Should a church preach about government issues?
By lilwonders
@lilwonders456 (8214)
United States
March 5, 2009 10:54am CST
It is being reported at a church in Ohio is telling it's members that " Barack Obama’s presidency is appointed by God and that Obama himself is “God’s minister." Assembly of God Ohio District Council Superintendent Rev. John Wooton handed out flyers that said Christians need to “support loudly” Obama’s policies and “remember who is in control”.The document cites Romans 13 verses 1-4.
Wow. I am kinda shocked by this. Personally I do not go to this church or even live in that state. But have any of you had this experience at church? What would you do if this was your church and they were telling you these things? Should the church even being getting involved with telling it's members to support an elected official? Tell me what you think of this situation.
3 people like this
11 responses
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
5 Mar 09
We do not assume that the president, prime minister is a God fearing person. In fact, God may allow an evil ruler to take over to shake us out of our dullness. The rulers of this world are supposed to bear the sword and punish evil doers, and cannot be removed unless by legal means and by those who are permitted to do so. Christians are supposed to pray that the president or whomever is in charge of the civil government, if he rewards evil and punish good, that God would give him a charge of heart, so that he can rule righteously.
If the ruler rewards evil, and whose heart is not opened, God will permit another to rise in his place. So churches can pray for Obama, Christians can pray for Obama, but they should pray that he will punish evil goers and deliver right and eschew evil.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
7 Mar 09
Actually it is because he is colorful, that he is getting away with what he does. That makes him more dangerous. If maybe Biden had run for president instead of being vice-president and he had decided to change America, put together a stimulus package, added unnecessary stuff, took away DOMA and the right of medical personal to not agree to abortion, and decided to take money from those who worked hard to give to those who were illegals and who did not work hard, who were drones, then all of you would have said, stop! We do not want this man for president.
Unfortunately, through the media and the insistence of many African-Americans that they do not want to be portrayed as bad people on Tv dramas, it allowed a man to come into power who looked as if he were good, but did not have the experience and was given concession that would not have been allowed normally.
In consequence to that, I remember hearing about a serial killer in Missouri who the housewives let in and thought they could trust and he was an African-
American.
I do know there are African=Americans would have made a better president then Obama. So why were they not running?
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
5 Mar 09
I do not buy the whole "god appointed" thing. Not for any president.
1 person likes this
@deejean06 (1952)
• United States
5 Mar 09
Hello! I personally don't think the pulpit is the place to dispense political beliefs. But you do have a captive audience and some religious leaders feel it is appropriate to tell their parishioners the "correct" way to live when it comes to everything - including politics. If the parishioners didn't agree they would leave? So I guess they do agree and support these beliefs.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
5 Mar 09
Some have left. I guess the rest are ok with it. But it does bother me that they teach blindly following an elected official. That is always a bad thing.
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
5 Mar 09
Canada supports the Separation of Church and State, and we as citizens are very proud. Both the Church and State are encouraged to stay out of our bedrooms, which is why we have State approved Birth Control and Abortion Rights. Canada is a Free Country. I will admit to being very Proud to live in a free country with Separation of Church and State, plus Abortion and Birth Control Rights.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
5 Mar 09
I are suppost to be separate here too. But some churches cross the line.
@okeditse (32)
• South Africa
6 Mar 09
well. i think since Paul, Silas, Pisca, Timorty, MARK, Luke and all of them early Christians, were all gone, they all gone with the gospel. Some folks come after them from the Catholic camp and did their own way, they preached the gospel out of their own Hellenic values and they got Arius lynched and the whole nine because he said the truth. They all bamrashed the show, all of them, Constantine called Yeshu Sol Invictus, the Sun God, the Protector of the Roman Empire. Before him in the times of Tertullianus, they said Yeshu is the Logos, in the beginning he was....man tell you don't believe these cats, gotta read the gospel the truth is put there. Forget about tem, they blind. Nothing against them but its their pesronality and the Black Eyed Peas were right, they are addicted to drama, man. No way. Yeshu got involved himself with the Herodians and them Roman governors.
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
6 Mar 09
I've heard this before, but I have never found anything written in the first person on it. I do know that if a church gets too deeply involved in politics and starts to recommend courses of action to its members, the church can lose its tax free status.
This country does not like church and state to mix, and if they do, there are concequences. Forcing a church to start paying taxes is one of them. It has happened in the past, and if these folks keep getting in the news, it will happen to them too.
Personally, I do not think that Obama is one of "G'd's Ministers". I don't even think that he is really in control.
Shalom~Adoniah
@renemouche (843)
• United States
5 Mar 09
Church and State has always been a touchy issue.
I think that it is wrong. When I was in College some of the churches were saying the same thing about Bush that this church is saying about Obama. They handed out flyers as well. Now all of a sudden some people think that this is wrong. Its cuts both ways it was wrong for that chruch to preach about Bush and wrong for this one to preach about Obama.
I think a pastor or priest has a right to ask its memebers to pray for our counrty, and our leaders etc.. but if the pastor or priest thinks that an elected offical was ordinated by God to serve they should keep that to themselves.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
5 Mar 09
It was wrong to say it about Bush it was wrong to say it about Obama. We are not suppost to blindly follow our elected officials. The churches should not promote it.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
6 Mar 09
Yes, it is clearly the duty of the Church to lead in matters with an ethical dimension
all the best urban
@marymarj2002 (1769)
• Philippines
6 Mar 09
In my opinion I think it is okay for church preacher to include government issues in their preachings. They should also relate to the current situation of the country so people can go on in the world nowadays according to church teachings and the morals. It is better that the church will help people in supporting to live as a better God's children and as a good citizen. I think when you become a good follower of your church and practice its teaching then it will help the government.
I think it is the will of God that Obama won as the president in your country. And whether he was the one who won or not it is our duty as good citizen as good follower of our religion to support whoever leaders are in our country, our community even in our own families. It is when we put God as the center of our lives that everything in our lives will run smoothly and help our problems.
I think you really need to support your president especially in this time of crisis or all your leaders so America can recover from its crisis. It's time for unity.
@Phillmore (74)
• Denmark
6 Mar 09
i think that is seroiusly BS,
its even a sort of probaganda i think,but not in the negative way,well atleast not for obama
and i think the last place they should say things like that are in churches where people of faith come to listen to a preacher and if he says that obama is THE MAN:D then i think it would impact ther voting.
@daliaj (5674)
• India
6 Mar 09
I am totally against church preaching government issues and politics. It is vary sad. Church can discuss or protest against governemtn issues if it hurts the church. In many countries, church says....some political parties.....this particular person should be your candidate...then only you will get votes of people from church.
This is totally against what the church is supposed to do. They should take care of belief and well being of church members rather than bargaining in politics. This is also a kind of dividing people in terms of their religion and caste and can case very serious problems.
I am a good catholic and go to church every sunday., but I am against these kinds of activities of church and these activities sometimes holds me back from church.
