Successful Christians in Politics in History

A place to discuss history and historical events.
Justfiguringitout
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2026 6:03 am
Affiliation: Raised Reformed

Re: Successful Christians in Politics in History

Post by Justfiguringitout »

barnhart wrote: ↑Wed Feb 04, 2026 4:38 pm
Justfiguringitout wrote:...One thing I heard: what about for example William Wilberforce, who abolished the slave trade. Was he wrong in attempting to do that, because as a Christian he shouldn't have gone into politics?
Welcome Justfiguring, it seems you have some very good questions.

I think that telling of history puts too much focus on the "great man" and overlooks the efforts of more humble contributors, such as the reformers who tirelessly traveled and spoke against that evil for decades, incrementally shifting public opinion leading up to the singular Wilberforce vote. Or the housewives who anonymously carried out sugar boycotts to break the Jamaican planter cartel who controlled the largest voting block in the house of lords.

I wouldn't throw Wilberforce under the bus but he was merely a capstone on a long, arduous project carried out by an unnamed army of activists over decades. This is the real battle, to change the way people think, to change the direction of hearts. Political power is a surface disturbance over an ocean of spiritual battleground.
Thank you for this. I never thought of it that way, but at least I can bring that up next time :)
1 x
ken_sylvania
Posts: 2255
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2024 5:41 pm
Affiliation: Mennonite

Re: Successful Christians in Politics in History

Post by ken_sylvania »

Justfiguringitout wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 8:12 am
temporal1 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 04, 2026 5:10 pm Welcome Justfiguringitout! :D

i’m reading with interest, ‘don’t want to bunnytrail, i took your question to present day elected here: (Politics)
P.9 / https://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.ph ... 9&start=80

i’m not Anabaptist, evenso, i’ve only voted sporadically, i’m less inclined to vote, do not campaign, march or protest, no lobbies, no blocs, no party affiliation, donations, etc. i believe many are like this. (unaware of not voting as a faith decision.)
Thank you, but it says I am unauthorized to view this forum. Is it because I am in Europe?
It appears that temporal1 is inviting you to join the dark side.
8-)
There is a subforum on MennoNet called "Politics" which, due to its content, has been made "opt-in" rather than being shown to all users by default. In this cesspool you may find the inhabitants eagerly slinging insults at one another and "debating" the purported virtues of their chosen political tribes whilst accusing their opponents of all sorts of skullduggery.

If you wish to join the fracas, this link might take you to the usergroups tab of your User Control Panel where you can select to join the "Plus Politics" group. I understand the requirements for entry are quite easy to meet.
1 x
Justfiguringitout
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2026 6:03 am
Affiliation: Raised Reformed

Re: Successful Christians in Politics in History

Post by Justfiguringitout »

ken_sylvania wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 9:17 am
Justfiguringitout wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 8:12 am
temporal1 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 04, 2026 5:10 pm Welcome Justfiguringitout! :D

i’m reading with interest, ‘don’t want to bunnytrail, i took your question to present day elected here: (Politics)
P.9 / https://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.ph ... 9&start=80

i’m not Anabaptist, evenso, i’ve only voted sporadically, i’m less inclined to vote, do not campaign, march or protest, no lobbies, no blocs, no party affiliation, donations, etc. i believe many are like this. (unaware of not voting as a faith decision.)
Thank you, but it says I am unauthorized to view this forum. Is it because I am in Europe?
It appears that temporal1 is inviting you to join the dark side.
8-)
There is a subforum on MennoNet called "Politics" which, due to its content, has been made "opt-in" rather than being shown to all users by default. In this cesspool you may find the inhabitants eagerly slinging insults at one another and "debating" the purported virtues of their chosen political tribes whilst accusing their opponents of all sorts of skullduggery.

