Politics of the Right and Christianity

I left our "small group" feeling a little bewildered by the term "Christian Nazi". I suppose the person that used this term, a fledgling writer, meant one who imposes a rigid view of their Christianity on others. This view is composed of the old bromide "don't drink, smoke, chew or go with those that do". I have to admit I had some sympathy with the nascent author, and even supported her position by entering the fray and stating that "all truth [wherever found] is God's truth". She, it was a she, was having some problems with a church leader who was aghast that she would have the temerity to see and read The Crucible. Apparently, this crosses the line into the realm of unacceptable Christian, read Evangelical Christian, behaviour. Yes, I do have a subscription to Christianity Today, that bastion of liberalism.


Further problems arose as the group progressed. A military type espoused the Christianity of our President. I imagine his reading list included Stephen Mansfield's The Faith of George W. Bush and Thomas M. Freiling's George W. Bush On God and Country. I deftly countered with David Kuo's Tempting Faith. I plan to give him a copy of Mr. Kuo's brutally honest work. I don't know. Maybe this puts me in to the camp of Ron Sider and gang. I do, however, still listen to BBN. This same man cornered me after the meeting and we "got down" to some newspaper eschatology. He wanted to know my views on the latest end-time scenario. Having been exposed to Kieth A. Mathison's Dispensationalism Rightly Dividing the People of God, I was having none of it. I gave my spiel of having held to, at one time or another, the positions of premillennialism, postmillennialism and amillennialism. He did not address my nuanced, JUST KIDDING, view. Instead, he was saddened by the state of the world, as it is quite rapidly "going to hell in a hand basket". I told him in a not to subtle manner that people of all ages have had it rough. Noah's day, for example, was "no walk in the park". I know-quit with the colloquialisms. In any event, I informed him that persecution might be a good thing. After all," the seed of the martyrs' is the blood of the church", or something like that.

Day of Discovery

The Disciplines of the Christian life often lead to unexpected results as I have found in Richard Foster's classic The Celebration of the Disciplines. The tenor of the book is one of mystical interlude, and perhaps not in line with classical Evangelical piety[sic]. Classical in the sense of "quiet times" consisting of prayer and Bible reading. The quiet times of modern evangelical Christians comprise little more than the above exercises. Often,the modern Christian will add ejaculatory prayers to the above mix,beseeching God in times of need. This is not a bad thing and often,depending on the Sovereign's response, will lead to a life of submission. Submission is trusting that God has all things under control and is working out one's life in conformity to what is best for the creature. How does this relate to Foster's work? If one will extend the interior life beyond the mere Quiet Time,than one can progress in submission to God's will for one's life. This extension can take the form of delving into meditation,study,and fasting-the interior disciplines. I have found that the reading of good Christian books of all types,a Protestant's Divine reading,greatly enhances one's relationship with God. So,practice,practice,practice.