By Mike Shoesmith
Today I was approached by two Jehovah's Witnesses, dressed in fancy clothes, a father and daughter. We had a cordial discussion about Jesus, religion, etc. We went through the scriptures together and I explained that even though we share many of the same beliefs the JW doctrine has a great deal of disappointment in store when the reckoning happens.
Then the conversation turned to politics when I suggested, as they pray for the country's leaders, they should pray Psalm 109:8 regarding the current president. They humored me by looking it up. I suggested it in order to change the subject and to gain the leadership role in our little tete a tete between the father and I, the daughter being more of a silent observer.
The joke was not lost on either of them.
That led us into a very revealing exchange. The father told me Jehovah's Witnesses never vote. They don't believe in getting involved in politics at all. It's a worldly thing and it belongs to 'Caesar' he said.
I then asked him how he can claim to have any 'salt and light' in this world when he has, by virtue of tossing his voting franchise in the trash (something hundreds of thousands of Americans have died to secure) been party to allowing a child-killing, lying, sodomite to remain in power? Did he not think Jesus would hold him accountable for, when given the opportunity to actually do something about it, he said, essentially , 'meh?'
I could tell that his daughter, a plain-looking woman in her mid-thirties, was beginning to question this doctrine of abstaining from voting. Lights were going on in her mind. I could tell.
The father, having been politely embarrassed and his authority undermined in front of his own daughter, attempted to change the subject, but it was over. I had the moral and biblical high ground.
He offered me a copy of Watchtower Magazine. I responded with offering him my PPSIMMONS business card. He declined... as did I.
There are more than one million Jehovah's Witnesses in America.
Are they 100% responsible for Obama's presidency? No. But they are responsible in part none-the-less. This means the Jehovah's Witnesses are at least partially responsible for the destruction of America we see happening all around us. They are responsible for the scandals currently rocking the nation. They are responsible for the Muslim Brotherhood infiltration of the White House. They are responsible for an abomination taking control of the most powerful nation that has ever existed on this planet.
Are they 100% responsible for Obama's presidency? No. But they are responsible in part none-the-less. This means the Jehovah's Witnesses are at least partially responsible for the destruction of America we see happening all around us. They are responsible for the scandals currently rocking the nation. They are responsible for the Muslim Brotherhood infiltration of the White House. They are responsible for an abomination taking control of the most powerful nation that has ever existed on this planet.
HOW DO WE WIN OUR NATION BACK?
Almost 40 million Evangelicals DON'T VOTE! And that's not even counting Catholics. Get 1/3 of them out to the polls - and we win every election; without having to argue with a single independent or non-Christian. The book "Jesus is Involved in Politics" by Neil Mammen is aimed at helping Christians start small groups and give Biblical and Historical reasons to convince their Pastors, Elder Boards and fellow Christians, why Christians and the Church critically need to be involved in Politics.
Answers every objection your pastor/priest may have. Prove WHY the Church SHOULD be involved in Politics. Show why charity is the job of the Church & not Government. Show why socialism violates the Bible and why Atheists needn't fear a Christian Taliban!
I enjoy your blog. Would you please provide a source for your comment about 40 million Evangelicals and Conservative Catholics who don't vote. As a Conservative Catholic, I can assure you that the Church is adamant that we have a moral responsibility to vote with an understanding that we may never vote for any candidate who approves of those moral non-negotiables like abortion, euthanasia, and homosexual "marriage." Granted, there are a great many unfaithful Catholics, but in my experience, they not the conservatives.
ReplyDeleteThanks and God bless you!
Here is the source...
Deletehttp://www.jesusisinvolvedinpolitics.com/
Thank you, I've contacted them to find their source for this information. I'm not at all surprised to find that that many evangelicals and Catholics don't vote, it's a real shame. But, I would be very surprised to find that conservative Catholics were among that group.
DeleteThanks again for the article.
P.I.
DeleteI contacted Neil Mammen, at the link you provided, regarding the quote in question and here is his reply:
That's a typo. It should say and used to say "Almost 40M conservative Evangelicals don't vote and that's not even counting Catholics." I'll have it changed next time we do an update. It probably got accidently changed during an edit.
Thanks for catching it.
Neil
For the sake of factual accuracy, would you please change the quote in your article to match this update? As I stated in my email to Neil, between Catholics and Evangelicals alone that accounts for around 130,000,000 Christians in the U.S.. So, considering how many people actually voted compared to the number of Christians in the United States, and we have evidence of a ridiculously small number of Christians who take the political process seriously. God help us.
But, my point in all of this is that conservative Catholics, like myself, will be the ones who are most interested in the political process recognizing that our constitutional rights and freedoms are being eroded. Although, I am also painfully aware that 50 percent of the Catholics who did vote, voted for Obama. Just imagine if all American Christians used the political process as the salt & light of the world? Lets pray for more fidelity to the Gospel. Thanks for the article.
Thanks for your consideration.
Peace in Christ!
