First of all, what is the human condition? I would argue that the human condition or root cause of any and all problems in this world is man’s sin nature and the result of it.

We all have inherited the sinful nature passed on from Adam and Eve. I think we can all agree that there is a huge moral decline in our country, not only in the government but also in the church. From lies and empty promises from politicians saying they’re going to “change” the world by bringing “hope” to the watering down of scripture in mega-churches preaching prosperity and health if we just believe, clearly our country is becoming more corrupt.

So what is the answer? Is a born-again Christian president? Is it the church? Well, I would argue neither! How long is America, and I could argue the whole world, going to continue to turn our backs on God and expecting Him to bless us and for everything to be okay. 2 Chronicles says: “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray seek My face and TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THEN I will HEAR from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”(NIV)

So, what is the answer? Well according to scripture, if we repent of our sin and turn to God in faith, then He will bless our land. Then, and only then. If this offends you, then take it up with God, not me.

I think it’s time we get on our faces before God, repent of our wicked ways. We need to pray and intercede for our country. Take a look at Job and how he interceded for his family in Job 1:5.

Our country doesn’t need another politician peddling lies, it needs Jesus. Now when are we going to BE the Body of Christ and tell and show the lost the TRUE source of hope that we have in Jesus Christ!

I intend to help give third parties foot-holds on power with my project democratic renewal.

This will enable third parties to influence the manner in which the monopoly on legit use of violence is wielded, but we’re not going to capture and need to engage in the statecraft skullduggery to keep the state.

This may not really change things, but it can reduce the influence of $peech, make the main parties more dynamic and civil and most importantly complement our local ministries by giving us opps to form friendships with non-Xtns or liberal Xtns, where we can dialogue about matters of faith.

That was my experience when I volunteered as a graduate employee union organizer at MSU.

Few Things:

Tony, you’re right. The church has always only been somewhat faithful to who We are called to be. That, however, ought not to be a motivation to rely on the story of the State for justice. Instead, this ought to help us imagine with those in the likes of John H. Yoder who declare that existing authentically is the church’s primary call in God’s mission in the world. God is alive and offering grace amidst cultural expressions (“all sphere’s are God’s), but it is the Church’s role to let the world know what God is doing. It is our role to help the world understand that God’s movement in all things in history is the Way of the Cross. We offer a renarration so that even if the world finds a coin with Ceasar’s face in the mouth of a fish, they know Who put it there… why/how (Cross) it was put there…and Who created the fish.

As for voting and such…I am inclined to not vote. And I don’t think Christians in America need to vote. I do, however, have some careful leanings toward voting…

I think the Church is called to INTERACT with government, but not be INVOLVED with it. Change–even though its all over the elections now–will be quite minimal no matter who is elected. However, as the church our concern is the poor and rejected. WE peacefully do anything that can get food, shelter, and community for these people. If a certain vote will make it easier for us to do this, so be it. We can use a vote just as we use a government-printed dollar or a new device of technology–suberversively denouncing its narrative power over our lives and creation. Our role as the Church is to understand the politics of the empire and know how to interact with it for the sake of the poor and rejected. The vote for Obama is risky here simply because his campaign has stolen words of the church to create its own narrative. Denouncing the narrative power will take a lot of work.

Voting for a presidential candidate becomes especially idolatrous when attention is given to politics only on the national level. I admit that I have interacted with politics in this way before. Little attention is given to the local decisions being made for one’s city but when the ultimate leader is up for a vote the mass of people see her/him as the image of change. In such a situation a sort of blind faith is given to the person or political party.

In KC where I work as a non-profit site director and study in seminary…there are several local issues that affect the lives of the poor and rejected–the location of public transportation, the amount of money given to improvement of low-income housing, the limit of fees attached to payday loans, etc. Christians really can make bear witness to the Kingdom by standing for the poor and declaring certain stances on these issues. Sometimes, that declaration happens through a vote. Sometimes it happens through more creative means such as leading congregations to offer short term no-interest loans to the poor and rejected.

SLAVOJ ZIZEK: No, but I follow you [inaudible]. It’s the talk of the world. This may amuse you. It’s going to—when I was asked by a academic journal to say if I were to hold the power for one day as president, what—and I would have kind of absolute power to introduce a law, what law that would have been? My immediate answer was not as some humanist suggested, since United States at least thinks they are a global empire, so let every adult in the world be allowed to vote; my advice would be the opposite one: let’s everybody in the world, except US citizens, be allowed to vote and elect the American government. I think it would have been much better for you, even, because we all outside the United States would project our desires into how you should be. I think it would have been better, so that only non-Americans vote for—I know this is a nightmare from Pat Buchanan or somebody like that, but—

AMY GOODMAN: And who do you think would win?

