Comments on: "Not Voting" as an Act of Christian Discernment : Calling the Emerging Church Into a Different Kind of Faithfulness http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:28:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Reclaiming the Mission » My 5 years of Blogging: 10 Highlights http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/comment-page-1/#comment-68797 Reclaiming the Mission » My 5 years of Blogging: 10 Highlights Mon, 27 Dec 2010 15:13:31 +0000 http://nathancolquhoun1.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/#comment-68797 [...] 5.) Not Voting as an Act of Christian Discernment (2008) was one of my first “posts” challenging the sacred cow of evangelicals and protestant mainliners alike: voting is a sacred act of Christian devotion. Heading into the 2008 Obama election, this got me into some trouble here where Anthony Smith called me out, and then here again when Brian McLaren agreed with Anthony. I answered both Brian McLaren’s and Anthony Smith’s objection here but never heard back. I think now it has become more apparent that the Obama administration has sadly become “more of the same.” I think looking back “not voting” should be looked at more seriously as the means for Christians to work for social justice in America. [...] [...] 5.) Not Voting as an Act of Christian Discernment (2008) was one of my first “posts” challenging the sacred cow of evangelicals and protestant mainliners alike: voting is a sacred act of Christian devotion. Heading into the 2008 Obama election, this got me into some trouble here where Anthony Smith called me out, and then here again when Brian McLaren agreed with Anthony. I answered both Brian McLaren’s and Anthony Smith’s objection here but never heard back. I think now it has become more apparent that the Obama administration has sadly become “more of the same.” I think looking back “not voting” should be looked at more seriously as the means for Christians to work for social justice in America. [...]

]]> By: find boyfirend http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/comment-page-1/#comment-28782 find boyfirend Tue, 08 Jun 2010 07:07:35 +0000 http://nathancolquhoun1.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/#comment-28782 A very great article. Well done. Very motivating!! Go on that way A very great article. Well done. Very motivating!! Go on that way

]]> By: JOSE CARLOS http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/comment-page-1/#comment-16134 JOSE CARLOS Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:31:24 +0000 http://nathancolquhoun1.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/#comment-16134 Hello all well, peace of Christ reign in your heart. I am please asking for help for my pastor and my church. because with this financial problem and we lose our church, and everything else. Our pastor has lost his own house, where he lived with his family, to rid the church but it was not enough, now our pastor is still homeless and in danger of losing our church. Please help us in the church site has instructions how to help. www.igrejacorpodecristo.com.br José Carlos Hello all well, peace of Christ reign in your heart.
I am please asking for help for my pastor and my church.
because with this financial problem and we lose our church, and everything else. Our pastor has lost his own house, where he lived with his family, to rid the church but it was not enough, now our pastor is still homeless and in danger of losing our church.

Please help us in the church site has instructions how to help.

http://www.igrejacorpodecristo.com.br

José Carlos

]]> By: alex farguson http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/comment-page-1/#comment-2399 alex farguson Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:27:55 +0000 http://nathancolquhoun1.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/#comment-2399 excellent work... excellent work…

]]> By: Tim http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/comment-page-1/#comment-1818 Tim Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:58:00 +0000 http://nathancolquhoun1.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/#comment-1818 Absolutely unbelievable. Not only could I disagree more with the belligerent message of the emergent churchI can not express how sick it makes me to see Christians supporting Obama. There is absolutely ZERO reason to support him. He is not anti-war. You can't prove that he was against Iraq when it began. God put George W. Bush in power to punish evildoers, did He not? It's blatantly in the Bible! Romans 13...<br/><br/>Unborn children are not evil doers but Obama passionately supports killing him. He is the single most pro-abortion/choice candidate in our nations history. Abortion is inherently evil! How can you possibly justify voting for him? This is mind numbing! Obama supports the racist program of Affirmative action, a program that says "blacks can't do it on their own, they need white help"<br/>Obama does not support the poor, democrats do not support the poor. Democrats control almost every single poor city in the USA and they've had that control for years and each city keeps getting worse. Tell me how they care for the poor? By keeping them poor and instilling an entitlement mentality into their brains? Yea, that's REAL Christian. <br/><br/>You have to be kidding! I certainly do not endorse McCain or think he's a great Christian candidate but a Christian simply can not justify voting for a man that lies and lies and lies and despises people for 'clinging to religion.' There is NOTHING I can find about Obama that the Bible supports. <br/><br/>But alas the Bible is just a bunch of black and white issues right? <br/><br/>Unbelievable. It is sickening that Christians are going to this great of lengths to be liked by the world. If we are doing God's will, the world will definitely not like us very much. <br/><br/>Hence why the world hates George W. Bush. Absolutely unbelievable. Not only could I disagree more with the belligerent message of the emergent churchI can not express how sick it makes me to see Christians supporting Obama. There is absolutely ZERO reason to support him. He is not anti-war. You can’t prove that he was against Iraq when it began. God put George W. Bush in power to punish evildoers, did He not? It’s blatantly in the Bible! Romans 13…

