Thursday, February 23, 2012

Phonies and Theology



As if we did not have enough going on already, another political firestorm is threatening to burn out of control.  It started with the remark from Rick Santorum about President Obama being guided by a phony theology, and then more fuel was added by Rev. Franklin Graham.


I missed the last part of the interview when it was being initially aired, but I heard enough to be fairly disgusted with the way the panelists were trying to get Rev. Graham to come right out and say that President Obama is not really a Christian, along with being fairly impressed with the way Rev. Graham refused to go there.  Oh, but they backdoored him in the part that I missed.  For instead sticking with answering their questions about whether or not Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney were Christians by saying that they would have to ask them about that, he came right out and said that Santorum and Gingrich were while saying of Romney, “Christians would not recognize Mormonism as being of the Christian faith.”

Did I miss the memo?  For Rev. Graham is supposed to be a Protestant while Santorum and Gingrich are avowed Catholics, which used to make them unrecognizable to each other.  For Protestants are supposed to believe that we are saved by grace through faith alone while Catholics are supposed to believe that the sacrifice that Christ Jesus made for us did not pay the price in full.

Yes, I understand that the baptismal waters have been becoming steadily more murky for several years now, but I thought there was still as much of a distinction between Protestantism and Catholicism as there was for Mormonism?  Yes, it matters.

Besides, what does theology have to do with politics in the minds of most in the Christian community today, anyway?  For it has been widely taught that our Heavenly Father has very little (if anything at all) with the daily affairs of this world, which most certainly covers politics.

So, why is this a news story in the first place—let alone the beginning of another political firestorm?  Again, it matters.

The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.  Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.  Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, ‘Who sees us? Who will know?’  You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!  Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘You did not make me?’  Can the pot say to the potter, ‘You know nothing?’” [Isaiah 29:13-16 NIV]

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2 comments:

Rational νεόφυτος said...

I think you're right on with this Fishhawk, at least along the lines of your remark of what many people think, that being, 'what does theology have to do with politics?'

I'm growing tired of seeing the media draw this out, and frankly, I just want a leader who will uphold the Constitution and preserve my rights to worship. I know full well that God can work justice through secular leaders (Nebuchanezzar anyone?) and I pray for my political leaders daily that they will do what is right and just in their laws. If they are or aren't Reformed Baptists (which would be nice) this isn't my biggest concern.

Unknown said...

Very well put, my dear RN!!! Alas, it looks like the blind leading the blind on both sides, but thankfully, it will be as it should be in the end.