Critical Actions: What's Your Opinion: August 2006

In past writings I have said, even as I claim the Christian title, I’m not an evangelical because I don’t go with the literal interpretation of the Bible. One case in point is St. John 14:6, attributed Jesus quote: “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” My reasoning is that with over 6.5 billion of God’s created people on this planet, probably over 4 billion will never hear of Christianity. Only God, the omniscient creator, can answer the mysterious salvation question.

In Elaine Pagels’ book, Beyond Belief; The Secret Gospel of Thomas, Pagels relates an experience of her teen years when a close Jewish friend, 16 years of age, was killed in an automobile accident. Her fellow evangelicals commiserated, but declared because he was Jewish and not “born again” he was eternally dammed. Pagels, distressed and disagreeing with their interpretation – and finding no room for discussion – realized that she was no longer at home in their world and left that church. Pagels, now a religious historian, on entering college decided to learn Greek in order to read the New Testament in it’s original language, hoping to discover the source of its power. In this book, Pagels’ in-depth research into the foundation of Christianity gives an understanding of how the Bible, New Testament, came about to be assembled. With an open mind, this understanding may give pause to reconsider how we define our claimed relationship as an evangelical in our Christian faith.

Of course “evangelical” may be defined by various meaning. On personally disclaiming evangelical, I was referring to the #3 meaning as shown here:
Evangelical
1. Of, relating to, or in accordance with the Christian gospel, especially one of the four gospel books of the New Testament.
2. Evangelical Of, relating to, or being a Protestant church that founds its teaching on the gospel.
3. Evangelical Of, relating to, or being a Christian church believing in the sole authority and inerrancy of the Bible, in salvation only through regeneration, and in a spiritually transformed personal life.
4. Evangelical
a. Of or relating to the Lutheran churches in Germany and Switzerland.
b. Of or relating to all Protestant churches in Germany.
5. Of or relating to the group in the Church of England that stresses personal conversion and salvation by faith.
6. Characterized by ardent or crusading enthusiasm; zealous: an evangelical liberal.

I have also written of my passionate call for “separation of church and state.” More recently the most famous evangelical preacher has backed away from literal Bible interpretation and mixing politics with Christianity. In view of some religiously orientated politicians’ entanglement with the Jack Abramoff sham, you would think there would now be some modulation in the political/gospel mix. Not so with at least one politician who insists on ratcheting up the political/Christian ratio, I would suppose strictly for political expediency. Such is the case of Katherine Harris, candidate for U. S. Senate from Florida --- to the point fellow party members have disclaimed her comments:
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Excerpts from Orlando Sentinel, 8-26-06: (See full article herewith.)
Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.) said this week that God did not intend for the United States to be a "nation of secular laws" and that the separation of church and state is a "lie we have been told" to keep religious people out of politics.

"If you're not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin," Harris told interviewers from the Florida Baptist Witness, the weekly journal of the Florida Baptist State Convention. She cited abortion and same-sex marriage as examples of that sin.
Harris told the journalists "we have to have the faithful in government" because that is God's will. Separating religion and politics is "so wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers," she said.

"And if we are the ones not actively involved in electing those godly men and women," then "we're going to have a nation of secular laws. That's not what our Founding Fathers intended, and that certainly isn't what God intended."
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To bind any religion as the sole proprietor of righteousness in politics and government is not only a discredit to the faith, but also to the secular values in our government that have been a part of serving our nation for 230 years. It shows irresponsibility in this evangelical’s sanctimonious judgment.

