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Yep. Sad to see my dad fall for it, but he's got serious trump derangement syndrome
Outside of political skewing of Scripture I've seen a massive amount of bending the Bible into weird positions over my life. The tale tell sign is when your angle is novel. As if for 2000+ years no one understood it quite right.
There's quite a bit of trust that is required in the "interpreter" there. When your interpretation just conveniently fits a VERY popular political position or culturally popular stance its just a bit too much for me. The Bible, contrary to what many think cuts hard at everyone who comes to it with a honest approach. When you bring your own moral standard to it and force it upon it you aren't really really submitting to God.
An honest reading will convict a Republican, a Democrat, a Socialist, a Libertarian, and and Anarchist. The way of Jesus is hard and contrary to what most of us want. Many of the arguments that come from left wing Christians are fair. Many from the right are as well. We can learn from each other. But seldom is that the goal and intent. It is usually to appear better than the other. To put the other in their place. To win and use power to get their way. To use the state as a sort of ring of power.
If we have power, we will use it for good. Tolkien's lesson for man is so good and applies so well to the state/war/power. Its a seductive thing, power. It plays on our pride. The original sin of Lucifer. The original sin of Adam.
Yeah, I get quite annoyed when people try to put political messages into the Bible that aren't there. There's a word for this (putting your own thoughts into the text rather than drawing the thoughts out of the text): eisegesis vs. exegesis
Yes! We have a lot of eisegesis these days. Not new, but very common to see. Especially on social media.
Yeah... I know it well.
Hard to resist reactionary politics. It's why I beat the dead horse that it's and idol.
When our minds are consumed by it and we lose faith if our guy loses. We have missed it. Christ is king alone. No matter who wins an election we know what we are supposed to do. It's just not easy to do.
Its fine to vote, I think and be invested but it is VERY common to see people more concerned with the politics of a church instead of the actual teaching and works of the church.
If a pastor speaks on a topic and it is on opposition to a political stance one has... you quickly see why the true allegance is. Of course, provided the message is within orthodoxy. The Bible often cuts to the hearts of both political sides. All of them really.
I'm going to guess that your dad is a baby boomer
Only heard him on Rogan and wow did he have some interesting twisty turns on Biblical stories. Like most, not all Christian politicians I dont trust him. To me he seems like a progressive that is based on progressive values not historically Christian and Biblical values.
In other words he seems to bring a lot of presumptions to his Christian views that are outside of orthodoxy. Specifically in regards to abortion and sexuality.
For what it's worth I think many Christians on the right do this as well but in different areas.