Regime Change...does it Subvert God's Will?

I don't understand Dominionism.

I don't understand the current blend of End Time Theology with political power. None shall know the hour or the day...and they certainly can't hurry it along by attempting to fulfil prophecy prematurely. It doesn't work like that.

Hurrying prohpecy is as much an affront to divine authority and intelligent design by an omnisicent creator as trying to thwart prophecy, isn't it? Isn't one of the awesome things about prophecy that it takes care of itself? (I know that the inevitability of prophesy and free will seem to be at odds, but like the bible says, best not to lean to my own understanding on things like that. I sure wasn't around when the foundations of the earth were laid and measured!)

I also don't understand Conservative Christians who want to be the instrument of divine punishment. Vengeance is Mine, sayeth the Lord. That's what the bible says.

It does not say, "Vengeance is Mine," sayeth the Lord, "but I have outsourced it to the Republicans."

I don't understand how pre-emptive war is a concept accepted or tolerated by any Christian who believes Jesus said to love your enemies and to turn the other cheek.

And I don't understand a self-professed Born Again Christian who thinks Regime Change is an action sanctified by God. The bible teaches us that evil leaders are placed on their thrones by God as a punishment by God on the people. Somehow I don't think George Bush sees removing Saddam Hussein as a benevolent act designed to tell God that he's punished that people enough. Although, the argument could be legitimately made that maybe George didn't think God was punishing them enough and he wanted to take it up a notch. I'd be very interested to see the statistics on the number of people Saddam killed over his entire rulership of Iraq and the number killed since our liberation of that nation. I'd also like to see the statistics on the number of innocent children who died as a result of abortions and the number who have been killed as a result of sanctions and military action on the part of our nation which is supposedly motivated by Christian principles.

I have thought a lot about whether Bush is a punishment on our nation for its hypocrisy. I've wondered about how a just God can allow a person to gain so much political power by misrepresenting the message of his only begotten son...I've wondered why Jesus lets so many of his followers quote from the Old Covenant in order to justify hatred and punishment of what they hate rather than adhere to the message of forgiveness and tolerance at the heart of the New Covenant he died in order to bring to us. I've thought about the lies and secrecy of my government and how much God hates secrecy and lies.

This thinking has led me to believe that the punishment on our nation in the form of the leader we have allowed to sit over us is just. (Consider Nebuchadnezzar)

How can it be otherwise?

What we must do is accept that this punishment is just, but that acceptance is not in order to permanently submit to it, but to learn the lessons of that punishment and to then take action to be redeemed.

This is the big distinction between the Old and the New Testaments. The possibility of redemption and forgiveness.

As Jesus instructed, the favor of the Father is not won by good deeds or strict adherance to Law, but by taking into our hearts the spirit of the law. When we do that, we can not help but do good works because the spirit moves us to do so. Then God will lift the punishment.

So, you see, unlike a lot of liberals...I am actually inclined to accept George Bush's claim that God placed him in the Oval Office...just not for the reason he thinks. I guess we'll know when George is afflicted with a mania that has him acting like a beast of the field.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all those people who have used their claims of faith in Jesus to gain political power and wealth were moved more by the spirit of the Sermon on the Mount than they were by the spirit of Exodus and Deuteronomy?

So, come on, America. Let's all show God we've learned our lesson and we've been punished enough.

Who did Jesus say would be called the Sons of God? The peace makers. Not the pre-emptive war makers. Don't let's make a desert and call it peace. That isn't what Jesus had in mind.

Vote for Peace Makers and show God you mean business. Be merciful and God will be mericful. Love and be loved. Offer the other cheek. Stop building wealth and start being charitable. Forgive and be forgiven.

I'm a Christian. I believe in Seperation of Church and State. I am not against having a Christian president...but by their fruit shall we know them, and if we elect Christian leaders, shouldn't we expect them to actually led by a Christian example?

I think so. Jesus probably does, too.

More reading:

• The Despoiling of America: How George W. Bush became the head of the new American Dominionist Church/State By Katherine Yurica