Successful Christians in Politics in History

[Justfiguringitout]

Yep. All this.
I'm also thinking about the Roman Empire. Christians were tortured, killed and enslaved. In the earliest days of Christianity there really weren't any voting rights for Christians because so many of them were slaves or not eligible to vote. The Roman Empire fell and yet we still have Christianity with Jesus followers today.

What did people vote on these days then?

I don't understand your question.

Well, I was a bit puzzled. You said Christians didn't have voting rights, because many of them were slaves. But I didn't even know people voted for things in these days.

[barnhart]

...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.

[JimFoxvog]

I can trust God to direct national leaders:

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; as the rivers of water, He turneth it whithersoever He will.

God still gives rulers free will. Do you think God has directed every brutal dictator?

[temporal1]

Welcome Justfiguringitout!

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.)

[temporal1]

Part of the nature of the political process is compromise and on a lot of things in Christianity we cannot compromise so if you get into politics within intent of trying to persuade others of your Christian views, and you do not compromise, then you will either end up with a system that is dysfunctional and does not work or get voted out.
Christianity also is something where you freely choose to follow Jesus or not and compulsion is not what we believe or what we believe the Bible teaches.
Ultimately, though I don’t think someone can take the power of a political office, wield it for Christianity and remain untouched by the taint they handle, and God is perfectly able and capable of using any political leader to achieve his goals and we are not somehow restraining evil, but He is.

This was exactly one of my list of reasons that made me realise I couldn't vote. We have two outspoken Christian parties. One conservative reformed, and one more general Christian. But during covid, when one of those two parties was in government, my eyes were opened to the fact that it cannot be possible to serve in government and not violate your conscience one way or the other. So I thought I couldn't then vote and support such a person who would inevitably violate their conscience.

But I find it hard to discuss it with other people.
People whom I appreciate and respect as Christians, who were rather upset about my choice.

Good stuff.

[JohnH]

I can trust God to direct national leaders:

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; as the rivers of water, He turneth it whithersoever He will.

God still gives rulers free will. Do you think God has directed every brutal dictator?

It’s what the Bible says and is made clear thru prophecy. Brutal leaders seem to be ordained to bring judgment on other nations. (And then if that king doesn’t give the glory to God he ends up judged himself.)

[JohnL]

What did people vote on these days then?

I don't understand your question.

Well, I was a bit puzzled. You said Christians didn't have voting rights, because many of them were slaves. But I didn't even know people voted for things in these days.

OK. When you said "these days" that means in the present time. I was talking about "those days" as in the past. The Roman Empire did have voting in both the Republic and under the emperor.

[JohnH]

OK. When you said "these days" that means in the present time. I was talking about "those days" as in the past. The Roman Empire did have voting in both the Republic and under the emperor.

JohnL, do Free Will Baptists run for office, vote, serve on juries, etc.?

[Justfiguringitout]

OK. When you said "these days" that means in the present time. I was talking about "those days" as in the past. The Roman Empire did have voting in both the Republic and under the emperor.
[/quote]

Sorry, I am not a native speaker of English, so my grammar is off sometimes. I also struggle with prepositions.

[Justfiguringitout]

Welcome Justfiguringitout!

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?

Well, until I felt my conscience burdened with voting, I had no clue either you could be opposed to it as a faith decision. I would have reasoned exactly the same as people are now reasoning with me Hence my lack of answers.