The question of the political participation of Christians has always been controversial. Christians however have always had interests in the political sphere. During the first three centuries of the Church, Christians were martyred. The pagan Roman Empire demanded the slaughter of Christians if they did not worship the Emperor as a god.
Throughout the centuries, Christians have suffered as a result of persecution by heretics (the iconoclasts) and non Christian conquerors (Arabs, the Ottoman Empire). Orthodox Christians have been persecuted by western Christians (the Crusades). The most obvious examples of persecution of Christians today emanate in the Islamic world.
However, as the western world has entered a post Christian era it has become fairly obvious that hostility to the faith of Jesus of Nazareth and neo paganism are on the rise. Specifically, the Democratic Party in America has become host to the enemies of Christianity. The Democratic Party has become the party of the rainbow flag which promotes the blasphemous doctrines of transgenderism.
Upon coming to power, President Joe Biden signed into law (with the support of Congressional Democrats) the “equality act”. This act would force not only secular schools to permit boys identifying as girls to use female restrooms and showers, it requires women’s shelters to permit men to live among women. At a very minimum, the Democratic Party is supporting the overthrow of traditional morality that has traditionally guided relations between men and women.
During the debates of the Democratic Party in 2019, Presidential Candidate Beta O’rourke stated that if he were President he would strip Churches and other religious institutions of tax exempt status if they refused to perform gay weddings. The audience erupted in applause. An audience of Democrats applauded the proposal to strip religious communities in the United States of their rights.
There are to be sure aspects of the Republican agenda and Donald Trump that are not compatible with Christianity. However, we do not live in a perfect world. The fact is however that the Trump administration defended religious freedom and the rights of Christians by respecting freedom of conscience and the refusal of Christians to participate in the forcible imposition of the LGBTQ agenda.
The Biden administration has routinely denounced Russia, Hungary, and Poland. These are three Christian countries whose governments reflect the Christian values of their citizens. The Democratic Party has made it clear that it intends to make the imposition of its radical social agenda a part of its foreign policy.
The Book of Genesis teaches us that “male and female he created them”. The trans ideology that the Democrats are promoting is being pushed on children. In one notorious case in Texas, a mother has gone to court to deprive her husband of his legal rights in order to begin to transition her eight year old son into a girl. This is horrific and immoral.
In addition, Governor Ralph Nordham of Virginia has openly supported abortion up to the day when a woman is to give birth. Even this is not enough for this particular Democrat. This Governor has openly said that in the event that an infant survives a nine month abortion that the “Doctor” and the Mother would have a discussion about what to do with a living, breathing baby. So, even a living baby would be a “choice” according to the Governor.
Conservative and religious groups have condemned the Governor’s extreme position. Not the Democrats however. There is nothing too extreme for the Democrats as long as it goes along with the party’s left wing agenda. Orthodox Christians in America now live in a society where infanticide is being legitimized.
This along with the trans agenda being directed at children. Religious objections are being denounced as “transphobia”. In addition, we are seeing the emergence of child drag queen celebrities on Youtube and the imposition of “drag queen story hour” in public libraries across America. The Democratic party has emerged as the enemy of Christianity.
It is one thing for Christians to be non partisan. In more reasonable times, it is the position of the Orthodox Church to remain outside of partisan politics. Indeed, the Church is not a political party and must not be reduced to politics. However, the political situation in America has deteriorated to such an extent that Orthodox Christians are required by the command of God to oppose the radical neo-pagan agenda of the Democratic Party.
Infanticide is evil and must be condemned. Sex changes for minors is evil and must be condemned. Children are gradually being sacrificed by the contemporary neo-pagans to the false ideology of the LGBTQ movement. The Democratic Party does not respect freedom of conscience or freedom of religion.
Orthodox Christians like the early Christians of the pagan Roman Empire are being put in a defensive position where they are required by the commandments of God to resist and to defy the new order that is coming into effect. The warning signs have been made clear.
Ironically, there is a similar position that the Democrats and present day American liberals share with the Nazis toward Christianity. For example, during the Nazi occupation of Greece , the Germans could have said that they allowed the Christians to attend Church services and observe their faith. But, when it became known to Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens and several other bishops that the Germans were looking to round up Greek Jews to send them to the extermination camps such as Auschwitz, the Church actively resisted.
SS General Stroop threatened to have Archbishop Damaskinos shot for actively speaking out against the round up of Jews. Because ultimately, Christ in the Gospels taught about those he referred to as “the least of my brethren”. Those who thirst, who are hungry, and who suffer. Christians are obligated to help those in need and the Orthodox Church of Greece responded accordingly by resisting the Nazis.
Likewise, Christians cannot accept the agenda that the Democratic Party is pursuing in America today. Christians cannot accept the trans agenda. Dressing up boys as girls and vice versa is morally wrong and attempting to “transition” children is an attack on God’s creation.
