Question: How did Christianity get so tied to politics?
Answer: Sadly, it probably could be said that the Christian faith has become overly intertwined with politics in this country.
I believe that this is somewhat rooted in our natural human tendency to categorize people into two groups, which we could simply label Us and Them. In order to feel accepted, we want to believe that we are a part of the right group, and we partly accomplish this by ostracizing or demonizing those who are different from us.
If we want to consider ourselves to be a part of a group known as Saints, we have to label another group as Sinners. This is common among all of mankind, but it has shown itself to be particularly prevalent within mainstream Christianity as it blends itself with politics. Marginalized groups would include homosexuals or transsexuals, illegal immigrants and drug abusers.
The ironic thing about this is that Jesus was severely criticized for welcoming marginalized people into his circle of acceptance. In Luke 15:2 we see the conservative religious leaders of Jesus’ day grumbling about the fact that he “receives sinners and eats with them.” And then Jesus has the audacity to tell these same leaders that “tax collectors and prostitutes are entering God’s kingdom ahead of you.” (Matthew 21:31)
The only way to resolve this dilemma is to accept the reality that there really aren’t two groups of people – Us and Them. There is only one group of people, and it’s Us. All of us, all of humanity, are in the same boat. We all face the same struggles and fears. We all need God’s love and direction in our lives. Without it we are lost, hopelessly lost. And demonizing groups of people who are different from us doesn’t draw them to experience God’s love, it pushes them away.
Let me encourage you today to start viewing everyone you meet as a part of God’s family, created in His image. You might be surprised to find out how much we have in common when we put our politics aside.
Dr. Steve Rahter
Pastor, Praise Tabernacle
Egg Harbor Township
