The laws in the United States governing separation of Church and State were written to protect religion from the control of the government. As we all know, the opposite has become the common mis-interpretation. Most people now believe that these laws are in place to keep the religious community from becoming 'too controlling' in the direction of the country.
Do your own research and you will see the original intent of the founding fathers, but hurry, history is being rewritten constantly. I urge you to read their writings and see for yourself.
With that said, I get to my point. You can take politics out of the Church, but you can't take the Church out of politics! What do I mean by that? Well, the law prohibits churches, or pastors for that matter, from endorsing specific candidates. I believe that is an attack on my freedom of speech actually, but I'm not really trying to go there today. If asked, I would be glad to tell someone who I am voting for but I'm restricted from urging others to vote similarly. Not fair! Anyone else can do that... why not me? Because the secular world is afraid of the mouth 'pieces of the religious community'.
Why should they be afraid of the religious right? There is really nothing to fear. Yes, we have an agenda. Our agenda is to be the salt of the earth, to preserve it. Our agenda is to be the light of the world. Yes, to keep the darkness from taking over. Our agenda is to keep this great nation, great, like our founding fathers envisioned it to be. Our agenda IS NOT, however, to control government or to force others into Christianity. Rather the agenda of the religious right, as I see it, is to keep a check on government to make sure it serves us rather than us becoming it's servant, to protect the morals this nation was founded on, and to keep secure our right to share our faith with others. We don't want to force Christ on anyone. Why would we? That would do neither us, nor the one upon whom He was forced, any good.
Here is the truth though, no matter how many laws there are restricting what we can, or can not say, about politics we have a duty as Christians to uphold a greater law, the Law of Christ. Which simply put, is to love. We must love in spite of the love, or lack of love, returned to us. We love first and foremost, Christ, then family and somewhere still toward the top of the list is this country. Similarly, we have to speak the truth, whether it is received or not, and we must do our best to be a preservative, because these things are mandated by Christ.
I know the majority rules. I understand that we cannot set up Christ's Kingdom in the United States. That is not the goal. Jesus will set up His Kingdom Himself, when He's ready, but like Jeremiah, I can not be silent! Like the New Testament church in Acts, the more we are demanded to be silent the louder we should become.
You can take politics out of the Church, and I may not be able to publicly endorse a candidate, but you can never really take the Church out of politics because the Church in this country is made up of free citizens, and like everyone else we, have the right to make our opinions known. Get involved Christians, don't be afraid to let your opinion be known and your vote count. Vote what you believe!
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