Saturday, December 28, 2013

What If Conservatives Actually Won the Culture War?

Many Christians today are busily fighting the American culture war in support of the conservative agenda. Just watch Fox News for a little while and you will see this to be the case. It's all about the cross of Christ wrapped in the American flag. It's about achieving some sort of "Christian America" through political means.

But what would happen if the conservatives actually won the culture war?

What if gay marriage was completely outlawed?

What if the Ten Commandments were restored to governmental offices?

What if prayer was reintroduced to public schools?

What if everyone started saying "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays"?

What if Republicans won back the presidency and both houses of congress?

What if the Tea Party became even more influential?

What if crosses were restored to government properties?

What if the military continued to get bigger and bigger?

What if Obamacare were repealed?

What if alcohol and cigarettes were prohibited?

What if more and more people began "going to church" again?

What if most Americans truly began to consider this a "Christian nation"?


What would happen if conservatives actually won the culture war? The answer: NOTHING.

Nothing would happen because all the things listed above are simply outward acts. They reveal nothing about a change of heart. They stem from a political agenda. Jesus Christ had no earthly political agenda. He certainly wasn't a Republican or Democrat. He wouldn't fit either party.

Jesus Christ came to change the hearts of men and women. Heart change leads to behavioral change, but it leads to a heart of love. It leads to caring for others. It changes society through one loving act at a time. It doesn't change it through some sort of conservative political agenda.

Let me say it again: if the conservatives won the culture war nothing would really change. At least nothing pertaining to the Kingdom of God would change (which is the only Kingdom that really matters). Some things might look different on the outside, but in the end nothing would change our greatest problem: the wickedness of the human heart.

I implore my brothers and sisters in Christ to love others sacrificially for the cause of Christ. Let's show Jesus' love through acts of selfless service. This is how society is truly changed. Let's stop wasting our time on conservative politics and the culture war. It amounts to nothing.


(Addendum: It's quite clear that I left abortion off the above culture war list. Abortion, I believe, supersedes the conservative political agenda because it deals with life and death issues and is an utter abomination. It is the one issue where I believe political means should be used to change, if possible, governmental policies. If some say I am being inconsistent for focusing on this one issue, then so be it.)

4 comments:

Don G said...

So sad that so many are fighting a war that is meaningless. But I agree with you that it is so. Perhaps partly because it is easier to fight such a war, and partly because we are so willing to blindly follow our "generals."

Eric said...

Don,

Thanks for commenting. So much energy is so misdirected. We probably both know many well-intentioned believers who think they are doing good by fighting these battles. Such a shame that this is so.

Unknown said...

Abortion is not the only issue you avoided. What about euthanasia , infanticide and the integrity of marriage?

Eric said...

Unknown,

I have have a blog policy of only answering questions when the commenter leaves a real name. If you want to try again please feel free to do so.