Interesting quotes from some interesting voices on the topic of Politics and Religion in America.
“The Christian people of America will not sit idly by….
They are going to vote as a bloc for the man with the
strongest moral and spiritual platform, regardless of
his views on other matters. I believe we can hold the
balance of power.” -Billy Graham, 1952
“The truth is, politics and morality are inseparable. …
Our government needs the church because only those humble
enough to admit they’re sinners can bring to democracy the
tolerance it requires in order to survive. Without God,
democracy cannot and will not long endure.” -Ronald Reagan, 1984
“Nothing short of a great Civil War of Values rages today
throughout North America. … It is a war over ideas. And someday soon, [we] believe, a winner will emerge and the loser will fade from memory.”
-James Dobson and Gary Bauer, 1990
“They have kept us in submission because they have talked
about separation of church and state. There is no such
thing in the Constitution.” -Pat Robertson, 1993
“I never thought that the government would go so
far afield, I never thought the politicians would become
so untrustworthy, I never thought the courts would go so
nuts to the left, and I misjudged the quality of the government
that we have. Our lack of involvement is probably one of the
reasons why the country’s in the mess it is in. We have defaulted
by failing to show up for the fight.” -Jerry Falwell, 1995
“We should resist the temptation to identify our religious
convictions with the platform of a party or the platitudes
of favored politicians.” -Ralph Reed, 1996
“From the beginning when I founded Operation Rescue, the vision was not solely to end child-killing; the vision was to recapture the power bases of America” -Randall Terry on his larger strategy
[In] 1979 an interesting meeting occurred, very private. Bill Bright called and said that he and Billy Graham had talked, and they had a great concern for the future of our country. This to me was a very significant thing. … He wanted to meet at the at then the Airport Marina Hotel [in Dallas] … They secured a floor, an’ there were ten or twelve of us there [Charles Stanley, Adrian Rodgers, Jimmy Draper, Pat Robertson, Rex Humbard Billy Graham, Bill Bright] …
Billy Graham said, “I believe God has shown me that unless we have a change in America, we have a thousand days as a free nation, three years.” Bill Bright said, “I know. I heard it.” Dr. Graham said, “I’ve just come from overseas”; Bill Bright said, “I have too. I do not believe we’ll survive more than three years as a free nation. It’s that serious.” An’ Bill Bright said, “When I talk to Dr. Graham about this,” I said, “Would you come meet with these other men?” An’ Pat Robertson said, “I believe the same thing” with Charles standing there. I can just remember so well [CLAPS HANDS]; he sort-a jus’ put his hand down on the table with resolve, an’ Charles Stanley said, “I’ll give my life to stop this. I’ll give everything I’ve got to turn this country.” An’ I said, “I just– Me too, I’ll die to turn this county, I’ll–whatever it takes. We can’t lose the country.”
And each man around the room said, “We’re gonna get involved.” Rex Humbard said, “I don’t–I’m uncomfortable politically, I really am, very uncomfortable,” – James Robison, evangelist, on a secret meeting in 1980
“And looking back on it, what has happened is exactly what always happens in situations like that, is when religion allows itself to become the handmaiden of politicians, inevitably more damage is done to the church than to the government, I think. And I think that has been the result here. You know, nothing gives more comfort to the hardened skeptic or the unbeliever, I think, than to have religious leaders chasing around the country invoking God’s Name on behalf of what are clearly secular causes.” -Jody Powell, Press Secretary to Jimmy Carter, on mixing religion and politics
“The run for President was terribly expensive for me and my ministry. When I got back to CBN, I found my absence had led to a fall-off in contributions of seventy-five million dollars a year. In the eight subsequent years we haven’t gotten back to the level that we had in 1976. So the cost in dollars is two, three hundred million dollars, and, you know, that’s– No politician has to pay that price [LAUGHS]. For them it’s an easy thing: They go back to the Senate; it doesn’t cost anything.” -Pat Robertson on running for President again
“We are not coming up against just human beings to beat them in elections. We’re going to be coming up against spiritual warfare.” - Pat Robertson at the 1994 Christian Coalition national strategy conference
“Christians have an obligation, a mandate, a commission, a holy responsibility to reclaim the land for Jesus Christ — to have dominion in civil structures, just as in every other aspect of life and godliness.
But it is dominion we are after. Not just a voice.
It is dominion we are after. Not just influence.
It is dominion we are after. Not just equal time.
It is dominion we are after.
World conquest. That’s what Christ has commissioned us to accomplish. We must win the world with the power of the Gospel. And we must never settle for anything less… Thus, Christian politics has as its primary intent the conquest of the land — of men, families, institutions, bureaucracies, courts, and governments for the Kingdom of Christ” - George Grant, The Changing of the Guard , Biblical Principles for Political Action
Quotes taken from:
The 1996 PBS documentary series, With God on our Side, and…
PJ,
I am no historian, but I recently decided to do myself a favor and read the late Francis Schaeffer’s book, A Christian Manifesto.
I am not a promoter of men, so this is not why I mention him, but what I appreciated was his willingness to stick his neck out and speak to a generation in desperate need of perspective.
Now, some may agree/disagree with his views, but for me it was a weekend’s worth of valuable history as it pertains to how the Church and America got to where we are. I believe Francis Schaeffer was a voice crying in the wilderness, decrying the humanistic plot that, over the centuries, has been hurtling us towards the perfectly godless society we have now inherited.
