Most American politicians claim some flavor of Christianity to accept portions of some version of the Christian Bible as God-breathed. Certainly there is a wide range of beliefs within this group Christian politicians, but I believe that most of them are largely genuine in their stated beliefs. If you threw out the politicians who claim non-Christian religions or no religion and also those disingenuous about their claimed beliefs, I believe that a strong majority would still be people who believed in Christ as their Savior. It is therefore very unfortunate that the political game is so opposite what Scripture teaches. If most of the political players accept Scripture on some level, and a large percentage of the electorate does as well, how could we end up with a system that encourages such abhorrent behavior?
One politician I will mention because he has dropped out of the presidential race, and because I was not strongly for or against his campaign, is Tim Pawlenty. When he dropped out of the race a few weeks ago something I read in a few places was that he was too much of a "good guy" who wouldn't go for the jugular enough. I read further that this works in some election cycles, but apparently not in this one. While I know that a lot of the explanations for why things happen in politics are storylines invented to sell news, it does not say much for the electorate if the reason some people turned from Pawlenty was because he didn't have enough bloodlust.
I think the Pawlenty storyline illustrates my point fairly well. Simply put, the strategies and games that politicians of all political stripes play, whether they feel they have to or not, are anti-Scriptural. This is no shock to anyone, I am sure, but what gives me pause is how easily the behavior is rationalized by those who support that specific candidate. It's unconscionable when a political opponent does X sleazy thing, but when it's someone I agree with then there is an excusable reason for it, or it's a personality quirk, or it's a personal matter, or...
The truth be told, a Christian who completely follows Scripture does not bend the truth to suit a need. A Christian who completely follows Scripture does not craft his or her belief system for maximum political gains. A Christian who completely follows Scripture does not grandstand. A Christian who completely follows Scripture does not game the system for their own personal gain, whether it be financial (pay for play) or political (gerrymandering). A Christian who completely follows Scripture does not sell hate to get elected or push an agenda. I know there isn't a person alive who completely follows Scripture, but if there were that person would not be at all compatible with our current political system.
I would assert that it is far better to lose a political election to a scumbag opponent than it is to win using questionable means. I don't think that many people would disagree with that statement, but I again think that most would rationalize or write off political games as a necessary evil to keep even worse people from getting elected. So, I would assert once more that it is far better to lose a political election to a scumbag than to win it through questionable means.
I cannot hold someone who does not accept Scripture to the standard of Scripture, but I can hold those who claim Christ to Scripture. A Christian has to be a different kind of politician. I would like to conclude this with a passage from 1 Corinthians 6, where Paul is writing to the Corinthian church about handling legal disputes internally. Certainly, if read outside the context of a legal dispute as I am doing, I have failed this passage myself. Even so, imagine if Paul were writing about a political debate rather than a legal argument. I am sure he would still ask, "Why not rather be wronged?"
"Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother goes to law against another--and this in front of unbelievers! The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?"- 1 Corinthians 6:4-9a
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