"True Christians should not be involved in human government" - True or false?

Question

I saw this posted on some questions and I'm interested in what people have to say about it.

I should add:

Especially in a republic.

spagirl: Um, it's just the opinion a few people expressed on another question. Not much of a source to analyze.

Another edit: I mean Christians who use their beliefs to make decisions in government. It would be wrong to ban Christians from being involved in government.

John G: I'm not the one making this statement, regardless of what you think of me. I saw it elsewhere.

Now, your points are good. We all have "values," whether they come from religion, self-reflection, upbringing, etc. So, how is it fair to say that Christians who use their beliefs in power can't do this because of their beliefs? Even if you say, "They shouldn't because they follow the Bible, and not everyone follows that." However, whether or not a book exists to back up one's beliefs does not change the fact that the beliefs exist.

The real issue here is the fact that we live in a so-called republic. The people appointed to power should listen to their people, not their own views. That is their task. If the majority was to base its decision off of a Bible, its decision is still majority view, and this must be made law.

...But then we have the Constitution. Basic human rights. When these are breached, problems arise.

(Continued)

Unfortunately, even human rights are up to interpretation, and many Christians believe that the Bible is greater than our own notions of what our freedoms should be. THIS is what is dangerous - using one's own beliefs to trump what the nation has declared to be its own "holy text," so to speak.

Everyone can be guilty of this, not just the religious, and not every religious person is guilty, either.

Now, there are rules and lessons that many of us can agree upon in a general sense (i.e. murder, theft, the golden rule), so these should be top priority. You say that you should perhaps eliminate the Golden Rule from your thinking because it's a belief. You mention its existence in Christianity, but this is NOT its origin, nor do its origins matter if it is regarded as effective and good. However, if the majority were to dismiss the Golden Rule, then the majority must win out... except for the fact that we have a Constitution. This gets in the way of true democracy, as does the nature of a republic itself. But what can be done?

trebor: Who cares what the founding fathers wanted? We are our own nation. A democracy, not people from over 200 years ago, decides what will happen within its confines. Your approach is overwhelmingly ignorant and contrary to what the United States supposedly stands for...

Answer 1

I'm going with true. It's important to have a government independent of religion. I think a Christian (or follower of any other religion) should only be involved in government if they aren't going to allow their personal beliefs to interfere with their decisions...but that wouldn't make them much of a Christian, would it?

Answer 2

False! Contrary to what some have said and keep repeating until it's almost a steady drumbeat, most of our Founding Fathers were professing and practicing Christians! The primary exceptions were Thomas Jefferson, a Deist, Thomas Paine, whose writing tended to lean toward Communism, and perhaps Benjamin Franklin. One need only read the Declaration of Independence, the U. S. Constitution, the Northwest Ordinance, Washington's Farewell address!

If our Founding Fathers had not been Christians, depending on God's Providence, we would have continued to be a Colony of the British Empire (later, Commonwealth), for at least several more years! Who knows what Colonial America would have become by the Twenty-First Century?

Biblical principles guided the beginnings of that brave experiment which became the United States of America. Although there are those now, who oppose things like Christian prayer in Government Schools, the posting of the Ten Commandments in schools and government buildings, "under God" in our Pledge of Allegiance, "In God We Trust" on our currency, etc., such utter rejection of God was never envisioned by our Founders!

Answer 3

True , we are to obey the law of the land in which we live . If we obey our national leader we will not be held accountable for what we are ordered to do , the leader will be held accountable . Expressly war . However politics are not looked upon favorably in the Bible . Nor are politicians . God warned us when we chose to have a human leader rather than Him , that we would be led astray ,over and over again .These leaders will have much to answer for on judgment day . He also said that every government will fail until the day Jesus takes the position of our King and rules us here on earth . We stubbornly insist that we can do it without Him . We can't , such is the state of the world today . Does it make sense to be an active participant in a failing organization ? I don't care what country it is , its government is going down .

Answer 4

True. Christians are told only to obey the governments over the land in which they live. The Bible plainly warns them to not try to interfere with or overthrow any human government (Romans 13:1-5); (Proverbs 24:21)
The Bible shows that all human governments are under the control of Satan(Matthew 4:8, 9); (Luke 4:5, 6) So, if a Christian becomes involved in human governments, he would come under control of Satan.

Answer 5

I would say false. Government is another way for Christians to spread their views of the world and the Word so I would say that the Church would support people in government.

In democracy, the government is supposed to be a reflection of the views of the people and many Americans are Christian so they should get their views heard in government.

Answer 6

I believe that God tells us to follow the laws of the land and its interesting because I know what the bible says and im from Lynchburg, VA and I remember back when Jerry Falwell first believed in not getting involved in politics; however, like him I did change my mind and I do believe you can be a true Christian and be involved with government. Who else would put the Christian viewpoint out there?

