tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32298156.post116008064589762456..comments2007-04-26T02:00:24.765-07:00Sharktacoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14211582724058718297noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32298156.post-1160448028540973192006-10-09T19:40:00.000-07:002006-10-09T19:40:00.000-07:00Hi Joshua,<BR/><BR/>I can sympathize with the wish to not be involved in politics, but I think that the cross shows us that we need to follow God into the world even if it is messy and corrupt. The question is how to be in it but not of it. <BR/><BR/>I am personally very much for political involvement as a Christian. I think we need to not juat ask "what values would Jesus be for?" (I think he would for instance be WAY more concerned with conveying compassion and love for sinners than he would about defending laws of traditional morality) but also "how would he go about bringing in this kingdom?" It seems to me that a major problem with current "Christian" politics is that their means are extremely immoral (lying... manipulating the lowest of human drives like greed, fear, and hate... torture...etc)<BR/><BR/>The means do not justify the ends, they determine it.sharktacoshttp://sharktacos.com/Godnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32298156.post-1160447293501244752006-10-09T19:28:00.000-07:002006-10-09T19:28:00.000-07:00Hey Forest, thanks for the link. Slack is a very good writer :)sharktacoshttp://sharktacos.com/Godnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32298156.post-1160157951118264372006-10-06T11:05:00.000-07:002006-10-06T11:05:00.000-07:00Yes, these fundamental differences exist with or without the religious trappings. I'm glad I'm not a politician. I really don't know what to think about a system where compromising your core values is mandatory. I think about what God told the Israelites when they wanted a king. Inevitable corruption ensued. Then when Christianity became the state religion in Rome. Inevitable corruption ensued. It seems this pattern should tell us something about the nature of power and religion. And about modern American Christian's desire for political power.Joshua C. Foremanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17665951353970236871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32298156.post-1160097300460836542006-10-05T18:15:00.000-07:002006-10-05T18:15:00.000-07:00<A HREF="http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/2006/09/the_language_of.html" REL="nofollow">Slacktivist</A> wrote a very similar piece last week that's worth reading.<BR/><BR/>Harris doesn't impress. He appears utterly blind to his own dogmatism. And the follow-up interview...good grief. Why wouldn't it occur to them to find a religious scholar to respond instead of two opposing religious partisans?forestwalkernoreply@blogger.com