SLAVOJ ZIZEK: I think there would have been like left of Barack, if I may put it this way, no? It would have been probably not. But going seriously, no, of course, I am—my god, it’s stupid to say—for Barack and so on. But I see a tragedy here, because like let’s say he wins. What will he do? The tragedy of today’s left is what? It’s always the same story. Lula in Brazil, Mandela even. The good guy wins, we are enthusiastic, then you have around two years usually of period of grace, and then you have really to decide—do you play with global capitalism, or do you want to mess with it?

With this, I am not saying it doesn’t matter. Barack Obama can do things. There are many important gestures, like Guantanamo, stop with these waterboarding jokes, open relations with Cuba, recognize this would be incredibly important, recognize the Hague international tribunal.

As I’ve revisited my ana-Baptist roots in my readings, I’ve day by day become more distanced from believing that any material investment of time/energy in the State has a spiritual outcome that is meaningful to the urban Steelton/Mennonite community and its impact in the geographical community that it ministers to.

The embrace of Constantine/Obama (add your favorite) is (in modernist terms) “leverage”, but what are you leveraging?

In front of me today is a woman/man/child who needs something, possibly even local justice, in that justice I can/will open my pocket, talk to her neighbors, be her advocate with her town supervisor whatever. Is there some kind of “big” outcome here, no, not here in this world. But possibly in eternity. I think it is better to be asked “why are you doing this?” then “we’re glad your with us!”.

How many times is the (US) church going to look for a false savior, be left down, before it is awakens to its historic (self) deception, (“the very elect” maybe).

also…if you’re a Christian, there’s probably a decent chance that you’re a little prone to irrational belief in the Other anyway..

I’m a newcomer to this blog and enjoyed the provocative post. I echo the calls to be less enthralled of American politics and to not underestimate the Power (Big “P”) of the Church being the Church when it comes to addressing issues of justice, community and social welfare. But as an African American doing ministry in the Mainline, let me try getting at this issue from a different angle.
We live in a country that has a majority Xtian population and a political culture embued with Xtian thought and language, yet we have a history of ill treatment of various minority groups including African slaves and their decendents.

Those of us who desire the Church to be the Church should recognize that electoral politics shows us how adept our culture is at capitalizing upon, and often shortcircuiting Christian thought and language. A glance at Obama’s speeches and you’ll know he didn’t come up with this stuff in a faith proof vault. The Church I believe has a role to play in pressing our culture to follow through on its flirtation with Gospel of Jesus. MLK did so much in his speechs and organizing by challenging Americans to fully account for the use of religious rhetoric in their founding documents and political culture.

I think the appeal of electoral politics underscores the Church’s failures in attending to the needs and dignity of the marginalized and placing them at the center of its activity. For African Americans, the politics of reconstruction, desegregation, judicial review, and social action, became important (even in the Black Church) because many who would call themselves Christians were unwilling to see the sharing of their lives and resources with the marginalized as part a critical part of their Xtian identity. Consequently, I tend to see political participation as a necessity, if only to keep a weary eye on those who would make our lives unbearable. Unlike those in our society whose privilege and position leave them well cushioned, whether they decide to participate or not, participation becomes a necessary use of social power (small “p”) because our lives have historically been at such social risk, and sometimes fellow Christians don’t fill the breach as they should.
I sometimes wonder, would American history have been different, if in times of crisis, Xtians with social, political and economic power scattered throughout our society reconstituted themselves as the Church and fully addressed, to their capacity, the problems that have led the vulnerable to seek the assistance of the state? I think thats well worth pondering as we watch the current political dramas unfold.

2. Is the Obama bandwagon a positive or a negative (or neutral) for the church’s role in bringing justice to the nations?
Negative, It is a HUGE distraction from real work that the church could be doing. Despite the many fractures of contemporary Christianity, the US government is not an adequte replacement for performing the work of the church.

3. Is energy by Christians spent on Obama politics misguided, too hopeful, and misdirected?
Yes

4. Is it too easy to just say “you should be doing both, voting for Obama and working for social justice in your local church”?
While I don’t have a problem with voting as a once a year activity, I think too many Christians in America, especially those who self-identify as “realists,” have a co-dependency on American Democracy which, while unspoken, reveals a limited faith in God and the church.

Charlie: I really like your point about realism.

2. Is the Obama bandwagon a positive or a negative (or neutral) for the church’s role in bringing justice to the nations?
Negative, It is a HUGE distraction from real work that the church could be doing. Despite the many fractures of contemporary Christianity, the US government is not an adequte replacement for performing the work of the church.

3. Is energy by Christians spent on Obama politics misguided, too hopeful, and misdirected?
Yes

4. Is it too easy to just say “you should be doing both, voting for Obama and working for social justice in your local church”?
While I don’t have a problem with voting as a once a year activity, I think too many Christians in America, especially those who self-identify as “realists,” have a co-dependency on American Democracy which, while unspoken, reveals a limited faith in God and the church.

Charlie: I really like your point about realism.