Religion and Politics Don't Mix - A Modern Fairy Tale

America is a land of many contradictions possibly born out of her love for freedom. Some are comical while others are harmful. Most go completely unnoticed because they are often voiced and repeated but rarely ever examined or scrutinized. One of the top falsehoods that have become common wisdom is that 'religion and politics don't mix.' Why is this not true?

The first mention or allusion to 'the separation of powers' or as we now say, 'the separation of church and state' is also its best definition. "Jesus answering said unto them, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him." (Mk 12:17) This definition clearly says we can deal seriously with both but the two are not mutually exclusive.

Ecclesiastical and civil powers are not ever supposed to enter a marriage but they have and always will have an ongoing relationship until the last day of time. But on the subject of a marriage between them we have a case today born between the admonitions of the Wisdom of Solomon that says "there is no new thing under the sun" (Ecc. 1:9) and man's unfaltering proclivity to forget the past and repeat his worst behavior.

The last time the powers married was during the Dark Ages. Beliefs that skirted outside of church doctrine had to be prosecuted and punished because ecclesiastical powers were also the civil authority. Doctrine wrong; you must be punished. Not only did this make a terrible marriage but scientific inquiry, political growth and life itself were constantly suppressed and severely stifled.

You would think we would have learned the lesson. Now that the world view is largely secular we are once again repeating the past. If you hold a creation view of man you may lose all credibility and perhaps even your livelihood. You must now submit your children to a compulsory secular education for not less than 12 years which teaches revisionist history that ignores, denies or argues against the fact that America and Europe were founded on Biblical and Christian principles. It's a new dark ages with the so called 'enlightened ones' at the helm of the repression.

The hypocrisy becomes even viler when what's offered to placate the repressed is a call to tolerance and diversity in the new PC polished public dialogue. It's a sort of 'let's lump so we don't bump' approach that reeks of repression but with a candy coating for those who accept PC props as a substitute for true wisdom, free speech or real scientific inquiry.

With the help of secular academicians and organizations like the ACLU, religion, biblical principles and all allusion to them is regarded as extraneous if not outright foolishness. It has become stylish to belittle the faithful and berate the preachers, prophets and biblical scholars that were once held in high regard. Its now vogue to be rogue and stand alone in one's own self assurance, raised up and well taught in the ways of the world, not easily moved.

The brightest minds are taken with Tinsel town's x-rated view of America and now our legislators want to green light hundreds of deviant behaviors so we can enjoy the full spectrum. We are urged not to waste time pondering the fine line between laxity and licentiousness, the glutton and the gourmet, suggestion and indoctrination. We are so busy handing out awards and recognition to Hollywood's haloed hacks and celebrities that we haven't noticed that the great imaginary rocket ship we are beckoned to board is not pointing to the stars but is aimed directly toward the ground.

Along come the social tinkerers to the Congress and White House with promises of 'change' and renewed prosperity and a much better deal than ever offered before. It's a sugar daddy government that mocks the tradition of hard work, self reliance and entrepreneurial pursuit all the while they spend millions on ad campaigns to assure us that the tinkering will result in a better America , a changed America . Who needs to check the authority, the efficacy, the cost or the practicality of the proposed changes when the ads are assuring us that "it is time." Is there ever a time to turn our backs on the hard won lessons learned in our past?

As truth loses its premium fewer Americans will notice that in the bare knuckles contest between religion and culture, religion will always lose. But in the contest between a political answer and prophetic utterance, politics will always lose. There is no battle between ideology and theology; there is no contest.

Prophecy is not a view point, a bit of social tinkering or the shifting tide of public opinion. Prophecy is pre-written history. But if a nation can blithely ignore the vision of its founders; will it be likely to heed those who foresee its demise or those who are urging its citizens to take stock and return to the faith of their Fathers?

The correlation between faith in God and involvement in civil discourse, politics and government is as old as civilization and when it is finally severed it spells the doom of civilization. In ancient times the prophet and the king interacted for the benefit of a nation. Now we sit pixilated by presidents, pundits, professors and secular prognosticators who tell us we are surely on the right path, without those troublesome allusions to accountability or an Almighty God.

When the final world ruler known as the antichrist successfully crushes all religions and the practice of them it will not result in the imaginary euphoric world of John Lennon's world with no religions. It will result in the battle of Armageddon and the re-entrance of the Lord Jesus Christ into the affairs and governments of men.

The description of his entrance betrays any notion they he returns in meekness to negotiate with rulers for a more loving and better way to have a world. Scripture says the meek and lowly Jesus will rule 1,000 years before eternity actually begins, but with a rod of iron. "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." (Rev 19:15)

C.S. Lewis said "Reality, in fact, is always something you couldn't have guessed. That's one of the reasons I believe Christianity. It's a religion you couldn't have guessed."