Christians in the 2024 Election

Things that are not part of politics happening presently and how we approach or address it as Anabaptists.
Post Reply
User avatar
Bootstrap
Posts: 14597
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 9:59 am
Affiliation: Mennonite

Christians in the 2024 Election

Post by Bootstrap »

We're obviously entering into an election season.

How should we approach that as Christians? What is the best way to be the Kingdom of God between now and the election?

Request: Please don't talk about which candidates you prefer in this thread, or what bothers you about people who disagree with you. Focus on what you think we, as Christians, should do. Things that you yourself think you should be doing.
0 x
Is it biblical? Is it Christlike? Is it loving? Is it true? How can I find out?
RZehr
Posts: 7260
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:42 am
Affiliation: Cons. Mennonite

Re: Christians in the 2024 Election

Post by RZehr »

Bootstrap wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2024 12:06 pm We're obviously entering into an election season.

How should we approach that as Christians? What is the best way to be the Kingdom of God between now and the election?

Request: Please don't talk about which candidates you prefer in this thread, or what bothers you about people who disagree with you. Focus on what you think we, as Christians, should do. Things that you yourself think you should be doing.
Pay less attention and concern and worry about it. Remember that our trust is in God. And that in the eternal scheme of things, nations rise and fall. We are first and foremost ambassadors for Christ, and that we just happen to be stationed in America now. That we could be in any other country, under any other government.
8 x
User avatar
Josh
Posts: 24227
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 6:23 pm
Location: 1000' ASL
Affiliation: The church of God

Re: Christians in the 2024 Election

Post by Josh »

Bootstrap wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2024 12:06 pm We're obviously entering into an election season.

How should we approach that as Christians? What is the best way to be the Kingdom of God between now and the election?

Request: Please don't talk about which candidates you prefer in this thread, or what bothers you about people who disagree with you. Focus on what you think we, as Christians, should do. Things that you yourself think you should be doing.
Feels like election season started a year or two ago.
0 x
Ken
Posts: 16277
Joined: Thu Jun 13, 2019 12:02 am
Location: Washington State
Affiliation: former MCUSA

Re: Christians in the 2024 Election

Post by Ken »

Josh wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2024 2:32 pm
Bootstrap wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2024 12:06 pm We're obviously entering into an election season.

How should we approach that as Christians? What is the best way to be the Kingdom of God between now and the election?

Request: Please don't talk about which candidates you prefer in this thread, or what bothers you about people who disagree with you. Focus on what you think we, as Christians, should do. Things that you yourself think you should be doing.
Feels like election season started a year or two ago.
It never ends. No matter who wins in 2024, the positioning for 2028 will get started almost as soon as either Trump or Biden get inaugurated since both will be lame ducks.

Mark my words, a year from now in the spring of 2025 we will already be hearing about who the leading candidates are for 2028 and those same people will be out giving speeches, be doing interviews, and doing performative stuff as governors or senators.

How should we approach it as Christians? Voting is your only formal opportunity to have a say in the direction of the country. Use it to do so or not as your conscience dictates.
0 x
A fool can throw out more questions than a wise man can answer. -RZehr
User avatar
mike
Posts: 5438
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 10:32 pm
Affiliation: ConMen

Re: Christians in the 2024 Election

Post by mike »

When we Christians talk about it, we should speak from the position of nonparticipants. Don't use the word WE to describe anything related to the political process. Christians should not only refrain from voting and political activism, but should not consider themselves as being part of the process in any way. I believe Christians cannot help but have opinions on political issues, and should not be made to feel that they can't be knowledgeable of current events or express opinions. However as Christians we plan to be subject to whoever our government happens to be, and the expression of our opinions should be governed, among other things, by the idea that the governments that exist are appointed by God and serve a purpose.
7 x
Remember the prisoners, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily. -Heb. 13:3
User avatar
JimFoxvog
Posts: 2898
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2016 10:56 pm
Location: Northern Illinois
Affiliation: MCUSA

Re: Christians in the 2024 Election

Post by JimFoxvog »

If we have an opinion on the candidates, express it lovingly without denigrating those whose opinion differs.
1 x
Neto
Posts: 4644
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 5:43 pm
Location: Holmes County, Ohio
Affiliation: Gospel Haven

Re: Christians in the 2024 Election

Post by Neto »

JimFoxvog wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2024 8:46 pm If we have an opinion on the candidates, express it lovingly without denigrating those whose opinion differs.
Like the Southern way - Just say what ever you think, followed by "Bless their heart". :?
2 x
Congregation: Gospel Haven Mennonite Fellowship, Benton, Ohio (Holmes Co.) a split from Beachy-Amish Mennonite.
Personal heritage & general theological viewpoint: conservative Mennonite Brethren.
Sudsy
Posts: 5937
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:32 pm
Affiliation: Salvation Army

Re: Christians in the 2024 Election

Post by Sudsy »

RZehr wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2024 1:23 pm
Bootstrap wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2024 12:06 pm We're obviously entering into an election season.

How should we approach that as Christians? What is the best way to be the Kingdom of God between now and the election?

Request: Please don't talk about which candidates you prefer in this thread, or what bothers you about people who disagree with you. Focus on what you think we, as Christians, should do. Things that you yourself think you should be doing.
Pay less attention and concern and worry about it. Remember that our trust is in God. And that in the eternal scheme of things, nations rise and fall. We are first and foremost ambassadors for Christ, and that we just happen to be stationed in America now. That we could be in any other country, under any other government.
I added my like to this response. I also think that some of us cannot dabble in politics any more than some can dabble in drinking alcohol or other sins that can easily beset us. This is a major problem area, imo, of North American Christianity that results in a poor representation of being Christ followers when so much time is given to following politics. This reminds me of a church that had a video censoring group that would attend all kinds of theatre shows to suggest which ones were not for Christians. Some things can't be dabbled in.

I'm currently curious as many others on what happens to Donald Trump so I follow some of this news. But I find it leads to conversations that often lead to politics and much strife amongst Christians. Following politics is playing with fire spiritually, isn't it ?

I'm encouraged to see so many likes with RZehr's post. Hope his back is getting better.
0 x
Pursuing a Kingdom life in the Spirit
Post Reply