Was Jesus a conservative? or a republican?

[createdtoworship]

"I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." Leanard Ravenhill, Why Revival Tarries. I read this and am convicted. My personal political spectrum dictates larger military, yet I fail to see Jesus supporting this. Oh what a conundrum I face! Many times we as christian right, get so caught up in politics that we forget the simplicity of having faith in God. Yes we pray. Yes we vote. But do we need to fight with people about politics? I don't agree with everything this blog stands for, but I agree with how the unsaved world sees christianity as a political party, when it's not. Presidential Politics, Big Military and Jesus – Red Letter Christians

note: I am not a pacifist, and I don't think Jesus was either, but I still have many questions for people who say building the biggest military in the world is a christian thing. I am still a republican because of their stance on many moral issues, family, abortion and such. But it's the military over emphasis that I don't like.

 

[ewq1938]

My personal political spectrum dictates larger military, yet I fail to see Jesus supporting this.

Jesus is the commander of a very large and powerful army.

note: I am not a pacifist, and I don't think Jesus was either, but I still have many questions for people who say building the biggest military in the world is a christian thing. I am still a republican because of their stance on many moral issues, family, abortion and such. But it's the military over emphasis that I don't like.

Without the military we wouldn't have a country or likely couldn't even have a forum like this and even have this conversation.

 

[Sketcher]

What do you think of Ron Paul?

 

[Jonaitis]

When did Leanard Ravenhill say this, during the Cold War? I think perspective and context matters.

Also, I find it a little insulting to ask what political party our Lord would have sided.

 

[Quid est Veritas?]

Jesus' kingdom was not of this world. It is clear that He had great compassion and forgiveness, as in the woman taken in adultery; but was not above using violence and anger to oppose the unrighteous, as in driving the money-changers from the Temple. Jesus taught to turn the other cheek, but also to do unto others as you would have them do unto you and opposed the Pharisees that were impoverishing the poor widows. This implies to me that defending the weak from oppression is a moral duty. He also said to give freely, as much as the cloak off your back. As the examples above indicate, Jesus was opposing the death penalty, accepting the use of force on occasion, being charitable, and was accepting of strangers like Samaritans as our neighbours, too.

I don't think any political view belongs to Jesus, as He was beyond our petty politics, being the Incarnation of God himself, the very definition of what is Good itself. Humans being sinners, we can only imperfectly follow His example, and politics being one of the very Temptations Satan made to Jesus in the wilderness, is more so.

 

[usexpat97]

Without the military we wouldn't have a country or likely couldn't even have a forum like this and even have this conversation

How are you making the connection between having a country and having the internet? Or for that matter, how Jesus would have any issue with there not being a country at all?

 

[timothyu]

You will have to turn your weapons upon the Kingdom because when it comes nothing you or any other nation stands for will matter. Jesus stands for the Kingdom.

Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

 

[Go Braves]

"I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." Leanard Ravenhill, Why Revival Tarries. I read this and am convicted. My personal political spectrum dictates larger military, yet I fail to see Jesus supporting this. Oh what a conundrum I face! Many times we as christian right, get so caught up in politics that we forget the simplicity of having faith in God. Yes we pray. Yes we vote. But do we need to fight with people about politics? I don't agree with everything this blog stands for, but I agree with how the unsaved world sees christianity as a political party, when it's not. Presidential Politics, Big Military and Jesus – Red Letter Christians

note: I am not a pacifist, and I don't think Jesus was either, but I still have many questions for people who say building the biggest military in the world is a christian thing. I am still a republican because of their stance on many moral issues, family, abortion and such. But it's the military over emphasis that I don't like.

Lol, Jesus was about as progressive as they come. No way, no how could anybody call him a conservative. Of course the US didn't exist then, much less the Democratic or Republican parties.

 

[Quid est Veritas?]

Lol, Jesus was about as progressive as they come. No way, no how could anybody call him a conservative. Of course the US didn't exist then, much less the Democratic or Republican parties.

The label 'progressive' is meaningless when applied to Jesus. He opposed Divorce, and He certainly stood for the Moral Law. The question is what are you progressing to? Any modern label applied inevitably will be anachronistic and imperfect. CS Lewis once said Jesus could be construed economically liberal, but culturally conservative, for instance.

 

[Go Braves]

The label 'progressive' is meaningless when applied to Jesus. He opposed Divorce for instance, and He certainly stood for the Moral Law. The question is what are you progressing to? Any modern label applied inevitably will be anachronistic and imperfect. CS Lewis once said Jesus could be construed economically liberal, but culturally conservative, for instance.

Do you think the label "conservative" as we understand it in modern parlance has got any meaning whatsoever when applied to Jesus?

 

[timothyu]

Do you think the label "conservative" as we understand it in modern parlance has got any meaning whatsoever when applied to Jesus?

He was outside of man's system with a system of His own. How can He be defined using man's system?

 

[Quid est Veritas?]

Do you think the label "conservative" as we understand it in modern parlance has got any meaning whatsoever when applied to Jesus?

As I said, neither label fits well. It is meaningless to apply our political labels to God Incarnate, as we would then imply a Moral Order above God that is indeterminate and to which God Himself is beholden. To do so, is merely to claim your side wholely on the side of Good, and amounts to simply demonising the other. Jesus himself was emphatic that the Kingdom is not of this world.

 

[Go Braves]

He was outside of man's system with a system of His own. How can He be defined using man's system?

Well yeah. That's my point. Thx.

 

[Go Braves]

As I said, neither label fits well. It is meaningless to apply our political labels to God Incarnate, as we would then imply a Moral Order above God that is indeterminate and to which God Himself is beholden. To do so, is merely to claim your side wholely on the side of Good, and amounts to simply demonising the other. Jesus himself was emphatic that the Kingdom is not of this world.

Well yeah.

 

[RDKirk]

Jesus is a monarchist, and a benign totalitarian dictator.

 

[FireDragon76]

Jesus was, at the least, a religious reformer so I don't think the label "conservative" fits him at all. Conservatives don't walk into temples and turn over tables.

 

[timothyu]

Conservatives don't walk into temples and turn over tables.

No they love the money lenders

 

[Richard T]

Political parties exist so that voters can take shortcuts. Instead of learning about every candidate, you can vote for the part that most closely represents your views. Jesus would not need such shortcuts, and I would suggest he would vote for the candidate with and the best character and I am sure he would know.

As to your values on the military, you might look at book "Bible and National Defense: What the Bible has to Say About War and the Price of Our Freedom" by Yandian. A large military can be a blessing. While America has caused some harm, I have to think that for the most part, it has accelerated peace rather than destroyed it. Jesus did not seem too concerned about military matters. He never had a problem with the centurion, trying to lecture him about the proper use of force or anything.

Two persistent theories in international relations are liberalism and realism. The former suggests man is good and that given the right circumstances and world cooperation, we can limit war. Realism suggests man is sinful and therefore power is needed to deter would be aggressors. There are other theories as well and I have only given a small and incomplete snapshot of these two. Lots of assumptions, some which contradict what the bible would suggest by all the world theories.

In a nutshell, take away the bombers and the world could be a much more dangerous place.

 

[straykat]

Jesus is the most just monarchist. King of Kings and Lord and Lords.

 

[RDKirk]

No they love the money lenders

Let me point out something about that incident. Although Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers (they were converters, not lenders), what He said was this:

"You have made it a den of thieves."

He wasn't talking to the people doing shady business, he was talking to the rulers of the temple who set the money changers up in the temple. The priests and temple managers had plenty of guards to keep out riff-raff if they'd wanted to. That was authorized riff-raff that Jesus chased away. His ire was for those who authorized it.