Can the Christian church support nationalsim?

I'll let Merriam-Webster do it not feeling well today hence my unusual time on the BB

Is that compatible with our citizenship in heaven? Aren't we really nothing more than pilgrims and strangers in this land, whether this land be Russia, Spain, Japan, the US, or any other country?

 

There is nothing he could say to add to it.

 

Why not Rev?

 

I understand the OP and sympathize with the OP...
But

In America it is impossible to seperate the citizen from the Government.
WE are the Government.
So we have a responsibility to govern.

NOW.. How should a Christian govern?
Should we throw out our Christian ideals when we do?
NO.

As someone said earlier, we don't have the luxury of seperating our secular lives from our Christianity. We don't have split personalities.
So, when a Christian approaches the subject of politics or enters the realm of public service that Christian MUST bring his ideals along.
If he doesn't .. if a person can lay Christ down for a little while... then that person doesn't understand Christianity.

To sum up my view.
I am a Christian... first an foremost.. this controls my worldview.
I am an American.
Since being an American, I am part of the governing body.
As part of the governing body, I cannot lay aside Christianity to govern.
So therefore my Christian values and morals will control how I govern.
Everything I do, I do unto the Lord (can't think of the verse, but I am sure someone can)
EVERYTHING...

So I CANNOT vote for someone that supports and promotes things that directly oppose the Word of God. i.e. abortion, homosexual marriage, stealing (taking money from hard working people to give to people who refuse to work), promoting sex outside the bounds of marriage (planned parenthood), mistrust in God (Global warming ~ God is in control of the Earth.. not Al Gore)

God decided to place me here. I see it as a stewardship issue.
All Christians should make sure that Godly principles are in place around them.
And as part of the governing body in America.. all Christians are called to support Christianity in America.

 

wow...so many angry people throwing accusations around like they're nothing...

The greatest plagues of sin have beset Christianity when it is combined with blind nationalism. In Germany in the 1930s and early 1940s there was an immediate attachment of political and national will with the Church. We all know what happened there.

The worst things imaginable happen when we blindly combine the two.

I believe we are citizens of two countries. But our greatest allegiance is to that far country which we are promised (Hebrews 11:13-14.) While we can, and should, remain gracious and live rightly while in this corrupt land we must realize that it is temporal and we have a greater calling in life.

America is just another country in a pantheon of them in our world. How are we greater than any other country?

I hear people say and pray "God bless America" but hasn't he already done that? Seriously, haven't we had the blessing of God. But what have we done with it? Used it to create a system of consumerization that can destroy a person in a heartbeat? Proliferated a pagan ideal of might make right? Maybe its time for God to remove His blessing.

Of course. I like the United States, but I'm not first and foremost a Patriot. I'm first and foremost a follower of Christ and patriotic is way down the list.

I don't care for 4th of July Services. I don't theologically care for churches that sing "God Bless America" or "My Country Tis of Thee" or "The Star Spangled Banner" in their services. I have a problem with that. The Church is to be something separate from the State. We have different roles. Our people get confused when we blur the lines. We corrupt the faith when we intermingle them.

Maybe the greatest ministry our churches could is showing how the State fails to be a healer in times of trouble. But our churches refuse to step up to the plate.

But then again I'm just a low dog, dust eating, baby killing liberal...according to some...:tonofbricks:

 

Bingo! We have a winner!

 

Libbies always trying to equate American Patriotism with Hitler. It is a false example and most likely a result of their liberal college indoctrination. It doesn't make for good logic or credibility.

 

That is a major reason these types of churches are ineffective in spreading the Gospel. You cannot serve two masters.

 

Mitch, How true!! This is the same junk that I heard taught in many classrooms when I was in college. And, it's sickening when Christians buy into it.

"Blessed is the man that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of the sinner, nor sit in the seat of the scornful."

 

Yea, everything is about President Obama and abortion.

Another reason churches like these are so ineffective. As long as pastors like this are in control, the Gospel will continue to suffer.

 

The gospel suffers when liberalism gets involved. Liberalism ( even moderatism) always leads to secularism.

 

Not so Rev. I'm not a political liberal. I believe in our Constitution and that its meaning is plain. But what do we do when the very document of the founding of our Country is violated? We are a republic so what happens when the people we voted in make decisions like nationalizing banks (funny Hitler did that?) or Forcing all children into public schools (one step away from Hitler youth) Or determine that Christianity is public enemy number one? What if our government began rounding a select group of people based on their ancestry or faith and began putting them in consentration camps and killing them "for the national good". Would I be obligated to follow it? Or stand for Christian values like Bonhoffer? I'm not suggesting all these things are happening now but there is a point that I will stop supporting our Nation. Rather I would support the nation founded on the Constitution and refuse support against a progressive country that no longer values that document.

 

Real close to my point of view here.



Thanks for the articulate post.

 

Let me assure you there is no confusion. Conservatives do not lead dual lives. We hold to one life that encompasses Faith in Jesus Christ on all things. To do otherwise would be hypocritical. And looking back through history we can see how liberalism has destroyed institutions like Harvard, Princeton, and even recently Stetson. Liberalism (moderatism) always works to draw people away from Christ and scripture never towards it.

 

Excellent post TT!

I have been trying to get my thoughts to post, and when I read yours I realized all I needed to do was quote yours, as it spoke my feelings pretty accurately!!

To be patriotic and a Christian are not mutually exclusive, as some would surreptitiously imply.

To be blindly patriotic and a Christian would be mutually exclusive.

The prevalent liberal view (IMHO) seems to me to be that we must support this president regardless --. True or not, that is the impression I get.

I consider myself very patriotic, but I will never support much of the agenda of either party, but I will be supportive of my country in all areas where she IS acting in a Christ-like manner.

Of course this means that I am definitely a NON-SUPPORTER of the present POTUS and the liberals, seeing as how they are so anti-Christ-like in so many of their policies.

I was only a partial supporter of the past POTUS because much of his agenda, IMHO, was anti-Christ and anti-American; but far less than today's POTUS.

Bottom line - no problem being a "nationalist" as long as the "nationalism" is subservient to the Christianity!

 

It seems you have trouble identifying what is on topic. That is my response to what you posted. I cannot help it if you do not like the response. This mythical "confusion" is a false liberal argument that has no substance. This country was founded on biblical principles. It was not the secular that you claim. Nor do I hold that government must be secular. For that excludes God in all its endeavors and I will not.