If his book is read carefully, he ultimately urges the Christian to walk as Jesus walked, and encourages us to be salt and light in the earth. But what you will not hear him espouse is the violent, militaristic approach of economic, political, and cultural takeover we are hearing from the many “Christian voices” today.
Another worthy Biblical worldview historical perspective is his How Then Shall We Live 10-part video series that debuted in the 70′s. He takes the viewer all the way through ancient Greece/Rome to the Reformation to the age we are in now.
One thing I’ve learned over this last while since we’ve “come out” of organized religion and poisoned murky spiritual waters is the value of history and the context in which we find ourselves in.
It is amazing what can be seen with a zoom lens, both near and far.
-E
It was a long time ago, probably 27-28 years, when i heard Francis Schaeffer speak about his book, A Christian Manifesto. You can find clips from various talks he gave at youtube E, if you’d be interested, including the series, How Should We Then Live. (just type in his name)
I just happened upon the quotes [above] this afternoon while actually searching for something else. LOL
What i found interesting were the older quotes. It really shows how far back the latest plunge into politics [by religious leaders], began, and how even then some people were concerned as to where it would lead.
Two of the more interesting quotes was the one by Randall Terry;
and the one by Christian author;
This is the sickest thing I’ve ever read. To not trust in the sovereignty of God and to control what is out of your control (sin of witchcraft) is so sickening.
If not by the grace of God, there go I.
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. [KJV] John 18:36
Must be another Jesus that these people are following?
Jerry Farewell laments about how far our country has fallen morally. He blames the lack of quality of government, the untrustworthy politicians, and the courts that have gone nuts. Lets not leave out the pastors that chose not to teach the truth of Gods word to a starving body of Christ. The compromise in the church in these last days was prophesied by Jesus and His apostles. (Mat. 24:4-5, 2 Tim. 4:3-4) I never dreamed the apostles, prophets, evangelists. pastors and teachers would refuse to teach on the consequences of His coming. (2 Thes. 2:3) In Til Eternity by Paul Bortolazzo, you will see teachers teaching heresies denying the Lord that once bought them by His blood. (2 Pet. 2:1) Tragically, standing up for the doctrine of Christ isn’t a priority for most Christians anymore.
Perhaps in many congregations building the “kingdom of God” on earth has become more important than building the kingdom of God that is not of this world. And the way to build the “kingdom of God” on this earth is to pay attention to attendance, TV audiences, offerings and political influence. Preaching the Word of God and asserting the teachings passed down by the church fathers, many of whom were themselves martyrs does not advance any one of the above goals. What does advance those goals is pandering to people’s “needs”. Making them feel wanted, powerful and satisfied. Entertaining them and providing them with a never ending stream of new “spiritual” revelations and/or projects. And being, as much as possible, religiously correct. The last thing most pastors want to appear as these days is being seen as “old fashioned”. One word that has been used on my wife and myself before in evangelical churches is “Victorian”, and it was not intended as a compliment. The most important thing, for the sake of the youth of course, is to be “with it”. I remember not so long ago hearing a youth pastor explain that the reason the churches are “losing their youth” is because they are putting to much emphasis on teaching the Bible and not just allowing their youth to be youth and have fun. And this was not in a liberal church as one might expect. God have mercy!
Paul, i think its not a priority because many Christians no longer believe in its power to bring about change. They have been taught by their pastors [who gave heed to many Christian leaders] that activism and/or politics is the answer to what ails us.
The thing that is most ominous to me are these words. When one takes the time to see just how fast our short temporal life really is, just a vapor, passing by fast and then poofk one would think getting this “one” thing right would be primary and of utmost importance?
Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
For anyone to “name” the Name of Christ, one would have to have considered the Resurrection and the Life Jesus is? He now is seated at His Righteous Right Hand, a testament that He did the Will of God in Heaven! The Just shall live by this Faith once delivered to the Saints.
Reading those Words should be enough of a wake up call that getting it right now is really all that God is interested in or requires of us anyway not creating a Heaven environment in the world?
As George noted already, Jesus has already said that He is not of this world, that Satan is the god of this world and that the heavens are God’s, the earth is God’s, the world and everything in it.
Somewhere along the way I believe these folks are those whom Jesus taught about in the parable of the sower, the seeds sown among the thorns. These folks are the seeds that have sprouted up among the thorns and because of the cares of this life, the pleasures of this life and the need for great riches in this life, the Good Seed is choked to death by them bringing no fruit to maturity!
Amen Brother Michael, amen.
George, i’ve believed that for years.
The seeking for political domination is plain ole’ dominionism. Which is an aberration of true Christianity.
Its denying the power of the Gospel to bring about the only true lasting change, and seeking to accomplish (what only Christ and the gospel can) by the arm of the flesh;
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come…(men) having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 2tim 3
(Billy Graham’s quote surprised me.)
75 million dollars a year… 75 million dollars a year… !!!!!!!
and to think that is a ‘fall-off ‘..???
Billy, along with many others have fallen under the spell. So help me I wonder if God sent this as a test to His so called Faithful…ly pretending. It doesn’t mean they did not begin well, it just means they believed that voice inside their head was God without testing it first. It is odd how many of these people who are called and do so well, and the next thing you know it is like they really do think their own voice is God’s.