Jesus for President and Other Stuff from Around the Web.

This is what happens when young evangelicals--who are justifiably disgruntled with the movement's ties to the Republican party, but who have never heard of the distinction between the two kingdoms--start to leave the movement in great numbers.  They end up doing goofy stuff like this.   Click here: Evangelical movement touts 'Jesus for president' - CNN.com

 Better be nice to your monkey--he (or she) now has rights!  At least in Spain . . .  Click here: Spain set to give rights to apes | Baptist Messenger of Oklahoma

Here is the sad fruit of the "name it and claim it" theology--bitterness, disillusion, and the horrible feeling that "God hates you and has a horrible plan for your life."  Click here: Believer bitter over 'prosperity' preachings - CNN.com

More intrusion from the nanny state:  "eat your vegetables . . . all of them."  There is nothing worse than having your PM (or president) scold you like your mom used to do--when you were six.   Click here: As supermarket prices spiral Brown tells families: 'Stop wasting food' | Mail Online

Comments

[Zrim]

Re "Jesus For President,"

"This is not about going left or right, this is about going deeper and trying to understand together. Rather than endorse candidates, we ask them to endorse what is at the heart of Jesus..."

This seems like a (political) application of evangelical mis-read of the Beatitudes: don't heed the traditions of men that have been erroneously aligned with God, seek purity of heart.

Understandable diagnosis, really really bad prescription. Sheesh, doesn't anyone tire of raising the bar on themselves? But I still give the Reformed community a D-grade for doing little to nothing to stave off said diagnosis, two-kingdom plaudits notwithstanding.

["lee n. field"]

Familiar with Justin Peters? http://www.justinpeters.org/seminar.htm

[Dave]

<em>More intrusion from the nanny state: "eat your vegetables . . . all of them." There is nothing worse than having your PM (or president) scold you like your mom used to do--when you were six.</em>

Normally I'm not a big fan of government intrusion, but the amount of food wasted is ridiculous (roughly one third of that bought according to studies).

Is encouraging good stewardship a bad thing?

[Chris]

Good thought, Zrim. Evangelicals have always tended toward neo-gnosticism anyways, and this is just another example of it.

But remember too that we have the Reformed tradition largely to thank for this American project; so, how are the Reformed today going to straighten it out?

[Zrim]

Chris,

Really? I thought the American project had more to do with the western tradition rooted in the Greco-Roman culture than Paul's Christianity. If that's true, it may be that the Reformed have about as much onus on them to fix America (whatever that may mean) as they do to decide which form of sign language should win the day...after all, the Bible seems conerned for the deaf, right?

I say stick with the program and hold out the unfettered gospel. Play your politics any way you choose, but don't confuse the ways of men with it.

[dlzr]

If someone wants to do good for the love of God, let him be, no matter how unconventional. Maybe if ya'll would eat your vegetables you would not be so contrary, cranky, grumpy, and more regular.
Perhaps you are just jealous of monkeys now.

[Zrim]

But, dlzr, I'm always in the Outhouse...regularity doesn't seem to be a problem.

[Chris]

Absolutely, the American project is rooted in Greco-Roman culture as opposed to Paul's Christianity. Wait a minute, are you conflating the Reformed tradition with Pauline Christianity?

No, Zrim, we have postmillennial puritans and Kuyperian transformatonalists to "thank" for a large part of all this. Admit.

[Joe]

Folks,

I was overcome by laughter and forgot what I wanted to write. Oh well, thanks for the break!

[Timinator]

Pastor Kim, you have to much time on your hands. You could teach the afternoon service if it helps to keep you busy.

[Zrim]

"Wait a minute, are you conflating the Reformed tradition with Pauline Christianity?"

Yep. Well, conflation might be too strong. But no other tradition else seems quite as close to Paul.

I think America is the complicated result of quite a mixed bag, actually. Thanking and blaming are fraught exercises, Chris. One thing I feel confident about, though, is that Paul had no vested interest in statecraft but only the unfettered gospel. And if the Reformed tradition is as brutally close to Pauline Xianity as I think, our thanks and blame should probably be more measured than seems usual.