It is time for Compassionate Christians to Stand Up and Be Counted! Work for Social Justice!

For nearly 2000 years, followers of Christ have sought to live out their faith in the real world – under a variety of political systems: empires, feudal systems, tribal systems, monarchies, oligarchies, totalitarian regimes, anarchy, corporatetocracy, or democracy.

Rev. Brian McClaren, insightful author of a number of cutting edge Christian books, puts it well: "In our American democracy, we have struggled, stumbled, fallen, and gotten up again, over and over, learning each time as we moved forward. We have grappled with how our faith related to declaring independence, opposing slavery, fighting for the rights of women, confronting child labor, aiding farm workers, and overcoming economic depression. We have embraced the dream of overcoming racism, we have fought for openness in government, and the right of every one to vote, and so much more."

However, McClaren warns that over the last years we’ve watched large sectors of our Christian community in the U.S. engage in several decades of divisive, ineffective, and downright counterproductive political engagement. At best, many attempts at engagement have been superficial, simplistic, and subject to binary thinking where one or two wedge issues easily distinguish the “good guys” from the bad. It is happening again in this election, led by such divisive Evangelicals as James Dobson and Pat Robertson, and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

At worst, we’ve watched too many of our fellow Christians slip into a “culture war” mindset where neighbors became enemies to be defeated and silenced, not loved as we love ourselves. In addition, we’ve watched too many members of our faith communities be manipulated by cynical politicians who knew what tune to play to get people of faith marching obediently in their parade. It has been very sad and counter-productive to the full Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Zekariah Smith has been writing about this for years. The powerful parables of Mathew 25, the prophetic book of Amos, and many other compassion-laden scriptures have been forgotten in order to develop wedge issues based on fear. While the wedge issues of the past and of today may have some basis in the Bible, much larger issues of ethics and social justice have been virtually ignored. Dishonesty and deceitfulness in political campaigning has been lauded and rewarded. We must all remember that Jesus said that Satan is the father of lies. We must not reward the liars and charlatans with electoral success when their overall policies bring about injustice, not justice.

Now we face unprecedented global crises: caring for our fragile and wounded planet, building a just peace in situations of conflict and fear, and eliminating extreme poverty and health care inequalities, while working for economic fairness and stability the world over. Electing the wrong president will set us back even farther in these crises – something we cannot afford to do. Electing the better president will not solve everything; it will only be a first step in the next chapter of our history, but it is an important step.

We invite you, as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, to step off the sidelines as an observer or critic. Put your beliefs into action in the election that we believe is for the soul of America. We hope you’ll join us, as Matthew 25 Network member Rev. McClaren proclaims … "Praying for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven and seeking to be humble makers of peace, joyful workers for the common good, and dedicated servants of 'the least of these.'”

Please consider Barack Obama and Joe Biden for a new administration in Washington and a clean break with the last eight years. For reasons to make such a choice, read the other articles and columns in this “Battling for Truth” blog.

For more information about social justice activism and the politics of hope, not fear, see the Matthew 25 Network. Watch their wonderful video on families and share it with all you know.

And read Columnist Zekariah Smith each day, joining in the battle for truth, justice, and the American way.