How Would Jesus Vote?
October 19th 2007 06:11
Guten tag,
Religion and politics are generally two hot, if not taboo subjects to broach. Expect a fight when either of them is raised over a schooner or two after work on Friday. If this were America of course, things would be different, but Australians, by and large, tend not to be too enamoured of or illuminated by religion and intensely interested in politics. But it's there and it's fertile ground that has to be ploughed.
John Howard is a man who confesses, most discreetly of course, to maintain a Christian faith. He even turned up to the church a relative was minister at for a post-election win party a couple of elections back, with camera crews in tow. He didn't turn up much more than that apparently and, rightly so, the camera crews got booted out. It seemed to be a crass exercise in self-aggrandisement and Holiness Lite, but it was important enough to Howard to do it, to make the gesture Heavenward.
So he did it, at least once, Howard put his cards on the table. Curiously though, this wasn't just one random event. Since Sydney Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen famously said that Howard was "out of step with God" on the 'Sorry' issue, the Prime Minister and Peter Costello have courted Hillsong and to a lesser extent the exclusive Brethren to fellowship with the Liberal Party. You'd be forgiven for thinking it was a harmless nexus between Church and State, but something's a little fishy.
Hillsong's promulgation of what is known as Prosperity Doctrine dovetails superbly with the Coalition's economic rationalist agenda. Prosperity Doctrine generally takes the form of a level of spiritual success that can marry itself to material excess and form an attractive pairing. God wants you to be 'blessed' financially, as well as spiritually, which stands proudly against Jesus Christ's idea of "Blessed are the poor". However, the idea that Christianity goes uptown is very appealing to people who crow about budget surpluses and trillion dollar economies.
If you are poor, you should be helped, no question, not even Hillsong are going to deny that, but it might mean you're not as blessed as the family with the five bedroom house in Castle Hill, driving to church in the Audi. It's abhorrent to think that Howard and Costello, who have both visited Hillsong, could pick up on such a teaching and make it work from a political angle: These proposed tax cuts could be construed as a blessing from God, they're primarily for the rich, therefore, it's kosher.
Hillsong reeks of a materialism that's supposedly sanctified. Never will you find so many well-dressed and beautiful people in a church. You will see weekly announcements broadcast on big screens like the nightly news, you will see a slick Christian rock show to match any performers on the professional circuit and you will (or maybe not) be dazzled by the idea that God also thinks greed is good. That's where Howard and Costello come in.
Harnessing the popular, 'successful' end of Christianity is a first class ticket to mixing it with the new, the flashy and the attractive. Hillsong is religion's A-List. It's faith without the baggage of staid Catholicism (Why do Howard and Costello not mix it with George Pell?) and the Anglican Church (Jensen's still, mercifully, out of step with Howard) and Family First has proven you can get more Liberal than the Liberals. Religion, there's a buck and a vote in it, just choose your friends wisely.
So how would Jesus vote? There's a conundrum for the Friday evening, post-working week elbow bend. Would it be family first and economy second? Save the trees and give to the poor? Dress up sharp and throw your hands in the air, or would He back out of the game entirely, vote with His conscience and keep separate Church and State. If Howard and Costello like to mix their politics with their worship, the rest of us are free to as well, but as Bono once said and Howard was one of the few world leaders who didn't want to meet the U2 frontman: "The God I believe in isn't short of cash, Mister".
Cheers
Michael.
Religion and politics are generally two hot, if not taboo subjects to broach. Expect a fight when either of them is raised over a schooner or two after work on Friday. If this were America of course, things would be different, but Australians, by and large, tend not to be too enamoured of or illuminated by religion and intensely interested in politics. But it's there and it's fertile ground that has to be ploughed.
John Howard is a man who confesses, most discreetly of course, to maintain a Christian faith. He even turned up to the church a relative was minister at for a post-election win party a couple of elections back, with camera crews in tow. He didn't turn up much more than that apparently and, rightly so, the camera crews got booted out. It seemed to be a crass exercise in self-aggrandisement and Holiness Lite, but it was important enough to Howard to do it, to make the gesture Heavenward.
So he did it, at least once, Howard put his cards on the table. Curiously though, this wasn't just one random event. Since Sydney Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen famously said that Howard was "out of step with God" on the 'Sorry' issue, the Prime Minister and Peter Costello have courted Hillsong and to a lesser extent the exclusive Brethren to fellowship with the Liberal Party. You'd be forgiven for thinking it was a harmless nexus between Church and State, but something's a little fishy.
Hillsong's promulgation of what is known as Prosperity Doctrine dovetails superbly with the Coalition's economic rationalist agenda. Prosperity Doctrine generally takes the form of a level of spiritual success that can marry itself to material excess and form an attractive pairing. God wants you to be 'blessed' financially, as well as spiritually, which stands proudly against Jesus Christ's idea of "Blessed are the poor". However, the idea that Christianity goes uptown is very appealing to people who crow about budget surpluses and trillion dollar economies.
If you are poor, you should be helped, no question, not even Hillsong are going to deny that, but it might mean you're not as blessed as the family with the five bedroom house in Castle Hill, driving to church in the Audi. It's abhorrent to think that Howard and Costello, who have both visited Hillsong, could pick up on such a teaching and make it work from a political angle: These proposed tax cuts could be construed as a blessing from God, they're primarily for the rich, therefore, it's kosher.
Hillsong reeks of a materialism that's supposedly sanctified. Never will you find so many well-dressed and beautiful people in a church. You will see weekly announcements broadcast on big screens like the nightly news, you will see a slick Christian rock show to match any performers on the professional circuit and you will (or maybe not) be dazzled by the idea that God also thinks greed is good. That's where Howard and Costello come in.
Harnessing the popular, 'successful' end of Christianity is a first class ticket to mixing it with the new, the flashy and the attractive. Hillsong is religion's A-List. It's faith without the baggage of staid Catholicism (Why do Howard and Costello not mix it with George Pell?) and the Anglican Church (Jensen's still, mercifully, out of step with Howard) and Family First has proven you can get more Liberal than the Liberals. Religion, there's a buck and a vote in it, just choose your friends wisely.
So how would Jesus vote? There's a conundrum for the Friday evening, post-working week elbow bend. Would it be family first and economy second? Save the trees and give to the poor? Dress up sharp and throw your hands in the air, or would He back out of the game entirely, vote with His conscience and keep separate Church and State. If Howard and Costello like to mix their politics with their worship, the rest of us are free to as well, but as Bono once said and Howard was one of the few world leaders who didn't want to meet the U2 frontman: "The God I believe in isn't short of cash, Mister".
Cheers
Michael.
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Comment by Brenton
Dr Spin
Tales From The Other Side
Blip Blog
Gadget Museum
Trick question. He would vote for himself as he would be running as an independent.
Who he would elect as his preferences though, THERE's a puzzler.
Comment by Jeff Musall