The moral and "family value" issues are often the most controversial and dividing issues facing our country today. By choosing to focus solely on those issues, Christians set themselves up to be completely opposed to the other (at least) 50% of people out there. I think that the Bible teaches that God cares about EVERYTHING! For example, we as Christians have a biblical obligation to care about the environment, based on the fact that God gave us humans dominion over the earth, the responsibility to nurture it and care for it. Therefore, Christians should be leading the fight to conserve energy and combat global warming. This is not to say that a certain amount of global warming (literally) is natural, but the rate at which our climate is changing is destructive, and we as Christians should care about it.
Another example: poverty. America is a wonderful land of opportunity, if you grow up in the right places. Poverty is still a HUGE issue in America. A huge part of why people live in poverty has to do with the fact that our schools are still unequal, (i.e. - poor neighborhoods have increased class sizes, lack adequate resources to train and retain good teachers, and a lack of physical resources for the classrooms - i.e. books, chairs, staff). Education is the CORE of success! Without education, people are more likely to end up living off Public Assistance, or finding (illegal) ways of making money. Education is directly linked to increased rates of teen pregnancy, and lets face it, almost no one could make it with a young child, no high school education and an often flawed family support system.
Now, I know what a lot of Christians' response to this is. Their response tends to be, "This is a result of sin, and you just can't be mad at natural consequences for someone's actions." While I do agree with this to a certain extent, my issue with it comes when we have not adequately tried to assist or prevent these situations. I have no problem saying "bueno que te pase", or "serves you right," to a teenager who has grown up with opportunities at their fingertips who get pregnant, drops out of school or is in rehab for substance abuse addiction. But I have to think twice about a teen who has grown up knowing literally NOTHING, but the life of poverty. The fact that we still have children for whom poverty, ignorance, drugs, crime and violence are an everyday form of life, saddens me. And we as Christians, should again be racing to try to address the systemic issues of poverty, racism and discrimination, BEFORE pointing a judgmental finger at those who in our opinion "deserve it."
Jesus spent most of his ministry associating and ministering to the least of society. Not to excuse their poor decisions, or sinful behavior, but to show them His redeeming, everlasting, love. Until we as Christians have adopted this same attitude, I believe that we are sinning. And if we as Christians, (Republicans, if you will) would come along-side our (liberal?) Democratic colleagues and lead the cause to aid these people, we would garner a lot more respect in our society. Then they would be willing to listen to us about our other points of view. That would make them think twice about their ideas on "so-called Christians."
And that, in a [very small] nutshell, is my opinion on politics.
