Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Seperation of Church and State

I opened up the Internet Today and to my suprise there was an article about Pat Robertson. It seems that good ole Pat decided to say we should "take out" the president of Venezuela. A day later he claimed that he didn't necessairly mean that we should kill him, and that there were more ways than one of taking a guy out. Whatever he meant, it was taken to totally mean we should pop a cap in this guy's head, and move on with life.

While this proposition may not be a bad idea, since when do we get the idea that we're going to go shoot another president of another country. Heck, since when do we get the idea that we're going to abduct another president. While it may be talked about, behind closed doors, it's just not an option; that's how wars are started. So even the suggestion of such an action is maybe the dumbest thing that a person can do!

Teddy Roosevelt's idea that the United States is a policeman for the rest of the world is a far outdated policy. Sure we need to stick up for the lost and the dying, but the idea that we're superior to other countries is a joke. While the French people obviously hate Americans, they have a reason: we've treated them like crap for years. We've taken the mentality that just being American means we can do what we want; and other countries despise us for it.

The idea that as Christians loving everybody unconditionally is one of the important themes of the Gospel. This means that Christianity is not politically propelled. Running nations is not something that the Christian 'religion' (I hate calling it that) should be about. The business of the state and business of the church should be seperate! This has been the downfall of many countries and many churches. I know you probably don't like what I just said but keep reading and don't think I am a heretic just yet.

A State Church only does one thing, and that is take the realness of the Christian faith away. Yes the attendence and the membership levels are higher, but common logic shows that when the church becomes 'the cool thing to do,' the principles we base our faith on become erroded. No longer are our objectives being to help people find their Savior, but it becomes being a social club.

On the other side of the issue, the Church should not dictate the State's agenda either. Why? Because the mission of the Church is not to run a government, but to be about restoring people. Now before I get too far down that path, I think I need to clarify an issuse; this issuse being our impact on our society. I do believe that Christians should be active in our government, I do believe that Christians should strive to have godly laws, and I do believe Christians should fight to keep laws from being made that are countrary to our faith; but that's not the primary mission of the Church. When Christians live in a country they should make the country a better place to live. Plain and simple, the Gospel message does make the world a better place!

Now as for this whole issue, I think that Pat Robertson needs to flat out fess up for his mistakes. I do not think that a place like the 700 Club is a venue that he needs to be declaring political judgement upon other nations. I do not think that any church is a place for a minister to be making political declarations. Yes, I believe that talking about certain laws and supporting the good in government is proper; but day-to-day policy is too much.

Shame on Christians who think that Pat is right for his comments. If being a Christian is all about Love, where do we have room to 'take out' another person? If being a Christian has anything to do with political policy, then we've missed the point of Jesus message, the Gospel of Jesus becomes only a religion. I think we've seen enough of those.

3 comments:

edX said...

Perhaps blogger ought to create a separate section for 'ads' beside 'comments' - which of course would be a disguised 'trash bin'.

"the Church should not dictate the State's agenda either. Why? Because the mission of the Church is not to run a government, but to be about restoring people."

Would that mean, 'where the state taketh away, the church restoreth'?

If so, then the church plays little more than the role of an institutional confessional box granting its adherents the absolution necessary to carry on doing the will of the state on a daily basis. Not dissimilar to a drug trafficker peddling soft drugs.

The Church ought to play a significant role in policy formulation with the state being little more than an administrative sector. If we disagree with this, then we are saying that the morality of the state is superior to that of the church. However, one would be hardpressed to justify this as, on the basis of scientifically verifiable and quantifiable facts, the state is firstly an institution geared to facilitating the pursuits of the upper classes - not unlike the church in 'medieval times' which sought to facilitate their anything-but-christian self-acquisitive impulses.

The upper classes could become an interest group like others whilst the 'state' would become a coalition of religious groups and scientists geared to realising the worth of the individual.

http://the-heretic.blogspot.com

dan said...

No what I was saying is that as a Church our mission is not the mission of a secular government. As a Christian, I resent the fact that many people will label all of the people of my faith as having similar believes concerning Pat Robertson's remarks. The Church (or more correctly: the gathering of people who make it up) has a mission to spread the love of God to those around us. While the Gov'ts have a job of politically controling the country. To say that one is a crutch of the other is a warped view of what true Christianity is.

edX said...

The separation of Church and State is perfectly acceptable insofar as their respective moralities do not serve as an antithesis of the other. If it does, due to the State's monopoly of violence, Christ will necessarily, and daily, be crucified. There is much to the phrase, 'you can't serve God and Mammon'.

One is a 'crutch' of the other insofar as the directive to 'love your neighbour as yourself' is meaningless with the institutional faciliation of the former. If not, we effectively assign the 13th commandment to the realms of virtual reality whilst practicing its antithesis through the economy. Ideals serve as one crutch, realising them through instituions is another. It is with both that we can gradually attempt to ascend the stairway to heaven.

http://the-heretic.blogspot.com