Answer 7

Very True. Remember what Jesus said when the Jews tried to force him to become a political leader? He said my world is no part of this world and he literally had to go and hide in the wilderness to get away from them.

True Christians do not fashion themselves after this world and also, the Bible warns to stay clear of political, meaningless worldly debate matters.

Answer 8

You mean Christians who use their beliefs to make decisions in government...should NOT be involved.

This begs the question of WHAT beliefs I should use, if I were in government. Should I dispense with the golden rule -the second of the great commandments mentioned by Christ? How about care of the poor and the sick -another bedrock Christian responsibility. Forget those, too?

Come to think of it, those notions are shared by Muslims, Jews and Buddhists, too -therefore THEY should not be involved in government, either?

And you mention "true" Christians. What are those? How do they differ from other Christians -and who decides which are the real and which are the not real ones? You?

So its kind of hard to reach for a T/F answer when the premise itself can't be demonstrated. Show me anyone in government who is not a person of faith and who takes no guidance nor any frame of reference from that faith. Of course, of course, there will be a few devout atheists or agnostics sprinkled here and there, but for most, their values will be similar to morality concepts rooted in a religious tradition. The inescapable conclusion based on your premise is that if the value flows from a religious context, then the person who holds the value shouldn't be involved; but if it comes from some other source, then it is OK. Is THAT what you're trying to say?

So, whether the answer is true or whether it is false it is irrelevant because there are no cases that fit the criteria nor is there any definition of "true." You might as well say, "True believers in extraterrestial life should not be permitted on space flights. True or false?"

Can you clarify the question or explain what's in your head that made you ask it. I'll do my best to answer.

Nevermind -I see a few other answers now and I think I discern what you might be getting at. Perhaps your question could be rephrased this way: do fundmanetal Christian values and choices interfer with a person's ability to participate in a government which has declared itself to act without regard to any religious teaching, per se?

The Christian answer is, "has nothing to do with it." A "true" Christian -and this is MY idea (I'll get arguments)- is one who believes the Kingdom of Heaven has been inherited NOW. Because I'm already saved, already a citizen of the BIG government (the kingdom) I am released to get involved with my fellow man and do the work Christ has given us to do -that is, to love others as I have been loved. In the world as we know it, the principal means to look after ourselves as a society is government, so, where the government is founded upon and (however awkwardly) projects initiatives that reflect love of others, count me in!

There's a lot of argument about what that means when it comes to decision time -right-to-life, or right-to-choice? War, Or not? Drill for more oil NOW, or work on solar power? Etc., etc. When it comes to "yea or nay" time for me, my decision will be based on what I BELIEVE is the best choice, based on my values -same thing everyone else in the Congress faces. And because "everyone" includes people of other faiths and of no faith and ALL of them will be (ideally) responding based on their values, I'm no different from the others who will be voting on the fate of babies, drilling, war -the works!

It is the same situation as famous Senators who sit of the board of their local historical society back in their district. Their main job -what they are expected to do- is vote on matters of national importance. And yet, they will also vote on whether the sign out front of the local historical society should be repainted. Likewise, an inheritor of the kingdom of God -whose first work is that kingdom, has an opporunity if not a responsibility to be involved "locally," here on earth, here in the USA (or wherever).

Whether or not you like JFK, he is an example of a Christian whose Catholic affiliation made some folks pretty nervous, back in the '60's. That may be so, but he made the Soviets pretty damn nervous when it came to using Cuba as a missle base. His Catholicism, his Christianity (and I won't argue about "true") didn't seem to interfer with protecting the nation. Likewise, Jimmy Carter - a down home Baptist if ever there was one- had what it took to get Israel and Egypt talking with the result of a truly landmark shift in mid-east politics.

'nuff said?

Answer 9

Who stated this? Always consider the source of statement before deciding if you believe it to be true.

As a Christian, I feel that it is my responsibility to help where I live to be the best it can be. The gov't & those who run it, need to be kept in check to make certain that the constitution is upheld & rights protected. I don't remember Christ ever saying we should not be involved w/ our freedoms.
Maxim of law: the creator should never serve it's creation. Which are we currently serving in the U.S.

Answer 10

What is a true Christian. A Christian is a Christian period. We come in levels of maturity. But we love the Lord and He loves us just the same. As he loves all others. God is not a respecter of persons. Christians should be involved in all aspects of man,such as government and politics,to let the world know that God still rocks! It is by God's spirit we live and have our being and he tells us what to say at the right time for the right reason. God speaks to us all: through others in love and judgment. It does not say we like everything that is said but we weigh it according to Gods word. What is truth?