By the way - this quote from the article:

"Some Christians may claim, “Christians shouldn’t argue about politics” simply because they’re political liberals who are unwilling to actually engage in argument over their political views. Instead, they would rather attempt to stifle debate by taking the pseudo moral high ground, saying something like, “Truly spiritual Christians are above politics.”

. . . is one of the most simplistic and ignorant over-generalizations I've heard. So if I oppose arguing politics, I'm just a liberal looking down my nose at other Christians!? There's no way I could possibly have derived this belief from studying God's word!? I find it hard to believe someone with as much renown as he supposedly has would resort to such a childishly broad argument.

It's simple - show me which disciple/apostle went to Rome to join the senate and change the empire politically. Oh, you can't? That's right, because none of them did! They were too busy ministering to people in their community. Politics is a distraction. We have been blessed in this nation - however, that blessing has become a source of laziness in this country. It's an unfortunate fact that persecution historically brings out the best in Christians, while blessing brings out the worst. Our American freedoms are a nice fringe benefit, but they are only superfluous - we aren't owed them by God, and we need not waste our time protecting what we don't ultimately need. Paul was able to carry out the Great Commission, even while in prison!

The Great Commission says "go therefore and make DISCIPLES" not, "go therefore and make REPUBLICANS" - I think politics is a distraction that has done nothing more than further divide the church from the lost.

When talking about politics we should know what the Bible has to say about the issues and be polite to the other person. We are called to be the Salt of the Earth and the light of the world Matt.5:13-14. We need to know where the candidates stand on the issues and vote accorrding to the Bible. For example on Abortion the Bible says it is wrong Psalms 139:13-16, and again Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. --Jeremiah 1:5.
According Ehpesians chapter 5 we need to walk in love towards them that without, and we must also walk in light. We need to tell them that even if they still disagree with them on. That Jesus still loves them and is willing to accept them as they are. After all we are sinful humans, who without the mercy and grace of God would be on our way to Hell.
Ezekiel 3:16-21 calls for us to be watchmen.
Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

No!!!! I don't think Christians should argue politics. However, I do believe Christians should always have an answer when it comes to the faith that lies within. The foundation on which we build and have our convictions should never leave any doubt as to why and what we believe. That in turn will spill over into the political arena. Any political figure can say they are Christian, but their character, morals and integrity will actual confirm their profession.

I would have to agree with this article in many ways: 1) one's politics ought to be rooted in and led from their theology, 2) that pursuit of being a loving person is inherently political (think of Jesus' very death!) and 3) that we lose out as a community in Christ when we avoid engagement in true discussion about the proper expression of our call to live as Christians in greater society.
While I suspect that the author of this article and I would come out on different sides in respect to a number of issues, I am glad to hear that he is interested in engaging in discussion with those whom he might not always agree. If you want to be a responsible Christian, you've got to get out there and try to understand your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! You don't have all the answers and neither do I but together, perhaps, we can at least model the love that has been (and continues to be) abundantly shown to us with humility and grace.

The enemy, Satan, would love to distract Christians from the mission Jesus gave us. "Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations." He did not tell us to argue politics or theology, that was what the religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, did in Jesus' day. He called them vipers and hypocrites.

Yes, the great commission includes teaching believers Christ's commandments. but our primary mission is to spread the good news that Jesus died for our sins. Anything else is a distraction.

No. The only thing Christians should be arguing about and defending are Christlike principles and not any certain political candidate. We will eventually get nowhere because not one candidate has all Christlike principles. The bible says "not one is righteous, not one". If we want to be politically involved we should start by sticking to biblical principles starting in our lives, our homes, our schools, our communities and upwards and so on. It make no sense and we just fool ourselves by thinking we've done our part in choosing presidential candidate so and so. It starts from the bottom up and not the other way around.

Ecc 5:8 ...Marvel not at the matter....

Absolutely!

If we Christians don't take a political stand based on our beliefs, you can bet politics will step all over our beliefs!

I have one more thing to say about the war. For those of you who think that Obama is doing everything he can to bring our troops home as soon as possible, think again!!! "On his World Tour in July, Obama interfered in the Bush Administration's negotiations with the Iraqi Government about US troop withdrawals for his own selfish political gain. Not only is this an egregious Logan Act violation, which is a felony, it is an act of deception and political manipulation at the expense of American lives. Not to mention a reversal of Obama's main campaign promise." (source:texasdarlin.wordpress.com)

'Nuff said.

Karen Knoettner
Author, "Is Jesus Your Pearl?"
www.isjesusyourpearl.com

To whomever posted after me, with all due respect, Governor Palin was pointing out (as many other people have pointed out already) that Obama has very close ties with Bill Ayers, who is an unrepentant terrorist who bombed the Pentagon and regrets that he did not do more damage. He helped Obama start his campaign! You cannot compare John McCain's marriage to this in any way. If you remember the Saddleback Forum, John McCain admitted that his greatest moral failure was the failure of his first marriage. Also, you cannot biblically compare war with abortion, which you are also doing in your post. God expressly forbids people to kill their children in the Bible, yet there were times when He told the Israelites, for example, to go into battle. Also, in the book of Ecclesiastes, God says, "There is a time for war and a time for peace". Also, we would not be living in America right now if men had not fought the Revolutionary War.

Karen Knoettner
Author, "Is Jesus Your Pearl?"

OK... 10 deep breaths... trying to not get emotional.
I just want to know why Sarah Palin all of a sudden is attacking Obama so heatedly. And if she wants to bring up the 60's, what about McCain's marrying the women he was having an affair with? And the Right Wing wants to lay off of Palin's ethics deal, yet attack Obamba on is ethics? If we Christians support these folks for just one or 2 reasons (pro-life, which I am), we will miss the big picture. Bush and his Cheney pals have been killing children in the "name of God" these past few years, that's not very pro-life in my book. That is all.