Few movies have generated more mainstream quotes than the silly movie Airplane and that movie is, of course, one of my favorites. Having claimed the intellectual high ground I offer this dialogue with very anxious flyer Ted Striker and a fellow passenger.

Passenger: Nervous?
Ted Striker: Yes.
Passenger: First time?
Ted Striker: No, I've been nervous lots of times.

I sometimes think of that line when I write these humble ramblings. I have certainly been nervous a number of times because I attempt to communicate truth with grace and represent Jesus humbly even as I tackle tough topics. Nothing makes me more nervous than writing about faith and politics. I wrote a piece a couple of years ago with the tongue-in-cheek title "Will Democrats Go To Heaven?".

Here is an excerpt from that article.

"Christians are not to seek "power over" others - by controlling governments, passing legislation or fighting wars. Christians should seek to have "power under" others - winning others hearts by sacrificing for those in need." -  Dr.Gregory Boyd, Pastor of Woodland Hills Church in Minnesota

That is indeed what Jesus did. That is EXACTLY how a group of men and women in the first century with NO political power turned the world upside down. They sacrificially served others.

Dr. Boyd also noted that "America is not the light of the world and the hope of the world. The light of the world and the hope of the world is Jesus Christ."

Hard to argue with that.  The fact is that government and laws can only restrain. Paul had a lot of thoughts on that in his letter to the Romans. Jesus can change the heart and change behavior from the inside out. I am saddened when I see good, well-intentioned people thinking that more education and regulation will solve our problems. I am certainly not against education but I would point out that it has been the brightest and best that have gotten us into such a mess on Wall Street. The problem is not lack of knowledge but a lack of understanding of the hearts of men and women. We all have a nature that needs to be changed. We deny that at our own peril and the peril of our culture.

I am not smart enough to decide what God has called people to do. If He has placed a desire for people to impact the culture through political action I am not about to question their motives. But I do believe that those of us who claim the name of Jesus need to communicate our views with grace and compassion.

I am active politically. I study issues and candidates and I always vote. I give to causes that I believe in and I would be willing to work for a candidate that shared my goals for our country. 

But I get nervous about using the church as a political base. God's Word taught effectively will mold followers of Jesus that will view social issues wisely. My goal is to introduce people to Jesus, disciple them into a real relationship with Him and then watch as the Holy Spirit changes what my sermonizing cannot.