|
The Watchtower and Politics
|
The mentality of first century Jews and Christians thought everday life was affected by both angels and demons. If a epilepsy occured, there was no question, that a demon was the cause. The world was flat and part of a three-tiered system, the earth, the firmanment and the heavens directly behind, all in light where an external God dwelled as a spirit being in the image of man as a monarch ruling king. Here he would sit and in great wisdom watch over the world. This is the premise of Judeo-Christian scripture taken in it's literal context.
As Mark described the spiritual war of the devil and God, of good and evil as the battle of life, Paul considered all obedience to government was that of obedience to God. John's account stated that "the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one" (1John 5:19). Black and white reasoning that came from the pattern of thought of his day.
The Watchtower Mentality
The Gospel account describes how Satan the Devil tried to tempt Jesus to
betray God, he
offered him all the governments or kingdoms of the world. Jesus never refuted his claim of having influence, authority
and power over them. (Luke 4:5-7) This is interpreted by many to be in agreement with Rev 13:4 which states that
the "dragon gave the authority to the wild beast." Another wards, Satan the Devil gave the authority
to the political governments of the earth. Furthermore, Apostle Paul wrote that there is a "god of this system
of things" who is "blinding the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good
news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through. (2 Cor 4:4) So this god of this system
of things is against God and Christ and appears to be the same person Jesus speaks about, Satan the Devil, calling
him the "ruler of this world" who will be "cast out". (John 12:31) Even with a literal intepretation
that best is the imagination of the insecurity and illusionary protection of theistic thinking, does all of the
above information mean, a blanket condemnation and generalization that all governments are evil? To literalize
scripture in this context itself, brings the foundation of a thousand and one interpretations that each are as
faulty as the next.
Human Governments - God's Minister
In Romans chapter 13:1-8 it is stated that Christians must be "in subjection to the superior authorities" and that they stand in a "relative position" to the authority of God. Any who opposed the government would be opposing God. The world is a better place for people who failed to obey such advise. Segregation for instance, the result of Martin Luther King Jr. The Magna Carta framed by the founding fathers of the States in pursuit of religious freedom, against the British rule, just another example. This has nothing to do with Acts 5:29, in relation to preaching, against it's opposition, "We must obey God as a ruler rather then men" and that of "paying Caesar's thing to Caesar, but God's things to God" (Mark 12:17).
Human Governments - Christian's Involvement
Is
it fair to make a blanket statement and a general condemnation of all human Governments and restrict Christians
from any involvement? This is difficult to harmonize with the attitude of Daniel and his three companions during
the political rule of the Babylonian and Medo-Persian empires. Not only did Daniel accept appointment to a high
position in the Babylonian political structure, he actually requested administrative positions for his three friends.(Daniel
2:48,49; 5:29) This was not some display of a lack of integrity, for they proved themselves willing to face death
rather than be disloyal to God. (Daniel 3:8-18) In the matter of serving in the governmental (political) structure,
they showed conscientious discrimination-not blanket categorization. Christians today can also reject the bad and shun it while still recognizing whatever good
there may be. (1)
They support government that reflects agape, freedom and integrity, while at the same time maintaining their future
inheritance of "citizenship in the heavens," and support of God's Kingdom. Certainly, many persons
may not want to conscientiously share in politics because of its corruption and many smear tactics. But does that
require them to have the unbalanced blanket viewpoint that anything having to do with politics is automatically
evil ? Certainly not, for each individual must use his or her own conscience and recognize the wrong and the right
in politics.
