I just came across this article and found it very interesting.
The article continues. It really reminds us of what our view of politics as believers should be.
https://thecripplegate.com/political...3hHvuxlL06OWaQ
The sinful storming of the US Capitol Building this week exposes a massive world-view contrast between political ethics and biblical ethics.
Political ethics sees events through the lens of their potential to further political objectives. Biblical ethics sees events through the lens of moral absolutes with a gospel trajectory. Political ethics embraces hypocrisy—the best politicians are not even embarrassed by it!—while biblical ethics views hypocrisy as a disease to be eschewed. Biblical ethics concerns itself with absolute truth, and defines wisdom as the application of those moral principals in a fallen world. Political ethics defines wisdom as the ability to manipulate an event for maximum advantage.
When the Capitol Building was breached this week by Americans, it was obviously the first time in our nation’s history that had happened. Yet it certainly was not unprecedented. In the past few years protesters had occupied Senate offices, Congressional offices, even the State House in Wisconsin (and that occupation lasted several days!). This summer and fall, “protesters” embarked on a month long siege of the federal court house in Portland. A “Second Amendment” group forced their entry into in the Michigan State House back in April. Twice in the past few years massive groups had tried to forcibly enter and occupy the US Supreme Court.
One who views these events through political ethics asks himself, “Which party affiliation do these protestors have? Does supporting those protests advance or hinder a political objective I value?” Through that lens, supporting the mobs that attempted to breach the US Supreme Court this year advanced the narrative that the justices President Trump appointed were not legitimate, with the goal of undermining the perceived legitimacy of their rulings.
In fact, earlier this year, a massive mob attacked the White House itself, attempting to breach the walls and burning a church just outside the White House fence. Law enforcement responded with force, and other nearby police departments sent mutual aid to defend the White House.
That took place June 1, 2020. Do you remember the fallout from that? Those on the political left vilified the police for using force. The cities that sent mutual aid passed resolutions banning them from doing so again. The head of the Park Police was hauled in front of Congress to defend his agency’s use of pepper spray on US Citizens.
Meanwhile, many on the right defended the police and condemned those that sought to storm the White House. This established a pattern that lasted all summer long, through the various riots/protests/looting that took place from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. At risk of over-generalizing, those on the political left excused the rioters (in fact, they objected to them being called “rioters”), and rationalized why attacks on property were justified. Those on the right generally condemned the rioters, and encouraged the government to prosecute those doing the looting.
This is precisely why the riot at the US Capitol so effectively reveals the hypocrisy of political ethics. For those that have elevated politics above truth, their response to the attack on the Capitol almost causes whiplash. People who condemned the Park Police for dispersing the Lafayette Square riot promptly blamed the Capitol Police for not acting forcefully enough to disperse this latest riot. Meanwhile, many of those who condemned the rioters back in June are excusing the actions of the crowd this week (“they were just lost,” or “I’m sure many of them thought they were invited into the Capitol Building”).
Political ethics sees events through the lens of their potential to further political objectives. Biblical ethics sees events through the lens of moral absolutes with a gospel trajectory. Political ethics embraces hypocrisy—the best politicians are not even embarrassed by it!—while biblical ethics views hypocrisy as a disease to be eschewed. Biblical ethics concerns itself with absolute truth, and defines wisdom as the application of those moral principals in a fallen world. Political ethics defines wisdom as the ability to manipulate an event for maximum advantage.
When the Capitol Building was breached this week by Americans, it was obviously the first time in our nation’s history that had happened. Yet it certainly was not unprecedented. In the past few years protesters had occupied Senate offices, Congressional offices, even the State House in Wisconsin (and that occupation lasted several days!). This summer and fall, “protesters” embarked on a month long siege of the federal court house in Portland. A “Second Amendment” group forced their entry into in the Michigan State House back in April. Twice in the past few years massive groups had tried to forcibly enter and occupy the US Supreme Court.
One who views these events through political ethics asks himself, “Which party affiliation do these protestors have? Does supporting those protests advance or hinder a political objective I value?” Through that lens, supporting the mobs that attempted to breach the US Supreme Court this year advanced the narrative that the justices President Trump appointed were not legitimate, with the goal of undermining the perceived legitimacy of their rulings.
In fact, earlier this year, a massive mob attacked the White House itself, attempting to breach the walls and burning a church just outside the White House fence. Law enforcement responded with force, and other nearby police departments sent mutual aid to defend the White House.
That took place June 1, 2020. Do you remember the fallout from that? Those on the political left vilified the police for using force. The cities that sent mutual aid passed resolutions banning them from doing so again. The head of the Park Police was hauled in front of Congress to defend his agency’s use of pepper spray on US Citizens.
Meanwhile, many on the right defended the police and condemned those that sought to storm the White House. This established a pattern that lasted all summer long, through the various riots/protests/looting that took place from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. At risk of over-generalizing, those on the political left excused the rioters (in fact, they objected to them being called “rioters”), and rationalized why attacks on property were justified. Those on the right generally condemned the rioters, and encouraged the government to prosecute those doing the looting.
This is precisely why the riot at the US Capitol so effectively reveals the hypocrisy of political ethics. For those that have elevated politics above truth, their response to the attack on the Capitol almost causes whiplash. People who condemned the Park Police for dispersing the Lafayette Square riot promptly blamed the Capitol Police for not acting forcefully enough to disperse this latest riot. Meanwhile, many of those who condemned the rioters back in June are excusing the actions of the crowd this week (“they were just lost,” or “I’m sure many of them thought they were invited into the Capitol Building”).
The article continues. It really reminds us of what our view of politics as believers should be.
https://thecripplegate.com/political...3hHvuxlL06OWaQ
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