Unborn children are not evil doers but Obama passionately supports killing him. He is the single most pro-abortion/choice candidate in our nations history. Abortion is inherently evil! How can you possibly justify voting for him? This is mind numbing! Obama supports the racist program of Affirmative action, a program that says “blacks can’t do it on their own, they need white help”
Obama does not support the poor, democrats do not support the poor. Democrats control almost every single poor city in the USA and they’ve had that control for years and each city keeps getting worse. Tell me how they care for the poor? By keeping them poor and instilling an entitlement mentality into their brains? Yea, that’s REAL Christian.

You have to be kidding! I certainly do not endorse McCain or think he’s a great Christian candidate but a Christian simply can not justify voting for a man that lies and lies and lies and despises people for ‘clinging to religion.’ There is NOTHING I can find about Obama that the Bible supports.

But alas the Bible is just a bunch of black and white issues right?

Unbelievable. It is sickening that Christians are going to this great of lengths to be liked by the world. If we are doing God’s will, the world will definitely not like us very much.

Hence why the world hates George W. Bush.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/comment-page-1/#comment-1817 Anonymous Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:59:00 +0000 http://nathancolquhoun1.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/#comment-1817 http://www.emergentvillage.com/weblog/not-voting-as-violence http://www.emergentvillage.com/weblog/not-voting-as-violence

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/comment-page-1/#comment-1816 Anonymous Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:57:00 +0000 http://nathancolquhoun1.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/#comment-1816 a black guy I know said he always gets suspicious when white folks say it is good not to vote. or get political. hauerwas? this whole damn nation of america is based on the anti-christian value of rebellion by force. that said, you either secede 100%, declare yourself not an american, do not vote, and do not pay taxes. But if you do decide that them old timey christians paid taxes, you are an idiot not to vote. you can write in a candidate. you can pick the lesser of two evils. if you think obama will make america more the kingdom of god you are crazy. but if you think he can make it a more just, sane, loving place to live, you might be right. whatever you do, whoever you agree or don't agree with, if at the least you don't write in shane claiborne for president, you are not using a gift. for the stiffnecked among you, remember jesus said to use dishonest wealth for the kingdom. a democracy built on violence, such as ours, is dishonest wealth we do not deserve. but we might as well use it. the ability to vote is the ability to have a voice in a liberal free society. women and blacks fought for the right to be heard. I think anyone who thinks "voting is violence" needs a real physical beatdown. they need to watch their kids bleed a litte. or be the black guy pulled over by a white cop. voting as violence? you never felt violence, mr. "rich-white-privileged" hauerwas. a black guy I know said he always gets suspicious when white folks say it is good not to vote. or get political. hauerwas? this whole damn nation of america is based on the anti-christian value of rebellion by force. that said, you either secede 100%, declare yourself not an american, do not vote, and do not pay taxes. But if you do decide that them old timey christians paid taxes, you are an idiot not to vote. you can write in a candidate. you can pick the lesser of two evils. if you think obama will make america more the kingdom of god you are crazy. but if you think he can make it a more just, sane, loving place to live, you might be right. whatever you do, whoever you agree or don’t agree with, if at the least you don’t write in shane claiborne for president, you are not using a gift. for the stiffnecked among you, remember jesus said to use dishonest wealth for the kingdom. a democracy built on violence, such as ours, is dishonest wealth we do not deserve. but we might as well use it. the ability to vote is the ability to have a voice in a liberal free society. women and blacks fought for the right to be heard. I think anyone who thinks “voting is violence” needs a real physical beatdown. they need to watch their kids bleed a litte. or be the black guy pulled over by a white cop. voting as violence? you never felt violence, mr. “rich-white-privileged” hauerwas.

