The biggest problem with the way politics and the church have intermingled in my lifetime is that issues like guns, small government, border control, strong support of a massive military etc. have all become wrapped up in how Christians vote and express their faith. That is foolish and is just American culture, not following Jesus. I went to a church for a while where they had a soldier returning from Iraq stand to be recognized and people went bananas. Crying, wild cheering, like nothing I had seen on a typical sleepy Sunday morning. It was repulsive to me. I am happy to honor a soldier and give him respect and thanks, but what I witnessed was the worship of "American values" and an allegiance to America valued over all things. So I'd love for the church (I mean Christians as a whole) to have to separate their faith and their vote, and not be such sheep but thinking for themselves.
I'd love to vote for someone of a different faith if I thought they were the best person for the job, no different than I love going to a middle eastern restaurant run by a Muslim or a Jew. I realize that president is different, but I want the best person to lead. Mitt Romney and I believe very, very, very different things about God and Jesus and Heaven and Hell and eternity and the church, but it never really was part of my decision making process on who to vote for in 2012.
Mainline, mainstream churches are in MASSIVE decline in America. The culture has already shifted and will continue to. I bet it happens soon.
In the 1920s the idea of a Catholic president was laughable, 40 years later, JFK.
In the 1960s a person of color as president was a pipe dream, and here we have Obama.
It will happen.