If you wish to join the fracas, this link might take you to the usergroups tab of your User Control Panel where you can select to join the "Plus Politics" group. I understand the requirements for entry are quite easy to meet.
Now you have raised my curiosity to the highest degree. I am going to try!
1 x
temporal1
Posts: 5284
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2024 7:57 pm
Affiliation: Christian

Re: Successful Christians in Politics in History

Post by temporal1 »

Justfiguringitout wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 10:43 am
ken_sylvania wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 9:17 am
Justfiguringitout wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 8:12 am Thank you, but it says I am unauthorized to view this forum. Is it because I am in Europe?
It appears that temporal1 is inviting you to join the dark side. 8-)
There is a subforum on MennoNet called "Politics" which, due to its content, has been made "opt-in" rather than being shown to all users by default. In this cesspool you may find the inhabitants eagerly slinging insults at one another and "debating" the purported virtues of their chosen political tribes whilst accusing their opponents of all sorts of skullduggery.

If you wish to join the fracas, this link might take you to the usergroups tab of your User Control Panel where you can select to join the "Plus Politics" group. I understand the requirements for entry are quite easy to meet.
Now you have raised my curiosity to the highest degree. I am going to try!
:blah: ay-ya-ya
my twofold attempt to not bunny trail or engage in politics here has had unintended consequences.

The best laid plans of mice and men ..
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/ ... 222ab36e33
To a Mouse
BY ROBERT BURNS

On Turning her up in her Nest, with the Plough, November 1785.
Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim’rous beastie,
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi’ bickerin brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee
Wi’ murd’ring pattle!

I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion
Has broken Nature’s social union,
An’ justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle,
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An’ fellow-mortal!

I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen-icker in a thrave
’S a sma’ request:
I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave,
An’ never miss ’t!

Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin!
It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin!
An’ naething, now, to big a new ane,
O’ foggage green!
An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin,
Baith snell an’ keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste,
An’ weary Winter comin fast,
An’ cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro’ thy cell.

That wee-bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble!
Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the Winter’s sleety dribble,
An’ cranreuch cauld!

But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!


Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But Och! I backward cast my e’e,
On prospects drear!
An’ forward tho’ I canna see,
I guess an’ fear!
0 x
i’m perfectly comfortable with an older, wiser, more docile Trump.

”Try hard not to offend. Try harder not to be offended.” Robert Martz
Justfiguringitout
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2026 6:03 am
Affiliation: Raised Reformed

Re: Successful Christians in Politics in History

Post by Justfiguringitout »

temporal1 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 12:51 pm
Justfiguringitout wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 10:43 am
ken_sylvania wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 9:17 am It appears that temporal1 is inviting you to join the dark side. 8-)
There is a subforum on MennoNet called "Politics" which, due to its content, has been made "opt-in" rather than being shown to all users by default. In this cesspool you may find the inhabitants eagerly slinging insults at one another and "debating" the purported virtues of their chosen political tribes whilst accusing their opponents of all sorts of skullduggery.

If you wish to join the fracas, this link might take you to the usergroups tab of your User Control Panel where you can select to join the "Plus Politics" group. I understand the requirements for entry are quite easy to meet.
Now you have raised my curiosity to the highest degree. I am going to try!
:blah: ay-ya-ya
my twofold attempt to not bunny trail or engage in politics here has had unintended consequences.

The best laid plans of mice and men ..
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/ ... 222ab36e33
To a Mouse
BY ROBERT BURNS

On Turning her up in her Nest, with the Plough, November 1785.
Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim’rous beastie,
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi’ bickerin brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee
Wi’ murd’ring pattle!

I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion
Has broken Nature’s social union,
An’ justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle,
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An’ fellow-mortal!

I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen-icker in a thrave
’S a sma’ request:
I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave,
An’ never miss ’t!

Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin!
It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin!
An’ naething, now, to big a new ane,
O’ foggage green!
An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin,
Baith snell an’ keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste,
An’ weary Winter comin fast,
An’ cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro’ thy cell.

That wee-bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble!
Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the Winter’s sleety dribble,
An’ cranreuch cauld!

But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!


Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But Och! I backward cast my e’e,
On prospects drear!
An’ forward tho’ I canna see,
I guess an’ fear!
I think it will sound beautiful when read aloud, but my English is not sufficient to fully understand it :(
I have enjoyed reading all your contributions to the discussions over the past few weeks before signing up.

(also I am going to try to figure out how to select shorter quotes and keep them in the quote frame. And then adding my two cents to it)
2 x
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