by AmericanBoy

Created on: July 05, 2009   Last Updated: July 24, 2009

Simply put, the Bible does not state that you must be a democrat or republican. Scripture provides universal principles that transcend the different political affiliations, even if they are embraced by political parties on varying issues. Therefore, to limit the Christian faith to one particular political persuasion is to do it a tremendous disservice. Unfortunately, this simple fact seems to be difficult for some to embrace. Let me provide a real-life example.

Earlier, I was listening to a Christian radio station while driving my car when a well-known, nationally syndicated political commentator came on with a pseudo-commercial that struck a chord of confusion in me. He spent a good portion of his comments reciting verses from the Bible, warning against the "left-wing" attack on "American values" like marriage and family. Without taking a breath, he then condemned the inaccuracy of "global warming", exhorting the faithful to "reclaim" America by signing a petition opposing recent legislation intended to curb man-made pollutants.

Now, please understand, this fella was NOT a preacher or religious leader. To be fair, he was a radio personality with a long, successful career in the radio and news business. In light of this fact, I'm willing to concede that his theology may not be as vetted as some. Still, I hate to sound cynical, but he represents a very outspoken segment of the Christian community found in parts of this country. They seem to think in political terms first, and then wrap their religious views around their political presupposition.

Is it fair for me to wonder out loud if it's appropriate for any believer to suggest that promoting environmentally sound practices is somehow abdicating one's "Christian responsibility"? Is Jesus really opposed to curbing possible sources of air pollution? Does the Bible truly promote the principles of free market economy at the expense of ethics and communal responsibility? Now, some will argue that Global Warming is a "hoax", and that science disproves it. Does this matter? Is it fair to state that some will be adversely affected unless we curb carbon emissions? Regardless of whether the science surrounding global warming is valid or not, what is non-biblical about promoting cleaner air? As a matter of fact, I CHALLENGE any Christian reading this article to present me with a comprehensive Biblical theology that supports polluting the air, or using the excuse of free-market capitalism as justification for abdicating stewardship

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