Of Course Christianity is Political
I had someone tell me today that they didn't want to politicize feeding people. I didn't argue the matter, and I understand where they're coming from. They don't want giving people food to be a Republican or Democrat issue.
I understand, but they're wrong. It is political.
Feeding people is political. Letting people go hungry is political. These are decisions we make.
By "we" I mean collectively. As an individual I cannot feed everyone, and no one expects me to do so. But as a society we decide what matters to us. All of these decisions are political. Politics is, at its most basic, making decisions for a group.
I used to buy into the idea that my Christianity was not political. That I should not be wed to any particular political party. I still believe that, though it looks to be that the people who told me that years ago no longer believe it themselves.
The reality, though, is that Christianity is political. Jesus was political. The ultimate proof of that is the reactons of people in power -- religious power, political power, economic power. He was killed because he challenged the power structure. He was a danger. The early church was persecuted because (in part) they disrupted power.
The were political, and their politics were dangerous precisely because they loved people. Not power itself, not traditions, but people.
James wrote, that, "Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (James 1:27) Care for the helpless, the disenfranchised, the ones who were normally ignored at best, but more often used and abused. Do not be like that, James said, "keep yourself unstained." This is political.
The more I think about this, the more I realize that I was told to keep politics out of my Christianity because it kept me relatively harmless. It reduces politics to voting, and that's not it at all. Or rather, it's not just that.
Hélder Câmara said, "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist." Do things, fine, but don't question things. Help the widow, sure, but don't ask why she needs help.
As Christians we must do both.