2004 And Beyond: A Call For Christian Influence
By Cheryl K. Chumley (11/09/04)
A sleeping dragon of sorts has awoken this last election in America, and for Democrats and radical leftists especially, it’s scary times.
The dragon roused from slumber is the Christian base, and this appalls and terrifies Democrats because their tired old rhetoric against Christians and their tired old attempts to relegate those with traditional morals and values to the status of second-class nutcases just didn’t work this time. Rather, it backfired, and now Democrats face a shaky future, uncertain whether to return to the old vilification strategy, only with even more vigor, or join forces and sing the likes of Amazing Grace atop the steps of Capitol Hill, in the same spirit they adopted in the days following Sept. 11.
That the moral majority has spoken is undeniable. But whether the Christian voice will remain a solid component of America’s politic system well into the future is another question.
Where has this voice of moral concern been these past few years, for instance? These same Christian believers who just elected George Bush with an overwhelming popularity were largely alive and well during the Bill Clinton years. Yet it’s this Christian voice that stood almost idly and watched the re-election of, arguably, one of our nation’s most abject presidents in terms of upholding any traditional notion of morals, values or principles. Perhaps churches were afraid to speak during Clinton’s rein; after all, it is true lawsuits from high-ranking government and political officials did run fast and furious against the nonprofits, especially those of conservative and religious nature, during these years. But if that’s the case, it indicates a serious lack of faith on the part of the very same body tasked with strengthening and supporting the faith and the faithful, the church, to shy from speech out of fear of losing nonprofit status and therefore money.
More likely, though, the Christian voice has appeared at times to be hit-or-miss these last couple decades because of inaccurate interpretation of what true believers and followers should do regarding politics, in accordance with biblical teachings.
For instance, a Christian is supposed to live in this world, but not of this world. Many have taken that as a command to live on earth in the flesh but remain uninvolved, unattached with anything of mankind, to include politics. But here’s something to consider before ceding all things of this world to the powers-that-be at the time: Christians are also told to render all to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.
With this command comes an inherent responsibility. In order to obey, in order to render to Caesar, the government, the things that are Caesar’s, one must first discern what exactly and rightly belongs to Caesar in the first place. To abide this biblical doctrine then, a Christian has no choice but to follow and participate in politics and the nation and world at-large, if only to learn what should be ceded to the hands of the government versus what should remain in the hands of the people.
If that’s not enough to entice the Christians of this nation of the biblical call and duty to participate in the electoral process and to continue to follow the actions of the elected via daily attention to politics, consider this. Jesus exhorted his followers to build foundations upon stone rather than sand. That means all Christians are tasked with keeping God and Godly principles first in heart, in all that is done and said and acted upon in life, because without such values all that is seemingly gained will be blown away and eroded.
It is to this urging that Christians held fast this election, choosing rock over sand, strong morals and values over flip-floppy pandering, Bush over Sen. Kerry. But it is to this principle, too, that Christians are supposed to bind themselves always, whether building a foundation for the family or constructing a foundation for the nation.
The sands piled high during the Clinton years; already the Democrats are beginning to lay the groundwork for a fierce 2008 campaign. So the question to ponder is this: Will the Christian base remain committed and watchful, protector of this newly laid foundation of stone, or is a return to the Sandman, a reference to both foundation and sleep, already in progress? Biblical teachings seem to suggest, even command, that to do such would be more than folly. It would be antithetical to Jesus’ hopes for his followers.
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