Usurping Faith for Political Purposes

Put on your thinking cap.

Photo by Yosep Surahman on Unsplash

Consider the following scenarios.

Scenario One

Let’s say you are attending a Baptist church and suddenly a group of Presbyterians in masks carrying clubs and pitchforks storm into the sanctuary with the demand that all Baptists there accept infant baptism. They declare that to do otherwise is proof Baptists are domestic terrorists.

Scenario Two

A group of Baptists with fog horns and glitter bombs superglue themselves to a Catholic church’s alter during a weekly mass to demand that everyone there agree with a premillennialist understanding about how Jesus will return at his second coming. They loudly claim that any other position is obviously racist hate speech.

Scenario Three

A mob of Catholics storm a Presbyterian church service insisting they accept the Catholic positions on purgatory and transubstantiation.

You get the idea.

None of the above scenarios are happening, (in case you are wondering). In fact, I know no one anywhere currently worrying any of them will be occurring any time soon.

And now to my relevant question.

Why is the following true current event any more absurd than the three just described? By executive order just signed, the Federal Government can require a Christian college to accept the LGBTQ+ position on use of gender pronouns, and if the college refuses, it will face stiff financial penalties and its administration might face criminal prosecutions. (This is happening).

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Denominations within Christianity and also those who sincerely practice other major religions should be more interested in being faithful followers than caring about what others are doing. This has not always been the case in world history. In fact true tolerance (as opposed to woke tolerance) is the gift of democracies over totalitarian states. The freedom to vote one’s conscience without fear of reprisal only works when people are not locked in class structures placing the working people under an elite class (including a hidden bureaucratic state). And the worst in history are despots who take over and control religions. This is opposed by all who believe God is head of their church.

Now let’s talk about the exceptions to the normal believers.

When someone anywhere regardless the labels they may acquire are more interested in forcing others to agree with them, even if it violates the fundamental tenants of the religion they purport to believe, then this individual is by definition a heretic. People free to follow their own conscience are very different from those stuck in cults where they are compelled to prove their loyalty through acts of violence.

The difference between religious beliefs and political ones — up to now — has been that religious beliefs are based on someone’s sincere faith in God and political beliefs are based on someone’s ideas about how best to govern a society. These ways of thinking that have worked well in the past are being made confusing, I think, for political purposes.

And what can we do about it?

My best answer to this question is to enjoy life, enjoy good company, pray, read and study by yourself and with others. A proactive thought life focused on good things worries less. (That’s why it’s important to keep coming back).

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

1 Peter 3:13-17 (ESV)

Photo by Artem Maltsev on Unsplash

Foolishness usually outs and destroys itself. No need, usually, to get involved. The challenge is to remain calm and not take the bait to argue with crazy.