One Lump or Two?

No one likes getting "lumped into" a group with with which he or she has affinities, but also has many differences. There's something insulting to one's intelligence about that.

I think a lot of Christians feel thus lumped. And look at the Rogues Gallery of televangelists and conservative talk show hosts Christians are assumed to agree with.

The problem is that most sincere Christians I know are actually thoughtful, discerning people who don't walk lock-step with the Republican party. Sure their moral underpinnings tend to steer them to the right politically, if they are political at all; but that's different from a myopic alliance with the Moral Majority, Focus on the Family and the GOP.

As one commentator put it: the problem with Republicans is that they've only read every other page of the Bible. There is actually a strand within Christianity that leans left politically out of affinity with priorities such as caring for the poor, environmental stewardship, and commitment to the arts.

Sure, many Christians find champions in the political leaders who promise a return to traditional values. That attitude is understandable, given the seige mentality many people feel, especially parents trying to raise healthy, moral kids in a liberal, pluralistic society.

But most of the Christians I know don't want to be associated with the big-money, power-hungry right wingers who would like to create a theocracy. They side with the anti-establishment mentality that Christ brought to his culture. His kingdom was decidedly not of this world. I don't think that's changed.