Christopher
THE Gospel writers describe several events in Jesus’ ministry that brought him face-to-face with politics. For instance, shortly after Jesus’ baptism at about the age of 30, the Devil offered him the position of world ruler. Later in his ministry, a crowd wanted to make him their king. Still later, people tried to turn him into a political activist. How did Jesus react?
ReplyDeleteLet us consider these events.
World ruler. The Gospels state that the Devil offered Jesus rulership over “all the kingdoms of the world.” Think of how much good Jesus could have done for suffering mankind if he had wielded the power of a world ruler! What politically oriented individual sincerely concerned with mankind’s advancement could resist such an offer? But Jesus refused it.—Matthew 4:8-11.
King. Many of Jesus’ contemporaries were desperate for a ruler who could solve their economic and political problems. Impressed by Jesus’ abilities, the people wanted Jesus to join the political process. What was his reaction? Gospel writer John states: “Jesus, knowing they were about to come and seize him to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain all alone.” (John 6:10-15) Clearly, Jesus refused to become involved in politics.
Political activist. Note what happened days before Jesus was put to death. Disciples of the Pharisees, who favored independence from the Roman Empire, joined by Herodians, members of a political party favoring Rome, approached Jesus. They wanted to force him to take a political position. They asked if the Jews should pay taxes to Rome.
Mark recorded Jesus’ response: “‘Why do you put me to the test? Bring me a denarius to look at.’ They brought one. And he said to them: ‘Whose image and inscription is this?’ They said to him: ‘Caesar’s.’ Jesus then said: ‘Pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.’” (Mark 12:13-17) Commenting on the reason for Jesus’ response, the book Church and State—The Story of Two Kingdoms concludes: “He refused to act the part of a political messiah and carefully established both the boundary of Caesar and that of God.”
Problems such as poverty, corruption, and injustice did not leave Christ unmoved. In fact, the Bible shows that he was deeply touched by the pitiful state of the people around him. (Mark 6:33, 34) Still, Jesus did not start a campaign to rid the world of injustices, although some tried hard to get him embroiled in the controversial issues of the day.
Great Response Matt it was hard hitting to the Core Jehovah and Jesus along with the angels are singing because you speak the #TRUTH
DeleteTRUE Christians today do not participate in politics. Why not? Because they follow Jesus’ example. He said about himself: “I am no part of the world.” Regarding his followers, he stated: “You are no part of the world.” (John 15:19; 17:14) Consider some reasons why Christians should not become involved in politics.
ReplyDelete1. Human ability is limited. The Bible states that humans have neither the ability nor the right to govern themselves. “It does not belong to man who is walking,” wrote the prophet Jeremiah, “even to direct his step.”—Jeremiah 10:23.
Just as humans were not created to fly successfully on their own strength, so they were not created to rule successfully by themselves. Speaking about the limits of government, historian David Fromkin noted: “Governments are composed of human beings; therefore they are fallible and their prospects are uncertain. They exercise a certain power, but only a limited one.” (The Question of Government) No wonder the Bible warns us not to put our trust in man!—Psalm 146:3.
2. Wicked spirit forces currently have an influence. When Satan offered Jesus world rulership, Jesus did not deny that the Devil had the power to offer him all the kingdoms of the world. In fact, on a later occasion, Jesus called Satan “the ruler of the world.” Some years later the apostle Paul described Satan as “the god of this system of things.” (John 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4) Paul wrote to fellow Christians: “We have a wrestling . . . against the world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12) Behind the scenes, wicked spirit forces are the real rulers of this world. How should that fact influence our view of politics?
Think of this comparison: Just as small boats are swept along by powerful sea currents, human political systems are pulled along by powerful, wicked spirit forces. And just as the sailors in those boats can do little to change those powerful currents, politicians can do little to change the influence of those powerful spirit forces. Those forces are bent on corrupting humans beyond reform and on causing “woe for the earth.” (Revelation 12:12) Therefore, real change can be brought about only by a person who is more powerful than Satan and his demons. That Person is Jehovah God himself.—Psalm 83:18; Jeremiah 10:7, 10.
3. True Christians give allegiance only to God’s Kingdom. Jesus and his disciples knew that at a set time, God himself would establish a government in heaven to rule over the entire earth. The Bible calls this government God’s Kingdom and reveals that Jesus Christ has been appointed as its King. (Revelation 11:15) Since that Kingdom affects all humans, Jesus made “the good news of the kingdom of God” the main subject of his teachings. (Luke 4:43) He also taught his disciples to pray: “Let your kingdom come.” Why? Because under that Kingdom, God’s will is sure to be done in heaven and on earth.—Matthew 6:9, 10.
What, then, will happen to man-made governments? The Bible answers that the governments “of the entire inhabited earth” will be destroyed. (Revelation 16:14; 19:19-21) If an individual truly believes that God’s Kingdom is about to remove all man-made political systems, he logically would refrain from supporting those political systems. After all, if he tried to prop up doomed, man-made governments, he would, in effect, be taking a stand against God.