Freedom from the Idolatry of Politics

 

I am disheartened by the displays of heartache, anxiety, and passionate frustration exhibited by fellow Jesus followers over the defeat of their Presidential candidate of choice last night. It seems they truly believed that electing Mitt Romney would be the last great hope for the United States of America, and that re-electing Barack Obama is a sure sign of our demise as a nation. These kinds of statements reek of IDOLATRY.

This fall our church has been doing a teaching series from the book ‘Gospel in Life’ by Tim Keller. Session 3 of that series is Idolatry: The Sin Beneath the Sin. We talked a lot about the different things that control our lives, the things that we run to and place our trust in instead of God. The things that get us riled up. The things we worry about. The things that bring us comfort when times get difficult. The things that take our time, energy, and focus.

‘As soon as our loyalty to anything leads us to disobey God, we are in danger of making it an idol…        An idol can be a physical object, a property, a person, an activity, a role, an institution,                           a hope, an image, a pleasure, a hero…’ [p. 41]

Early on in this election season I made the blanket personal decision not to vote at all. The primary reason for this was the inordinate amount of time, energy, focus, and hope I put in Barack Obama as a candidate in 2008. I read article after article. I listened to speech after speech. I closely dissected each of the debates. I read both of Obama’s books. I was taken in hook, line, and sinker by his campaign slogan, ‘Change We Can Believe In’. I put hope and faith in the belief that this man could bring real change to the polarized political landscape in America. I watched the polls like a hawk from the Democratic Primary to the General Election. I was glued to my computer and TV on Election Day watching the results come in. I celebrated with the masses as we elected our first African-American President. Obama became an Idol for me.

The final decision I came to the last few weeks before the 2012 Election Day was to vote only on the CaliforniaState propositions and the non-partisan city council positions where I live in Fremont. I chose to write in JESUS CHRIST as my ‘Other’ Candidate for President. I am not preaching this as a pastor. I am not representing my church. I am not saying my decision is the only or best way for followers of Jesus to vote. This is merely where I felt God leading me in my own discipleship this election season.

I must say that I felt so free yesterday. I hadn’t looked at the polls once. I hadn’t tuned in to any of the three Presidential debates. I didn’t even think about checking the results until it was already a forgone conclusion that President Obama would be re-elected. I made my statement for Jesus Christ. He is the lone hope for our nation and world. My allegiance is to him alone. I place my trust in him as my Lord and Savior.

‘My first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man 
My first allegiance is not to democracy or blood 
It’s to a king & a kingdom’

‘A King & A Kingdom’ by Derek Webb