Expert: Cooper P. Abrams III - 10/25/2007

Question
Hello,

I am a Christian who goes to a Baptist Church. But I am finding it increasingly difficult to think of myself as a Baptist. One of the reasons is because of the politics of so many Baptists in this country.

Some Baptists equate faith in Jesus Christ with faith in George Bush. As if the gospel of Jesus Christ has anything to do with George Bush or the Republican party.

George Bush is a big thorn in my side. He stoled the first election in 2000. There were so many votes which were thrown out in Florida in that election, and tons of people were not allowed to vote because their registration was revoked and they were not notified. Its funny how Bush's brother was governor of Florida, and it was the controversies in the voting in that one state which made Bush win by 500 votes. In fact he lost the popular vote.

Bush invaded Iraq when all evidence proved that there were no weapons of mass destruction. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, so why invade them? Seems more like revenge for his father than anything else. More Iraqis have died since we invaded than would ever have died if we just left the country alone. Saddam wasn't killing 10,000-20,000 civilians per month. Bush's family is neck deep in the military industrial complex. Whenever there is a war his family and friends make money. Haliburton is getting government contracts without bids, which is illegal, but this is happening because Dick Chaney is a former Haliburton executive, and he still has stock and a pension from them.

The Plame Affair, in which Scooter Libby got a slap on the wrist, proves how vengeful Bush is and how all his talk of being a born again Christian is nothing more than a lie.

This war and this whole administration is all about making money for Bush, and his family, friends, and the people who helped get him into office. The deficit is gigantic and we just keep printing up more money, devaluating the currency. One Euro costs $1.43, but when the Euro first came out it was 95 cents.

At the end of 2001 Bush gave away the government's 99 billion dollar surplus to various companies, many of which were big donors to his election fund. His buddies all made money on that.

Did you see the movie Loose Change, about how the whole 9/11 event is extremely fishy. When the plane hit the pentagon it supposedly disintegrated, which is impossible. No engine was found. And the grass around the pentagon was in prestine condition. Also no wings from the plane were found. And no wings hit anything. All video footage of the event from nearby companies was confiscated by the government and there is no explanation of what happened to the remains of the plane, or why there was no impact from the wings. Looks more like a missile hit the pentagon. And it's funny how the part of the pentagon which was hit was the part which was just recently reinforced.

It is so obvious that this entire war is about nothing more than oil and money, yet rich Christians, and those who are stupid enough to be duped believe in this man as if he was God himself.

I can't stand Bush, and I will be overjoyed when he is out of office. I can picture him roasting in hell for all the people he's killed and mamed due to this war. All for the love of money, which is the root of all evil.

All this sometimes makes me want to join another Church. We have the super-Republican Baptists, which are often rich, and they can afford to tihe, while poor Christians like me are looked down upon in our congregations because we don't have the money to tithe. It's easy when you can afford to tithe out of your excess. And then they have the nerve to tell us to support a money hungry murderer like George Bush. Maybe I should look into joining a Methodist Church, or Presbyterian.

What is your take on this issue?

Answer
Hellow Joshua,
  I too am not a Bush fan though I was some time ago.  He has masquerated as a Christian and duped a lot of people.  But his record speaks for itself.   However, in America Christians have to pick political candidates based on who is the leaser of two evils. I certainly can understand your frustration.   I do give him some benefit of the doubt in fighting terrorism overseas rather than here in the US.  I have studied the situation in depth and feel that although the US (Bush) has made many glaring errors...there has come good come from it.   If we can defeat Al Quada in the middle east we will maybe not have to fight them here.  But that is not a matter for a church to involved with.  We are to pray for our leaders...whoever they are as 1 Timothy 2:1-2 instructs.
   A church should address moral issues that effect out country as it relates to living a Christian life, but that is not the purpose of a church or the calling of a pastor to "ride a political hoppy horse".    Biblically God is in control and is moving the world toward the end times.  Christians historically have lived under dictators and all kinds of government.   Our responsibility is to serve the Lord.   Yes, we should vote and express our views, but our faith in not in Washington or polical leaders but in Almighty God.   
   Sir, joining one of the churches you mention would be very wrong because these churches are doctrinally in grave error.   God has nothing to do with churches that teach a works salvation that one can lose like the Methodist or that God decreed to send most of the world to hell and withholds his grace from them as the Presbyterians believe.
   Maybe it would be a better idea to find a Bible believing church that does not have a policial agenda.
   Respectfuly,
Cooper Abrams
http://bible-truth.org