Commentary: The Role of Church and State, God and Politicians

By JIM PURCELL

The United States of America is my nation. It is my country, and I love it with all my heart. There is no other place I would rather be. My country introduced the world to so many ideas and concepts behind democracy and the rule of law that it makes me proud to think of it. I am also a Christian and believe in the God of my understanding. Like many people, I have my doubts about organized religion, but not about the fact that I am saved because of, and thanks to, the sacrifice of my Lord Jesus Christ.

   Can I automatically assume that God favors America more than any other nation? No, I cannot do this. By it own nature, politics are necessary but this is also a vessel of corruption: it is an institution innately grounded in corruption. And, I .am not just talking about in Washington, DC, but also in every government organized within the United States: From local and state to national. There is no government institution and no public servant, be they appointed or elected, that should be considered ‘beyond reproach.’ This means Republicans, Democrats, Green Party members, Independents or whomever else participate in the political process.

   The nature of politics, despite so many claims to the contrary, is quid pro quo. To believe this is somehow mitigated because this party or that is in office is, to me, not sound thinking.

   These days there are questions on the national stage about which party is more virtuous, Republicans or Democrats? Well, the true answer is neither. Yet governments must run, and political parties and candidates are going to be the river from where leaders are drawn. It is not a perfect system, but it is the best we have.

   Back to God: God should not be associated with any governmental institution, because God and government have separate jobs. G0od always acts within His divine will, and government does not take such a will into account in any way. God does not care about parties or partisan positions, who gets a public bid or not, who buys a gun or doesn’t buy a gun. Politicians who dare to evoke God as a patron of their party is offering sacrilege as their position. God is not American, or French, or African or North American. God sees people as individuals, as I see it. God judges virtues, or lack thereof, on the situation and the individual, in my humble opinion.

   I hear so often that “God loves America.” In a general sense, I am sure that is true. But, did God offer his patronage to America when there was slavery, or during the Native American genocide? No, the God of my understanding does not subscribe to slavery, murder or genocide. The United States is a study in contradictions: How could we be the ‘freest country in the world’ when we had one of the world’s largest slave populations in the 19^th century? And, God had no part in it. It was not God who commanded whites to keep black people as slaves.

   Does God sanction the racial segregation that still exists in the United States? There are white people who will say there is no more segregation and no more civil rights issues to settle. Anyone with sense knows this is not true. Racial minorities were given rights begrudgingly and only when pressed by war or social unrest. If this nation was really a ‘city on the hill’ issues of racism would have been in the long dusty history of America. Rather, racism is alive and well today.

   Does this mean that the Great Experiment of the United States of America has come to nothing? No, there is good and there is bad among all peoples on this earth. Who is ‘good’ and who is ‘bad’ anyway?

There are those who are self-centered and care nothing for anyone else. There are those who believe they do well and do not. There are those who have the best intentions in the world, and their deeds create nothing but havoc. And, there are people who serve humanity, and do so reliably. Who is right and wrong? Well, if the poorest among us, the most vulnerable in our population, are targeted by government and the law then I would have to say that is wrong. If these same people are helped to learn to stand on their feet, or are cared for, then I must say that is right.

   There are animals that eat the most vulnerable among them. One hopes man has more conscience than that. Yet, in my experience, most animals are of better character than most people. Most importantly, they do not know how to lie. It took mankind to develop that art. 

   Years ago, I was active in local and county politics in New Jersey. The single piece of wisdom I took from those experiences are: Fight when you must, not when you want to. God does not believe in character assassination, elitism, bad behavior or poor intentions. For that matter, does anyone believe that God thinks the only way to fight the wars going on overseas right now is by using military force? Or, is God reportedly sanctioning these wars some way to gain public affirmation of them. Yes, I think that is the case.

   Wars must be fought, but they are not ordained or desired by the Creator. Governments must run, but it is a stretch to say that God favors corruption or has placed His hand on some office holder or other. All humans are born broken in some way. My late mother used to say, “There was only one perfect person made in this world, and he was killed for it.” She was referencing Jesus Christ, of course.

   Where does all this leave us?

   Well, I suppose it means that people love their country for all of its faults and excesses, and to be a citizen of a country there should be a goal of seeing one’s nation do the right thing. This might sound naïve and disregards “real politik,” but if we are to be a nation worthy of God’s attention, it must be a place where compassion and reason rule in the stead of elitism and partisanship. Further, citizens should do all of the socially acceptable things they can to make their country a better place. God does not love countries, as much as He does people.

   Next, God does not favor terrible things done by governments simply because they fly a certain flag. God is separate and apart from politics, governments – and maybe even organized religion. Has organized religion bent the Word of God to their respective interests? I don’t know but I think it is one heck of a conversation to have.

  To believe in God is to put Him above nationalism. I could use the ‘good people’ who thought God was with the Third Reich during the mid-20^th century as an example. ‘Good people’ do not advocate harm or outcomes specifically rebuked by the Word of God. Nowhere in any credible religious text does it say that any people should be visited with slavery, harm or death.

   The concepts I am discussing really make people more accountable than they are right now. A citizen might argue that their church or religious sect made them believe something or other. Since they were Baptists or Catholics or what have you, they do not have their own deliberation on a subject. No…’God’ spoke to them through a priest or pastor.’ This is a lame answer to supporting wrong actions. Yet, it is an immensely popular argument these days.

   Let us be a nation that seeks the better version of itself, ruled by its strength, compassion and vision, rather than by its insecurities, fears and petty hatreds. In this way, our country comes as close to a divine will as any organized government will.