Furthermore, marriage was intended by God for the union of one man and one woman. Marriage can never be of two people of the same gender. Saint Paul speaks against homosexuality in his epistle to the Romans. Yet, the radical left whose agenda the Biden administration promotes would force Christians to accept policies that are regarded as sinful.
There is an impending storm in America. A gradual persecution of Christians is beginning. Christians are not being fed to the lions as they were during Roman times, but they are being slowly coerced into accepting practices that are contrary to biblical and dogmatic precepts. I suspect that the audience of Democrats that applauded the comments of Beta O’rourke would applaud if Christians were being fed to the lions.
There are many reasons to disapprove of the Republicans and some of their policies, but at the present time the Democrats have become increasingly radical to the point that they are emerging as a threat to believing Christians. As such, until this threat subsides, freedom of worship will be more secure under the Republican Party.
5 replies on “Orthodoxy And Politics”
Democrats 50 years ago would not recognize the party today, it has become far too radical and strident. As they say absolute power corrupts absolutely and you see that with the national Democrat Party today-not only do they control the WH and both Houses of Congress, but they control the mass media-TV and newspapers-almost without exception. That alone gives them force-projection far beyond an elected party. In my opinion a lot of what they promote is simply an exercise in power by folks who believe mostly in power. The idea of forcing their beliefs on others excites them, because it supports their belief that their values are superior and those of others are outdated or bigoted.
My biggest disappointment is the weakness of the national Republican Party and their lack of desire to fight for conservative values. Several main spokesman for the GOP seem to embrace ‘Democrat Light’ policies, including Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, Ann Collins, Lisa Murkowski and others. You can’t compromise on ethical issues, there is no middle ground. A GOP which doesn’t believe in anything and doesn’t fight for anything is a GOP heading for extinction. But, it isn’t only the GOP that is rolling over, groups like the US Catholic Cardinals should be standing up to President Biden for his promotion of radical Abortion policy. He’s Roman Catholic, they should refuse to offer him Communion until he repents on this key issue-but they won’t. Too many of them are also Leftist and that trumps their vows, it seems.
The Democrats have been taken over by the extreme left the way the Republicans during the Bush-Cheney administration had been taken over by the neocons. I have not seen any Democrats willing to stand up to the radical groups. Look at the like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. She and her allies in Congress say the stupidest things and the Democrats do nothing to distance themselves from this stupidity.
The Far Left pretty much holds the reigns of the Democrat Party these days, centrist Dems keep a low profile and try not to offend the Leftists. They also give lip service to he demands of the Leftists, even if they don’t push their agenda very hard. But there are few centrist Dems anymore, they been purged from the party in primaries. Biden does pretty much what he’s told to do, I really don’t think he exercises his own opinions on policy very much. He clearly has cognizant issues and I doubt he’s strong enough to take on the power brokers in the party, even if he had a mind to. He’s a convenient facade behind which they pull the strings.
A couple of years ago there was real tension between Nancy Pelosi and the gang of four led by Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. Pelosi seemed to be the mature leader. She lost the fight and the radical left began to hijack the Democratic Party. It is one thing for the Democrats to be liberal. Everyone has the right to representation among political parties. The lunacy which the Democratic Party has embraced is simply beyond rational. Joe Biden came out right away and passed (with the support of Democrats in Congress) the equality act. Five or ten years ago the Democrats would not have embraced this whole transgender ideology and would have seen it as madness. Likewise, few years ago the Democrats would not have gone with this whole defund the Police crap. It is disturbing to see how a political party can be hijacked by extremists who impose the most extreme agenda upon it.
They have the power now and they’re going to use it. The Left believes in power, they embrace it. As long as they’re on top telling everyone else how to live their lives and what to believe in, they think they’ll get the kind of world they want. It’s appalling, because you and I know that all men are corrupt in their hearts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. That’s why we have historically had checks and balances in our institutions, to prevent what we are seeing today. But, I blame the GOP as much as the Dems and their allies in the media. When Republicans like Romney, Sasse, Murkowski and other define themselves as essentially ‘Democrat Light’ they provide no distinction in values between the two choices. They’ve basically surrendered to the mainstream media and feel as long as they don’t make waves on the core ‘ethical’ issues promoted by the Elites, they’ll get favorable coverage. To some extent they are right, but watering down the GOP to appeal to the media elites has disenfranchised the base. Most Republican rank and file I know don’t believe the party leadership today stand for anything or fight for anything. A GOP which defines itself as ‘Democrat Light’ is heading for extinction. Donations to the RNC have to be way down, I know I won’t donate a penny to those losers. When I get their appeals for donations I write them a message on it and mail it back in-without a check. Lots of others are following suit.