Also the fact that Daniel and his three companions willingly were assigned different names within the pagan political government of Babylon, the very names of Babylonian gods, shows the individual conscience in the matter of whether an issue is of God or is not. The very name of Daniel, Belteshazzar, was a name that comes from the false god Baal. And yet Daniel did not refuse this name. (Daniel 1:6,7; 3:13-18; 4:19)
As Christians, Apostle Paul gave instructions to Timothy for the "supplications, prayers, intercessions and offerings of thanks ... to be made for all sorts of men, including kings and all political rulers who are in high stations." Certainly, this shows that human governments, as "God's minister" are to be used to benefit mankind, including a Christian's prayers towards them and involvement within, depending on each Christians individual conscience. (1 Tim 2:1-2; Romans 13:1-8)
A sad fact is that many thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses in the country of Malawi were tortured, raped and killed because of their strict neutrality of political involvement. This country had only one political party at the same time a ownership of a political party card was required for all citizens. Jehovah's Witnesses in that country were specifically instructed by the Brooklyn NY headquarters, to oppose the ownership of this card, which would identifying them with the political party of Malawi. For it is believed to be a compromise of their strict neutrality. And to this very day there are thousands of Witnesses in prison because of neutrality in this regard. Yet how much more is a name viewed as an identification than is a political party card or a certain uniform to be worn ? And yet Daniel and his three companions did just that in a pagan political government that worshiped pagan gods. Yet when a genuine issue rose they were willing to demonstrate who they were and undergo death in a fiery furnace. Obviously, if Daniel and his three companions were adhering to the strict interpretation of the Watch Tower, they certainly would not have responded in this way.
Really then, each Christian must use his or her own conscience on this matter, not what some "slave class" or religious organization dictates to them. What is important is to have a balanced viewpoint, not a blanket condemnation, recognizing the bad and good in political involvement.
|
Nationalism |
|
Both A Healing And A Disease |
This is not meant to praise nationalism, nor condemn it, but rather to put it in it's proper place. Nationalism can act as either a healing force, unifying the country, bringing aid and love towards one another, or it can bring a pride with both obvious and subtle forms of hatred and judgementalism.
Can loving a country be wrong? Can loving a sport team be wrong? Can loving anything as a person, place, thing or idea be wrong? It all depends on what type of love, what type of pride and where it is placed in the priorities of life.
In times of war, history shows that nationalism becomes the tool of choice to whip up the emotions of unification. This alone can be both unitive and beneficial to a country and it's people. People become moved to help one another, replacing their ordinary intolerance with a new found understanding and love. Food, aid and money is handed out to help those in need. Businesses cut rates, prices and give things away they normally wouldn't do. Government's give tax breaks and increase social aid. Religion jumps at their new opportunities to helps all those in need and possibly make converts. All of this being very beneficial of nationalism.
However, the downfalls of nationalism are hatred and intolerance of any who don't support their cause. Competition of all others and narrow, fundamentalist thinking becomes the norm. Like a fever that hits a population, the disease spreads to every sector of society. Flags are put everywhere as symbols of support, subtly supporting a strong one way thinking of "our way or the highway." In churches "God bless America" and the National Anthem is sung. Nothing is wrong with the flag, nor these songs, yet they subtly teach an intolerant behavior, a favoritism to one group, one land, one country, superior to all others. They quietly breed a judgmental superiority, a self righteous attitude and intolerance towards all different nations than themselves and those who support them. Nationalism has no place in God's house, nor embrace the "people out of ALL nations," that are chosen to be His people.
Support of one's country can be in total harmony with God, depending on the situation, yet like the intolerance of supporting a sport team, nationalism, can be a deadly disease of pride and detrimental to the Spirit. Here is where balance, maturity and the inner, invisible and spiritual connection of God must be first priority.
|
Our Choice |
Regarding politics, Christianity and Apostle John's Revelation, Eugene H. Peterson, relates:
The parish is a microcosm of this conflict. Politics is the management of power, whether in marriage and family, business and trade, congregation and committee, legislature and convention, school classroom and executive board room. We are in politics whether we want to be or not, whether anybody votes for us or not. It is essential that we discern the lines of influence as we practice politics in these shifting forums. St. John's visions provide pastoral wisdom for this work. Will it be the power of coercion or the power of grace? Will it be a politics of Abstraction consisting of grand images and programs, unconnected with who we are, that force conformity on others in impressive amphitheaters and spectator-filled stadiums? Or will it be a politics of Incarnation, consisting of adoring god, listening to his word, and obeying his commands in the detailed and dense dailiness of our easily dismissed and frequently despised Galilee?" (2)
|
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
