God’s Politics (my version)
Nov 11th, 2007 by Micah Tillman | 6 Comments |
I was talking to Scott this evening (he drove down for a visit), and said something that reminded me of Jim Wallis.
Progressive Christians (the kind you don’t hear about in the media) love Jim Wallis. His publication/group/site is Sojourners (sojo.net). His book is God’s Politics.
What I said to Scott was (or rather, should have been, because I don’t remember how I said it, and the following way of saying it is better): “Take the power over others that you would have them take over you.”
That’s my version of God’s politics
(I believe Jesus is God [a philosophically-fun idea] you see, and what I just said is a “for instance”-type specification of what Jesus says in Matthew 7.12 and Luke 6.31).
(Just making myself clear there. Sorry if I’m being obvious.)
Of course, both Wallis and I have to be careful about “taking [up] God’s name in vain” (i.e., speaking for God without authorization).
I wonder whether my version of “God’s politics” actually meshes with my actual politics. I shall go and ponder this now.
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I suppose the real question is whether or not the command given to individuals can also apply to governments. Or maybe it can but the phrase “Take power over others…” is an oversimplification. I assume this phrase would only apply over law abiding citizens. But then who determines what laws govern people? If someone thinks polygamy is ok then why should the government get in his way? Or what about incest? and the list could go on.
Personally, I’m a bit sketchy on the conencting Jesus’ name with taking power… Almost always he was not interested in doing so.
I guess a more charitable reading of what you’re saying, might run like this: we should only engage in political judgements of others that we ourselves would submit to.
If this is your meaning, I can buy it… With the caveat that Chuck’s getting at… We have a moral obligation to take power over those who can’t take care of themselves (e.g. severely mental ill people, children, etc.) and we would be unwise to submit to the politcal will of these groups…
Good question.
Governments never act. People who are in governments act. So the same rules apply to them as apply to everyone. Though they are playing some sort of role that would allow for differentiation . . . . Hmm . . . .
Why would the phrase “Take power over others . . .” apply only to law abiding citizens? (That’s asked curiously, not defensively. You can’t hear my tone over the blog, so I thought I should specify :-)
Any time I do something to someone I’m taking power over them. Even when I tell a joke, I’m taking power over someone, (or trying to at least. If they don’t laugh, my attempt failed).
Thanks for the shout out.
And no, you didn’t really say it that well, but I’m willing to remember it that way, particularly since I don’t remember exactly what you said either.
[...] (read: “our”) politics more. (Hence, Jim Wallis’ God’s Politics, which I mentioned before). The solution to the Right’s (purported) use of God to justify “their” policies [...]
[...] ‘em out the box Published November 12th, 2007 religion , the world Micah Tillman writes that his version of Jim Wallis’ God’s Politics can be summed up in this maxim: [...]