Is "God" Political Capital?
Just a reminder that I believe that God has established political authority and that Christians can faithfully engage in this vocation, even in the midst of obvious tensions (sanction and ordering of violence) and more opaque ones (potentially divided loyalty).
As a result, I think it not only fair, but wise and absolutely necessary for faithful Christians to pray and seek God's guidance on issues of policy and decision making. However, I think this is an example of using "God" as political capital, shoring up one's opinion, which may or may not be in line with God's desires, in order to gain the support of others. What's important to note is that whether or not the politician believes their actions to be in line with God (and/or have prayed about it), invoking God as being on my side is pastorally abusive from those who are not pastors.
As a result, I think it not only fair, but wise and absolutely necessary for faithful Christians to pray and seek God's guidance on issues of policy and decision making. However, I think this is an example of using "God" as political capital, shoring up one's opinion, which may or may not be in line with God's desires, in order to gain the support of others. What's important to note is that whether or not the politician believes their actions to be in line with God (and/or have prayed about it), invoking God as being on my side is pastorally abusive from those who are not pastors.
posted by Aaron Perry at
9:02 AM
13 Comments:
...and Palin loses major points with me.
Yeah, I consider this the major negative against Palin. I read it the other day and was surprised it hasn't been the #1 issue against her.
I also hate it when guys use this tactic when courting a girl!
Of course, the left has used this during the campaign as well. Just the other day we were told that Obama was God's gift to us in our time of national turmoil.
Don't you think it's also abusive from those who ARE pastors when discussing political matters?
Speaking from a position of power (i.e., preaching)? Yes. Speaking one-on-one? No. Neither would I think a politician speaking to a friend saying they earnestly believed God was leading them in a direction be spiritual abuse. And that also depends on the political matters. Frankly, I think there are some that some think are complicated that could use a little more "Thus says the LORD."
Did you watch the video of Palin making these statements? I just did. Much more tame on video than in print.
When watching the video, she wasn't using her position of power to promote war, but simply as a request for prayer for state unity and for the soldiers.
Looks to me like an issue, but one mostly created by the journalist
Thanks for asking that, Matthew. I just watched the videos and find this is a prime example of using God as political capital. It is using divine language because of the group of people she is speaking with when the issues she mentions--natural gas pipeline and Iraq war--could be supported and defended without them being "God's will."
By power I meant something like what she is doing: speaking to lead and influence a group of people from a position of power (in this case, as a speaker). She holds a microphone when no one else does.
Yeah, but having watched the video, don't you find that her comments were not even conveyed as part of her speech, but spoken almost as an after-thought (oh, and by the way, pray for unity... oh, and by the way, pray for the troops)?
I don't know. When I read the article I was very upset. When I watched the video I thought she didn't have any kind of agenda to establish the war as God's war, it strikes me more as someone who just doesn't think about theology and war very much.
Now THAT might be an issue! But I don't think she was using God as political capital, as you have defined. I don't really think she was 'trying' to do anything. It sounds agenda-less to me. Just not very thoughtful.
Hey Matthew,
I definitely agree that the comments were not finely crafted, but I cannot imagine her using that language outside that setting in that way. So, if she uses it there but would not use it elsewhere, then why? To gain rapport...to "connect"...to increase in favour... The language "God" and "God's will" is used for people to be with her in political issues (gas line and war). Whether or not it's critically used--and I don't think it is--I still think it is a form of capital.
Fair enough. I think I've exhausted my thoughts on this issue, haha. Overall, I don't like McCain's apparent motives for picking Palin. So he lost points in my book.
But, in general, I like her. Maybe not as a politician, but as a personality.
But I'm still voting for Ron Paul.
From my perspective of late, I can't help but wonder where Palin learned "that language"? How much of her use of "that language" isn't simply the accepted - and even desired language - she has been taught to use in "that setting" by the religious leaders of her institutional church background?
In some of the video clips I watched on YouTube I saw the pastors/leaders who were present during Palin's talk readily accept and endorse her prayer requests...in fact they even reiterated them briefly and prayed a blessing for "what God was going to do" related to them.
I'm guessing you would agree that was abusive on the part of those pastors per your earlier comment. Is Palin then a victim of abuse?
Hi Beth,
I'm sure there are victims of forms of abuse in many areas. It's the very complicated nature of sin that warranted God's atoning sacrifice. And I think you're quite right that Gov. Palin learned the language from a combination of her spiritual and political leaders. (Btw, I only use Palin as an example; I have used John McCain and Barack Obama on other sites in the past.) As such, she, along with probably everyone, is a victim of forms of abuse.
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