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Christians are being urged to participate in politics. What should the true Christian do? Should he try to change the world? Or should he change himself to harmonize with Christianity?
POLITICS is more and more in the news. And more and more people are turning to politics, either by becoming members of political parties or by voting for party candidates. Amid the growing popularity of politics is heard the voice of religion. This voice too talks politics. But sermonizing on political matters is not all; religion urges professed Christians to be active politically, as did Pope Pius XII, who, according to the New York Times of July 23, 1956, “urged Roman Catholics today to take an active part in politics.” But even without clerical exhortation, the masses of professed Christians are so immersed in politics that many are more active politically than religiously. All this prompts some questions.
But seldom do people stop to ponder these questions: Is it by plunging into politics that a person demonstrates he is a follower of Christ? Is this quest to better the world through politics the example set by Jesus and the early Christians?
We can read in history books about the position taken by the early Christians regarding politics. Thus the book Christianity and the Roman Government by E. G. Hardy speaks of early Christians and “their aversion to all civic duties and offices.” Another book, On the Road to Civilization, A World History, by Heckel and Sigman, tells us: “Christians refused to share certain duties of Roman citizens. . . . They would not hold political office.”
Were those early Christians wrong in not trying to better the world by taking part in politics? How could they be? They had Christ Jesus, the Founder of Christianity, and his apostles to guide them.
The Textbook of Christianity, the Bible, tells us why those early Christians shunned politics. It shows that a fundamental principle of Christianity is separateness from the world. And the early Christians changed their lives to live up to this requirement for right worship. Said the Bible writer James: “The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.” “Adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.” To delve into politics would mean to show friendship for the world, and to show friendship for the world would mean to make oneself an enemy of God. That is why the early Christians shunned politics.—Jas. 1:27; 4:4.
The Shop
I confess that I have allowed myself to enter into political discussions too often this year.
I would say to the fellow christians in, Attend to your appointed work. You are not called upon by God to engage in politics. As revealed on Vital, politics causes strife & discord. We cannot gather up the words we have sown in other minds. If they are good words they will bear a harvest of good fruit, if they are not they will lead to a root of bitterness.
oG
(Except for those that reside where Gustav makes landfall.)
Religion is a personal thing. A man's relationship with his version of "God" is a personal thing. Those that "spread the word" are doing nothing different than the drug pushers on the street corners. They are trying to infect more with their "drug" of choice. In this case their version of "God". I have never seen the logic in that.
Above are the reasons I don't participate in either Politics or Religion discussions.
-Steve
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