Politics and Religion
Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2020 6:04 am
Whoa! Either can create at the very least a heated discussion and cause divides in families let alone together can be pouring gasoline on a fire! I am well aware both are considered touchy subjects here so I am going to tread very lightly.
I consider myself a Christian though I am sure there are some who would question that. I was raised in a certain religion and have practiced that same religion throughout my life, that is until very recently. The past 2 weeks I have gone to services though not at my particular church but at another Christian church. I am quite familiar with this particular faith as my stepdaughters were raised in this faith and continue to practice it so I have many times been to services there with them and my grandchildren. Being a small town everyone knows everyone so have had more than a few ask me what was I doing there including the pastor and his wife both of whom I know quite well. My answer has been I am just expanding my horizons though that is only partly true.
The rest of the truth is I am questioning actions and stands that organizations purported to represent my current religion, or is it my former religion, have taken recently. Not that I haven't disagreed with my current religion or its leaders on stands they have taken before and have been quite verbal about my opposition but somehow this feels different. This time it is not a stand on faith or religion or morality but rather a political stance which I vehemently disagree with. Yes I know all about the "belief" of a separation of between church and state but let us be honest here that line has become quite blurred over the years.
Certainly I can't be the only one that feels like this. Does your political views reflect your religious beliefs or vice versa? Do you allow one to have an effect on the other? Can they be completely separate going as far as contradicting the other? I am genuinely curious how others see this. I am not looking for a diatribe on what your specific views or beliefs are on either rather an sincere open discussion on how one affects the other or not.
I consider myself a Christian though I am sure there are some who would question that. I was raised in a certain religion and have practiced that same religion throughout my life, that is until very recently. The past 2 weeks I have gone to services though not at my particular church but at another Christian church. I am quite familiar with this particular faith as my stepdaughters were raised in this faith and continue to practice it so I have many times been to services there with them and my grandchildren. Being a small town everyone knows everyone so have had more than a few ask me what was I doing there including the pastor and his wife both of whom I know quite well. My answer has been I am just expanding my horizons though that is only partly true.
The rest of the truth is I am questioning actions and stands that organizations purported to represent my current religion, or is it my former religion, have taken recently. Not that I haven't disagreed with my current religion or its leaders on stands they have taken before and have been quite verbal about my opposition but somehow this feels different. This time it is not a stand on faith or religion or morality but rather a political stance which I vehemently disagree with. Yes I know all about the "belief" of a separation of between church and state but let us be honest here that line has become quite blurred over the years.
Certainly I can't be the only one that feels like this. Does your political views reflect your religious beliefs or vice versa? Do you allow one to have an effect on the other? Can they be completely separate going as far as contradicting the other? I am genuinely curious how others see this. I am not looking for a diatribe on what your specific views or beliefs are on either rather an sincere open discussion on how one affects the other or not.