[D.G.E.T.]

Politics are not the task of a Christian.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (famous theologian)


I know many people won’t agree with me but religion has no place in politics and vice versa. Religion and politics can only stay pure if they are separate entities. The idea of legislating religious beliefs through government is against the basic principles of democracy, humanity and I’d argue even Christianity.

The laws of a land should be based on scientific evidence and the moral consciousness of that particular country and not any particular religion. Legislative morality should be determined by consensus but basic freedoms must be protected by the branches of government.

We all know how politicians “love God” but they don’t love him enough to put into practice his principles, why? there’s simply no room for a conscience in politics. Politicians only grow a conscience if it suits/doesn’t hurt their political motives.

Religious groups these days seem determined to turn their views into public policy. I’m not saying they shouldn’t express their views, I’m saying that they must learn to make their views known without trying to make their views the only alternatives. Each religious group should trust its members to obey the dictates of their religious faith without assistance from the legal structure of their country.

For example the issue of gays. For the record, I’m a Christian and I believe practicing homosexuality is a wrong and anti-Christian doctrine, but what does that have to do with Onyango who is an Atheist or Patel who is a Hindu or even a Christian who chooses be gay. How can I make a law applying to the whole country based on what I believe my God told me!

The Christian God doesn’t want people to observe his commandments because if you don’t you’ll end up in Kamiti! He wants you to choose to do good of your own free will, so if two consenting adults decide to do something to each other that matter should be left between them and their God. I know it’s not exactly the same thing but what if GOK decreed that sex outside marriage was illegal (based on scripture) and if found you would be punished by jail time! People would be up in arms not because that law wouldn’t be “morally” right but because the government should not have any jurisdiction over what two consenting heterosexuals decide to do. It may not be right by our religion but you have the right to do it if you wanted to. Why does it suddenly change when it comes to homosexuals? Is it because it doesn’t apply to most of us?

What about abortion? I’m firmly against it but I believe it should be the woman’s right to choose – just as God has made it our option to freely choose between wrong and right. My religion tells me that life begins at conception but scientific fact says up to the point of organogenesis, the zygote is just a mass of cells. Should I make a law that covers all based on my religious beliefs or science?


Quote by Thomas Jefferson:
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.

[Sanaa-]

Yeah guess thats why theywrote in the Bible that you can't serve two masters, you shall serve one and despise the other. They are kinda parallel coz religion is not bout being good/moral. N politics tries hard to stay within ethical and moral boundaries. Sasa sijui where Christians will be counted yaani they will always be backseat drivers and workin behind the scenes.

[wahenga]

Gaii!!! u here on this part of "town" hehehe then i think i stand a chance of mekin in pope a day..by da way those feet are familiar..mhh api did i see them??? "hic" lemme sober up 1st then al kumbuka

[Sanaa-]

Wahenga,

lol am trying to turn over a new leaf.apparently D.G.E.T too lol This life of sin is too much.

[wahenga]

ati wot????? lemme tek another bottle of tequila while i try digesting the fact of you turning a new leaf "hic"

[joeNM]

Very interesting though I must say that I have to disagree with you. Nevertheless, not for the usual reasons most Christians would disagree with you. I do not really think you can separate politics from Christianity or any other religion. before I became a Christian or should I say a real Christian I studied political philosophy in undergrad . However, when I got born again I had to reconcile the two. I know many Christians are going to log on and use an emotional explanation trying to state the Christian view but let me save you by stating the logical truth of the matter.

Politics is said to be the master science and as a result, it is made up of all sciences and aspects of life, as we know including religion. I think the point you are trying to make is not one of politics and religion but one of democracy and religion. There is a fine distinction between the two because most people confuse democracy with politics when democracy is just an aspect of politics. Most religions including Islam cannot accommodate the true essence of democracy. They hence fall under what is called theocracy another branch of politics. Therefore, you see Christianity can be involved in politics.a theocracy a system of goverment governed by rule of religion.

I agree with you that in a country such as the United States where separation of church and state is enshrined in the constitution Christian doctrine has to walk a thin line. But in a country like Kenya where the constitution does not separate the two then the norm of society determines the laws of the society. Including issues of abortion /homosexuality etc.therefore individuals have to live by the norms of the society until the whole society agrees to change


I hope the distinction between politics and Christianity is clear. That politics is not democracy, democracy is just one facet of politics just like theocracy aristocracy, socialism communism etc. and therefore christians can be involved in politics and the two can not be seperatedand are therefore not mutually exclusive . i think the issue is how much or how far should we allow or can christian values be allowed in a democratic state that seperates chruch and state in the constitution.