Lessons for the Church from the DC Riots

[PetrChelcicky]

I'd rather say we must learn to live with uncertainties. As my philosophical guru said: "Nothing is evident" and "Our knowledge is a web of suppositions".

[Bootstrap]

Wayne, what lessons do you believe the church should learn from the DC Riots?

The same lessons that it should have learned from the “mostly peaceful “ riots that occurred when Donald Trump was inaugurated.

Are you referring to this?

Or this? https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2670621/d ... ot-police/

And what lessons are those?

Personally, I think they are lessons about the dangers of grievance, the need for law, and the need to accept the results of elections. Do you draw different lessons?

[Bootstrap]

Responding a little out of order ... this is the most important part, I think.

So save your feelings of discrimination and wrongness for something worth taking a stand on. Trump isn’t worth taking a stand for. Politics aren’t worth giving up the third way for. They won’t meet the need. Democracy is pretty great, but it’s not paramount. But while we have freedom let us it to further Godliness, not use it to attend rally’s or fight over matters that aren’t our primary mission.

And I don't think violent protests against the result of an election promote democracy. Democracy depends a great deal on respecting elections and their results. This is not a righteous fight.

As we see the powerful tech companies shut down their foes, and see the backlash against attendees of this rally, how their businesses are boycotted and they are fired from their jobs, I hope the church does not decide to plow ahead with taking political sides and becoming more involved in politics and turning to political solutions. And trying to fight this losing battle with carnal weapons. Don’t try to “save” democracy and this government and nation by force. Don’t disrespect the new President and the new government.

The lesson for the church to note, is that this discrimination will be directed at Christians someday.

I agree with some of this. But I think the real lesson for the church is this: If the Church covers up sin for a particular political side, that affects the credibility of our witness. This is not the place to take our stand.

The lesson for the church to note, is that this discrimination will be directed at Christians someday. It may come from the Democrats by way of their liberal social policies become involved mandatory. That is what we expect. We hold to Biblical teachings that a sinful society hates. But it may very well come from the right as well, maybe over some patriotic issue. Likely, at some point it will come from both. We may face boycotts and lose jobs for not kowtowing to sinful ideologies. Hopefully not for many years.

As Christians, we may well face persecution. But let it be for following the Bible, not for this. And I agree, it could come from either side of the spectrum. I am more afraid of extremism and authoritarianism than left versus right. Christians have suffered under fascists and Communists and kings and basically every kind of government. But we have suffered less where the rule of law is respected.

[Josh]

Boot,

When you say “the Church”, to which group of believers are you referring?

[Bootstrap]

Boot,

When you say “the Church”, to which group of believers are you referring?

The title of this thread says "the Church". The OP says this:

Where should the church find themselves while the heathen rage? You know as the night grows darker true Christianity will shine brighter.

So I was taking "the Church" as a synonym for true biblical Christianity that looks like Jesus. To me, true Christianity looks like the Menno Simons quote hillperson provided earlier.

[Aurien]

As we see the powerful tech companies shut down their foes, and see the backlash against attendees of this rally, how their businesses are boycotted and they are fired from their jobs, I hope the church does not decide to plow ahead with taking political sides and becoming more involved in politics and turning to political solutions. And trying to fight this losing battle with carnal weapons. Don’t try to “save” democracy and this government and nation by force. Don’t disrespect the new President and the new government.

The lesson for the church to note, is that this discrimination will be directed at Christians someday. It may come from the Democrats by way of their liberal social policies become involved mandatory. That is what we expect. We hold to Biblical teachings that a sinful society hates. But it may very well come from the right as well, maybe over some patriotic issue. Likely, at some point it will come from both. We may face boycotts and lose jobs for not kowtowing to sinful ideologies. Hopefully not for many years.

So save your feelings of discrimination and wrongness for something worth taking a stand on. Trump isn’t worth taking a stand for. Politics aren’t worth giving up the third way for. They won’t meet the need. Democracy is pretty great, but it’s not paramount. But while we have freedom let us it to further Godliness, not use it to attend rally’s or fight over matters that aren’t our primary mission.

This is the kind of thing I was talking about in regard to your participation in political discussions. You focus on the Kingdom of God rather than trusting in the left or the right to save us.

[Valerie]

I THINK many in "the Church" are shaken about what happened.
Lessons, we are seeking ourselves. For one thing- the Church has not participated in 'worldly' riots but wants to defend peaceful protests or taking stands for what they believe is 'true'. (well we don't see DC as 'riot' even though some turned it into what it was not intended to be)

We have to, let go, and let God, and remember- "Let God be true, and every man a liar"

[Ken]

Are any churches and denominations (Mennonite or otherwise) putting out any official statements analyzing or condemning what happened? And self-examining their role in it, however peripheral? I haven't seen any, but I haven't really been looking. And maybe it's still too soon for that kind of serious introspection. I'm talking more about mainstream evangelical churches that were more supportive of the election grievances that led to this event and not so much Mennonite and Anabaptist churches which I don't think were ever engaged that way politically, even if some of their members were. Although I would still expect Mennonite churches to have something to say about what happened. Since this is likely to be one of the most significant watershed events of this century.

In any event, if people are aware of official church statements about this event, I would be curious to see them posted here or in another thread.

[temporal1]

And maybe it's still too soon for that kind of serious introspection.

it is too early, maybe by a long shot.

this thread is about lessons FOR the church, not political responses from the church.
these 2 posts may disappear. ok with me.

recall the NICK SANDMANN case, where his own church admonished him and apologized for him, as reports went wild about what a horrible teen he was.

he was vindicated.

the wise choice is to not get caught up in media frenzies on any matter.
use measured restraint, keep a level head, wait for full facts.

anything less is mob rule.
mob rule has repeated with disastrous results all through history. primitive. proven a terrible way.
the internet does not improve the old time-tested failure.

it just makes it faster.

Christians, the Church, the church, are about leading to Jesus Christ’s Way.
The way of peace.

[barnhart]

Here is what well known evangelicals said over pulpits over the weekend.

https://apnews.com/article/christian-le ... 4be1b5f984

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