It Upsets Me When It's a Liberal Bias, Too

I don't mind anyone knowing that I vote left of center.  In an ideal world, there'd be some middle ground, some moderate window of political affliation.  Until that happens, I'm a somewhat sheepish Democrat, throwing in the occassional comment that my liberalness is relative to the population I inhabit.  I've been The Commie Hippie to my conservative friends and I'm practically Newt Gingrich to some of my uber-liberal brethren.  The fact that I can float fairly comfortably in both camps speaks to how moderate I actually I am.  I understand both extremes, but see the danger in extreme anything.

I mention my moderate liberalism only because I want to make it clear that I recognize my own bias.  I know which perspective tends to speak clearest and truest to me.  And I do feel that my political leanings (or, rather, my political hopes and ideals) are supported by my faith.  But I do not marry my faith and my politics.  I do not equate them or even heavily commingle them.  I think there's danger there and that is the subject of this post.

I wrote this summer on attending a church whose political commentary offended me.  In that instance, the commentary swung right of center, swung in the direction I tend to vote against.  So I noted that some element of my offense could have been political sensitivity as much as my own general belief that politics should be left outside the sanctuary.  But today a brief comment by the preacher at my neighborhood church swung in the opposite direction and it offended me just as greatly.

We're studying the life of David.  And at some point the pastor mentioned the "least of these" and our Christian duty to provide for them, to love them as Christ loved them.  All good.  Agreed. But then he began to list the antithesis of this perspective, quoting from Ezekial the admonition against "shepherds" (kings) who fatten themselves on the sheep they're meant to guard and protect.  In paraphrasing this passage, the pastor commented, "I don't care about the poor."  There was a soft murmur in the pews.  Not everyone noted it.  It was a fairly quick quote, followed by other Ezekial-based admonitions.  For many, I'm sure it meant nothing.

He was quoting Romney.  It was deliberate and clear.  It was obvious to several of us, I know.  And it infuriated me.  I don't like Romney.  I won't vote for him.  But that quote was ripped so violently out of context and squashed into scripture so easily, I wanted to stand up and leave.  I have no doubt that this preacher's heart is in a good, Godly place.  I have no doubt that his political leanings, in his mind, are supported by Scripture in the best ways he can manage (political parties being inherently flawed, etc.).  But as a pastor, I think it's irresponsible to continue the political habit of taking sound bites and crafting them into individual and/or party ideology.  Not only that, but the greater risk in my mind is that there could have been someone in that audience who was searching for Truth (and I mean GOD Truth, the important kind) who heard that statement and assumed that those who vote for someone like Romney have no place in that congregation, have no place in church, have no place amongst God's children.

It's the exact same line of reasoning some Christians on the other side of the spectrum use against those of us who vote left.  How can we be Christian and vote for a politican/party that allows for abortion? Equating Christianity with Political Agenda, making the latter a prerequisite for the former, is offensive to me. It is 100% wrong. It's not Biblical.  It's not merciful.  It's not gracious.  And it's not Christ-like. Both parties fall short of anything resembling heaven.  Both parties fail.  Miserably.  To assert otherwise is to be blind.

Churches are flawed because they are inhabited by men.  I really love this small, warm, welcoming neighborhood church and I will continue to attend.  I think they are right to point out injustice, to ask "why?" in the face of inequality, and to invest time and effort into the immediate needs of an urban, often marginalized population.  But I refuse to equate my faith with any political expectation of my vote.  And I refuse to support any statement that my vote is indicative of either "good" or "failed" faith.  My vote is an exercise in doing my best to elect those who embody what I count as the most important tenets of God's directive to 1) love Him and 2) love my neighbor. It will always, always be an exercise in disappointment.  But it is a far greater disappointment to me to hear political commentary intermingled with the Word of God.