Christian Influence
Today I took part in one of my favorite activities—browsing a bookstore. I went into a Christian bookstore to see if there was anything interesting by a particular author that I enjoy. I seldom go in stores looking for Christian books. Instead I find and order them through Amazon. Don’t get me wrong, as a Christian who loves to read I wish more believers would support these stores. But Christian bookstore shelves are too filled with claptrap. Three quarters of the book racks are filled with fiction and what I call touch-me-bless-me books. Since I don’t read fiction unless it is at least a century old and I steer clear of the other because they contain little more than pablum, there is seldom anything for me to read. Little did I know what I would find.
One book tempted me to extricate it from the lower shelf. It was about Christians in politics, and was written by an independent voter—does this fairy tale creature exist or is it a facade for the weak kneed? The author’s contention was that Christians should not be partisan. We should look beyond party; rather than being Republican red or Democrat blue we should be purple.
Now, I don’t believe that Christianity should be reduced to a committee of the Republican Party. Neither do I support the efforts of those like the Constitution Party who would create a specifically Christian party. My problem is not one of party membership, but party platform. Why do most evangelicals support the Republican party? It is not because they view it as more holy or the Democrats as demon spawn. We support the GOP for two reasons. First, Christians must work in this world with nonbelievers if we are to get certain things done. This is why I reject a political party that only appeals to Christians. Second, in choosing a secular political organization to cooperate with, we must consider the platform.
The Democratic platform is anathema to scriptural Christianity: undermining marriage, abortion on demand, confiscatory taxation, subsidy of immorality and encouragement to sloth. The Republican platform stands more in line with a Christian world-view. This doesn’t make the GOP more spiritual or the Arm of God, but means that to cooperate with Republicans requires less compromise of our convictions.
Christians have little choice but to be partisan. Partisanship stands for something, and stands against other things. This is what Christianity requires—standing for righteousness and standing against wickedness.
