Saw a bumper sticker today that read: "God is Pro-life."
At first, it struck me as an obvious statement. Yes, of course God is "pro-life." Fire is hot, water is wet, God is pro-life. So why would anyone need a bumper sticker declaring that God doesn't want babies to die? Why was it red white and blue? And while we're at it, why am I growing so uncomfortable?
It hit me and it hurt. The sedan in front of me probably meant well, but the truth is that God is not pro-life.
If we strip away the assumptive reasoning we find a very divisive political agenda being placed like a filter on top of God. The terms pro-life and pro-choice are highly-caffeinated and politicized terms used to define someone's position on abortion. They are snappy political clothes used to summarize, in one hyphenated phrase, a person's political affiliation. But God doesn't have a political position on anything. Our invention of modern politics (or any politics for that matter) are mere tools for definition, used to explain or to embolden a group's collective opinion. A mode of translation used to classify our feelings about creation.
They serve wholly to divide. Politics are about the business of power.
God is not pro-life. God IS life. Our terms are too small.
Frankly what the bumper sticker is telling us is that God would not only VOTE pro life, but, vote for a candidate who is pro-life. Now, here's the long stretch the bumper sticker wants you to make: CANDIDATE VOTING PRO-LIFE = GOD.
That's really what that bumper sticker is saying, and truly, what that bumper sticker is saying, I want nothing to do with.
God is not pro life because he is not ever small enough to fit into yours or my political frame. I simply don't believe God can be bothered with it.
I would argue that one of the greatest and most dangerous heresies in Church is that we are a Christian nation. We think a strong and brazen gladiator-Jesus enters into our political Colosseum fighting the lions of liberalism and ransoming lost and wayward ex-patriots. The truth is, we are not a Christian nation. Too often we objectify the scriptures to enforce our position: we enslave them, we molest them. We are a people using scripture as a sword and God as a shield when it suits our purposes but we have forgotten that God is the whole of the battle.
Jesus asked us to "give to Caesar what is Caesar's" and indeed, we must. But what we're doing is giving God to Caesar.
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9 comments:
Wow this is an amazing take on God and politics. Really appreciative
I like this broad view. I'm always bothered by people who are trying to shrink God down into something they can understand. If I had to give myself a label, it would probably be "Atheist", for reasons I won't go into here. Being an atheist, I'm glad there are intelligent Christians out there.
Great blog.
That is one of the best things I have read in some time....I am one of those who has said many times the United States is not Gods sovereign nation and I think you made that point clear!!
Basically, my main response is a resounding "YES!" on a high hill overlooking Bethlehem, PA with and epic sound score behind.
And Bryson gave you a snippet of our chat session; here's a bigger snippet:
Bryson
1:22 AM
Uhg, okay side note==== durhams newest blog was friggin sweet jesus.
Alanah Cervantes
1:22 AM
really? :D
Bryson
1:23 AM
yeah
Alanah Cervantes
1:23 AM
ima read it before i turn in - im so excited
Bryson
1:23 AM
hehehe
Alanah Cervantes
1:23 AM
i love when he updates
1:23 AM
Bryson
1:23 AM
he's so yoda-like
Alanah Cervantes
1:23 AM
surrusly
not only is God not pro-life, He's not "protect marriage" either. This country was founded on the principle of the separation of church and state... why are so many Christians trying forge them back together... and to force Christian morals on people who don't know Christ? I think people so convicted and passionate about these issues could possibly focus on loving people for who they are before trying to help them know Christ... and just maybe then, God can help them see what is right.
Our terms are too small.
I like that.
Can you imagine the kind of uproar the church would be in if everyone read your blog and decided they were not 'pro-life' anymore? Ha. I don't know enough about God to think he is not political, but the way our nation thinks he is might be completely wrong.
I stumbled upon your blog, and your writing style is awesome.
I loved this post. God IS life...our terms are too small...
I quite like that...
Excellent thoughts. God is bigger. Check out my latest blog. It's weird. My thoughts were along the same lines last night.
Peace.
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