Instead of the Lord’s Prayer phrase, “lead us not into temptation,” author Huston Smith suggests it should read, “lead us not into confusion or mistaken priorities.”
Evangelist Franklin Graham, who visited Juneau on Friday, is making the same mistake as his earthly father: dragging the name of Jesus into politics.
Confusion and mistaken priorities have been a temptation for Christendom’s religious leaders since Roman Emperor Constantine combined the early Christian movement with the secular power that was Rome. Christianity hasn’t recovered.
What Jesus of Nazareth is recorded as saying could be spoken in about two hours, but many church leaders seem confused or else forget what Jesus said, and set different priorities.
Scripture warns those who change God’s priorities, e.g. “teaching as doctrine the commandments of men,” or those who don’t respond to clear teachings, e.g. “why do you call me Lord and not do what I say?”
Since the Garden, Satan suggests plausible alternatives to obeying what God commanded. Such confusing tactics work regardless of who uses them. Sometimes church leaders claim divine authority, but largely ignore Christ’s greatest commandments.
Some colonial church leaders used their persuasive skills for political action against King George rather than for God. They ignored Christ’s basic church-state policy, “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s,” which included paying taxes.
Much later, instead of confronting ungodly Bible Belt prejudices, some of America’s church leaders used politics to try to impose values they viewed as God’s will, e.g. prohibition, opposition to Darwin’s theory, etc. Such undertakings involve publicity.
Political activism offers media exposure. In 1949, newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, a staunch anti-communist, ordered his editors to “puff Graham” because aspiring evangelist Billy Graham opposed godless communism; name recognition followed.
National politicians court religious leaders who in turn curry favor. Former White House staffer David Kuo explored such dynamics in his 2006 book, “Tempting Faith, An Inside Story of Political Seduction.”
Other believers have written books that discuss the limitations and dangers of political activism, but have been largely ignored and their viewpoints marginalized.
Power-seeking behavior continues to blind religious leaders who sometimes later find out that they endorsed officials whose private behavior or policies are exposed as ungodly — strange bedfellows, indeed. Further, some religious leaders have themselves been revealed as corrupted.
Jesus asks, “What does it profit a man who gains the whole world, but loses his soul?”
Theo-political leaders fail to recognize “opportunity cost.” By spending their scarce time on political activism, disciples sacrifice irreplaceable time that might have otherwise been spent doing what scripture actually commands, e.g. loving their neighbors by helping “the least of these,” etc.
What matters most for eternity, earthly electioneering or imitating Christ’s agape-love?
A columnist once said, “Christianity used to be about changing yourself and serving others; now it’s more about changing others and serving yourself.” Sadly, examples abound — many of the “called out” seem confused about spiritual focus.
When Jesus returns will he “find faith” or self-righteous political activism?
• Mike Clemens is a Juneau resident and student of the United State’s church-state relations.