]]> By: Tangerine Dream http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/comment-page-1/#comment-1815 Tangerine Dream Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:43:00 +0000 http://nathancolquhoun1.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/#comment-1815 As a Christian we are exhorted to hear the Word of the Lord. His Word says that if we humble ourselves and pray and turn from our wicked ways He will heal our land. If we are spending more energy on who to vote for instead of acting justly, loving mercy, and walking in humility with our God, perhaps we have missunderstood what it means to live as strangers in a strange land. Our hope should never be in a nice person or someone who can promise us security...once we take that path it's difficult to see it any other way. As a Christian we are exhorted to hear the Word of the Lord. His Word says that if we humble ourselves and pray and turn from our wicked ways He will heal our land. If we are spending more energy on who to vote for instead of acting justly, loving mercy, and walking in humility with our God, perhaps we have missunderstood what it means to live as strangers in a strange land. Our hope should never be in a nice person or someone who can promise us security…once we take that path it’s difficult to see it any other way.

]]> By: Steve K. http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/comment-page-1/#comment-1814 Steve K. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:30:00 +0000 http://nathancolquhoun1.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/#comment-1814 David (and others),<br/><br/>Anthony Smith has posted a response (of sorts) today on the Emergent Village blog:<br/>http://www.emergentvillage.com/weblog/not-voting-as-violence<br/><br/>Please read it and respond to it if you would.<br/><br/>Thanks,<br/>Steve K. David (and others),

Anthony Smith has posted a response (of sorts) today on the Emergent Village blog:
http://www.emergentvillage.com/weblog/not-voting-as-violence

Please read it and respond to it if you would.

Thanks,
Steve K.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/comment-page-1/#comment-1813 Anonymous Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:01:00 +0000 http://nathancolquhoun1.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/not-voting-as-an-act-of-christian-discernment-calling-the-emerging-church-into-a-different-kind-of-faithfulness/#comment-1813 How would your response change if you lived in a nation like Australia, where voting is compulsory. With his hyperbolic rhetoric, would Hauerwas describe that? A form of totalitarianism, I guess. But like many Australians (inc. Christians), there are distinct advantages in expecting all citizens to exercise their democratic responsibilities. Surely the American system is "government of the people, for the people, by SOME OF the people"?<br/><br/>If voting in western democracies is a form of violence (he can't be serious?!), then I would happily take that form of violence rather than the rule of monarchs, oligarchs, authoritarian or totalitarian regimes. Perhaps Hauerwas needs to spend some time visiting nations ruled by (or formerly ruled by) authoritarian/ totalitarian regimes. I'm sure the people there would happily accept the 'violence' of voting.<br/><br/>I recognise that some forms of representative government (and their associated voting procedures such as proportional representation) are more democratic in character (and hence less violent in terms of Hauerwas' overblown rhetoric) than others in which the "winner takes all" (such as "first past the post" or "preferential" voting). <br/><br/>Proportional representation promotes cooperation between parties and alliance building rather than division and competition.<br/><br/>I would contend that some forms of democratic representation are indeed more just than others, but that still doesn't mean they're "violent". To use such extreme language denigrates and diminishes those people both today and in the past who REALLY have suffered (died!) under violent regimes. How would your response change if you lived in a nation like Australia, where voting is compulsory. With his hyperbolic rhetoric, would Hauerwas describe that? A form of totalitarianism, I guess. But like many Australians (inc. Christians), there are distinct advantages in expecting all citizens to exercise their democratic responsibilities. Surely the American system is “government of the people, for the people, by SOME OF the people”?

If voting in western democracies is a form of violence (he can’t be serious?!), then I would happily take that form of violence rather than the rule of monarchs, oligarchs, authoritarian or totalitarian regimes. Perhaps Hauerwas needs to spend some time visiting nations ruled by (or formerly ruled by) authoritarian/ totalitarian regimes. I’m sure the people there would happily accept the ‘violence’ of voting.

I recognise that some forms of representative government (and their associated voting procedures such as proportional representation) are more democratic in character (and hence less violent in terms of Hauerwas’ overblown rhetoric) than others in which the “winner takes all” (such as “first past the post” or “preferential” voting).

Proportional representation promotes cooperation between parties and alliance building rather than division and competition.

I would contend that some forms of democratic representation are indeed more just than others, but that still doesn’t mean they’re “violent”. To use such extreme language denigrates and diminishes those people both today and in the past who REALLY have suffered (died!) under violent regimes.

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