It’s a paradox I’d love to change, because I think there should be times when we at least make our positions clear, albeit in fora and in ways that communicate a certain mutual respect between opposing parties. The few times I’ve tried to be political on my blog, for instance, I’ve found myself backing down pretty easily, perhaps because I hesitate to bat the bee’s hive more than I should.

It’s an attitude I’m working on changing, especially with LIVEtheLIFE. If we don’t speak up, especially from our Christian perspective, the tendency is for us to let the wrongs go unpunished.

I too, think you have nailed it there, Bene.

I don’t know enough about the U.S. scene but it may also be true that not wearing our politics on our religious sleeve is seen by our American friends as a weakness, not a strength.

From a distance, I get the impression Americans place a lot of faith in the political system to wield transformation, and have so much pride in their own, whereas many in other countries don’t have such faith, or have seen its failings - both in the US and in their own countries - more starkly. Hence the different outlooks. And that would also influence Christian outlooks outside the U.S. as well.

And then there are just cultural differences: in the case of us Australians, we tend not to venerate our leaders - be they politicians or otherwise.

And while Christians in Australia are a minority (most who self identify as Christians are nominal; we are a pretty secular society), we nevertheless had a taste of (nasty) sectarianism within politics with the Catholic church in the past. Which also makes some - Christians and non Christians - nervous about repeat performances.

The litmus test I guess, for Christians, is discernment: are we being human participants in the divine action or are we advocating human action to promulgate some so-called divine plan? My understanding is that God calls us to the former. And He may call you to a different way than me.

Even so, I personally chose to ’sit lightly to it’ when it comes to politics. I can work within the political system, through it, even despite it. Sometimes the wise response is not controversy but silence, not seeking power but embodying weakness, so that where our power ends, His begins. Not to make politics your god and not to try and appropriate God to your political views just as some politicans do (an Aussie pundit living in Washington recently called it ‘wag-the-god’ politics)

And above all, don’t get despondent. Either God is sovereign or He is not.

Me thinks He has all things under control.

Hmm, I’ve drivelled on. Why am I writing this?

I really should just say, thanks for your encouragement and example. And thanks for the plug.

Don’t you find though Ganns, that our choice not to wear our politics on our religious sleeve is seen by our American friends as a weakness, not a strength?

I think you hit the nail on the head. Were the US much more secular, and devout folks had little chance of having an impact, then American evaneglicals and conservative Catholics would likely be a lot less political. In the rest of the Anglosphere (with the possible exception of Ireland and Australia), that “theocon” bloc is much smaller; without the ability to make political change, politics becomes a smaller priority.