose him using absurd and bizarre self-serving rationalizations.
Tragically, a great number of people in America's churches have chosen to believe the self-defeating principle that politics and religion are irreconcilable and must be kept apart. In feeble defense of the rule, proponents present themselves as those who seek to keep their faith pure and undefiled from the dirty business of unseemly and contentious opinion and debate. But it's a fatuous and futile exercise motivated by arrogant individualism.
Non-committal is attractive only to the weak and ignorant who use it to glorify themselves as those vaulted few who have devised an unassailable ideological fortress. In reality, a third option that compromises between good and evil is always the most cowardly and dangerous of all. Indeed, it's impossible to remain neutral and secure in this or any other spiritual conflict.
Neither the liberal nor the socialist makes any effort to hide his or her religious fervor. Most professing atheists and irreligious folk are not averse to worship altogether. They have simply made gods of themselves, of pleasure, of wealth, power or fame. But they are no less zealous than the most committed evangelist and they are universally Democrats. Why? Because the liberal party has jettisoned all of those pesky values, moral codes and honor systems that tend to slow the sacred agenda.
Islamists make no apologies for infiltrating the United States and using their influence to foment violence and advocate oppressive and tyrannical Sharia law. They make full use of our systems to their advantage, just as has been done by the ACLU, the LGBTQ activists and other ne'er-do-wells. How much more, should professing Christians – adherents to the one true religion – work to preserve the greatest nation ever formed by men, and use it's powers to set at liberty, the bodies, minds and hearts of all people within our own borders?
So, let us call out the fraudulence within our own ranks. We must seize moral authority from the political opportunists who distort it through illegitimate machinations. Forget the horrible counsel, "Never talk of politics or religion," for these form the battleground upon which our nation will rise or fall. Cede no ground to the ignorant or the wicked.
Most Christians know the biblical command to walk by faith and not by sight, but many are silenced and intimidated because righteous seems to be a minority. And yet, whenever we are in a righteous minority, we are in the perfect position to see the hand of God move on our behalf and to do great exploits for the cause of Christ.
The world is fond of saying, "Knowledge is power." We are awash in information, though so much of it is partially or totally false. These days require understanding to discern between truth and fallacy; between virtue and vulgarity; between liberty and license. Yes, it's partly true that in the natural world, knowledge is power. But wisdom and understanding are supernatural, even nuclear.
Let the wicked be intimidated and the righteous be bold to the glory of God!
© Timothy Buchanan
October 10, 2018
Peace has departed from the land. Americans live in a state of tense detente. There is no denying that the United States is locked in a bitter struggle between good and evil that becomes more violent and treacherous day by day. From November 2016 on, we have been subjected to one long series of lies, distortions and politically-motivated smear campaigns after another and there are sure to be more in the years to come.
Despite these facts, many professing Christians claim that "there's too much politics in the Church." Secularists and liberals rail against the existence of any religious influence in the culture and the affairs of government, preferring the decrees of men. Therefore, moral and spiritual truth are cast aside in our culture and the affairs of government are not brought under subjection to their Maker.
President Donald Trump has provided us with a rare opportunity to wrest control of the nation's government from entrenched criminal and parasitic elements that devour wealth and freedom. All of the most vile and sinister forces of liberalism are arrayed against him. Rather than join with the president in the battle to preserve the precious form and character of our society, many oppose him using absurd and bizarre self-serving rationalizations.
Tragically, a great number of people in America's churches have chosen to believe the self-defeating principle that politics and religion are irreconcilable and must be kept apart. In feeble defense of the rule, proponents present themselves as those who seek to keep their faith pure and undefiled from the dirty business of unseemly and contentious opinion and debate. But it's a fatuous and futile exercise motivated by arrogant individualism.
Non-committal is attractive only to the weak and ignorant who use it to glorify themselves as those vaulted few who have devised an unassailable ideological fortress. In reality, a third option that compromises between good and evil is always the most cowardly and dangerous of all. Indeed, it's impossible to remain neutral and secure in this or any other spiritual conflict.
Neither the liberal nor the socialist makes any effort to hide his or her religious fervor. Most professing atheists and irreligious folk are not averse to worship altogether. They have simply made gods of themselves, of pleasure, of wealth, power or fame. But they are no less zealous than the most committed evangelist and they are universally Democrats. Why? Because the liberal party has jettisoned all of those pesky values, moral codes and honor systems that tend to slow the sacred agenda.
Islamists make no apologies for infiltrating the United States and using their influence to foment violence and advocate oppressive and tyrannical Sharia law. They make full use of our systems to their advantage, just as has been done by the ACLU, the LGBTQ activists and other ne'er-do-wells. How much more, should professing Christians – adherents to the one true religion – work to preserve the greatest nation ever formed by men, and use it's powers to set at liberty, the bodies, minds and hearts of all people within our own borders?
So, let us call out the fraudulence within our own ranks. We must seize moral authority from the political opportunists who distort it through illegitimate machinations. Forget the horrible counsel, "Never talk of politics or religion," for these form the battleground upon which our nation will rise or fall. Cede no ground to the ignorant or the wicked.
Most Christians know the biblical command to walk by faith and not by sight, but many are silenced and intimidated because righteous seems to be a minority. And yet, whenever we are in a righteous minority, we are in the perfect position to see the hand of God move on our behalf and to do great exploits for the cause of Christ.
The world is fond of saying, "Knowledge is power." We are awash in information, though so much of it is partially or totally false. These days require understanding to discern between truth and fallacy; between virtue and vulgarity; between liberty and license. Yes, it's partly true that in the natural world, knowledge is power. But wisdom and understanding are supernatural, even nuclear.
Let the wicked be intimidated and the righteous be bold to the glory of God!
© Timothy Buchanan
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