TRI In The News
Oh, God, It’s Another Election…
8/22/2011
TRI IN THE NEWS: OH, GOD, IT’S ANOTHER ELECTION…
From Times Union
Original blog post available here.
Much as it did with George W. Bush, the Christian right appears poised to cleave to Republican presidential hopeful and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, writes John Whitehead, a libertarian attorney. In two pieces on religion and politics, he warns of the perils and complexities of these relationships between Christians and politicians.
In one piece asking "Is the Christian Right getting fooled again," he notes Perry's religious focus, including the religious prayer event he organized in Houston just two days before he announced his presidential bid. He argues that the role of Christians is to speak truth to power, not cozy up to it; in the end, both may be disappointed, even hostile.
"Yet like moths flickering about a hot flame, the leaders of the Christian Right are eager to get close to political power. Unfortunately, as we saw during George W. Bush's disastrous tenure, there is always a price to be paid for power and prestige. In the process of seeking policy outcomes and funding for faith-based initiatives, the Christian leadership was seduced by political power to such an extent that the true message of Jesus was being held hostage to a political agenda. Whereas Jesus was a homeless, itinerant preacher who taught charity, compassion, and love for one's neighbor, today's Christianity is more often equated with partisan politics, anti-homosexual rhetoric, materialism, affluent megachurches, and moralistic finger-pointing."
In a second piece, he looks at the "guilt by association" issues that arise for politicians on the right and the left (Barack Obama and Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Michele Bachmann and Francis Schaeffer), he suggests more care from reporters covering this issue and for those on the left "to cease their knee-jerk intolerance of all things Christian."