In the other direction, the evangelical Billy Graham has come to see the importance in tolerance of various Christians' views/interpretations and respect for other faiths; and, thereby, has become a more responsible evangelical. As reported:
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Graham's new perspective (copied from The Week, 8-25-2006)
Billy Graham no longer has any use for politics, says Jon Meacham in Newsweek. For more than 50 years, America's most famous evangelical preacher has been spreading the Gospel to millions of people on six continents; along the way, he's ensnared himself in a series of political controversies. "Only when Christ comes again will the little white children of Alabama walk hand in hand with little black children," he said after the March on Washington in 1963. During the war in Vietnam, Graham lent his support to President Richard Nixon, only to get caught on White House tapes exchanging anti-Semitic remarks with the president. But now that he's 87, Graham is distancing himself from those who mix Christianity with conservative politics. He's come to believe, for example, that the Bible is open to honest interpretation. "I'm not a literalist in the sense that every single jot and tittle is from the Lord. Sincere Christians can disagree about the details of Scripture and theology-absolutely." Though his own son has called Muslims "wicked" and "evil," Graham disagrees. "I would not say Islam is wicked and evil. I have a lot of friends who are Islamic. I have a great love for them." Graham's fiery certainty has given way to humility; when asked if he believes heaven is closed to non-Christians, he demurs. "Those are decisions only the Lord will make. I believe the love of God is absolute. He said he gave his son for the whole world, and I think he loves everybody regardless of what label they have."
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As history has shown, Christian values are not necessarily more moral than secular values. (Actually, the Christian/secular distinction may be difficult; it may only be devised by one’s individual value system.) We do need good Christians that bring ethics to bear in government, as well as those of the secular who contribute equally. Whether from faiths of Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, or the secular, all should bring their decent values to the political and legislative process.

If as Katherine Harris suggest, “God is the one who chooses our rulers,” then her God has made some mistakes. To who’s God is she referring, the one of her chosen belief of what is of moral authority? “Moral authority” is subjective. Does moral authority come only from God? If so, who can we trust to reveal God’s will of what’s moral? Who is God’s spokesman? Moral discernment is more in the mind of the beholder. It is integral to one’s conscience and self-proclaimed principles, and may not be from God.

My prayer is: “God save us from those who approach politics with a certainty that they know God's truth; save us from the Islamic clerics, and the likes, that would impose their extremist religious rules, at any cost to humanity, for a theocracy; give us more responsible, intellectually honest evangelicals, who acknowledge that only You know the truth of 4-billion people’s plan for salvation, outside of Christianity.”

Yes, my Christian faith is important to me as is another’s view of Christianity different from mine, and as other faiths are important to others; so let’s protect everyone’s religious freedoms. Let’s come to the realization that “separation of church and state” is imperative for religious freedom’s survival and a “government of the people and for the people.” Let’s do it for the sake of our children, grandchildren, and their descendents.

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Rep. Harris Condemns Separation of Church, State
By Jim StrattonOrlando SentinelSaturday, August 26, 2006; A09
ORLANDO, Aug. 25 -- Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.) said this week that God did not intend for the United States to be a "nation of secular laws" and that the separation of church and state is a "lie we have been told" to keep religious people out of politics.
"If you're not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin," Harris told interviewers from the Florida Baptist Witness, the weekly journal of the Florida Baptist State Convention. She cited abortion and same-sex marriage as examples of that sin.
Harris, a candidate in the Sept. 5 Republican primary for U.S. Senate, said her religious beliefs "animate" everything she does, including her votes in Congress.
Witness editors interviewed candidates for office, asking them to describe their faith and their positions on certain issues.
Harris has always professed a deep Christian faith. But she has rarely expressed such a fervent evangelical perspective publicly.
Political and religious officials responded to her published remarks with outrage and dismay.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said she was "disgusted" by the comments "and deeply disappointed in Representative Harris personally."
Harris, Wasserman Schultz said, "clearly shows that she does not deserve to be a representative."
Ruby Brooks, a veteran Tampa Bay Republican activist, said Harris's remarks "were offensive to me as a Christian and a Republican."
"This notion that you've been chosen or anointed, it's offensive," Brooks said. "We hurt our cause with that more than we help it."
Harris told the journalists "we have to have the faithful in government" because that is God's will. Separating religion and politics is "so wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers," she said.
"And if we are the ones not actively involved in electing those godly men and women," then "we're going to have a nation of secular laws. That's not what our Founding Fathers intended, and that certainly isn't what God intended."
Harris campaign spokeswoman Jennifer Marks would not answer questions about the Harris interview. Instead, she released a two-sentence statement.
"Congresswoman Harris encourages Americans from all walks of life and faith to participate in our government," it stated. "She continues to be an unwavering advocate of religious rights and freedoms."

Critical Actions: What's Your Opinion

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