Jesus for President

I had a nice conversation with my friend Shelton today about his experience a couple of weeks ago at a Sojourner’s event in D.C. The question I had for him and for others is what does this “third way” of thinking about political involvement as a disciple of Christ look like? I can’t follow the right-wing view of personal salvation at the expense of my community, and I can’t follow the left-wing view of social justice without Jesus as risen lord. I still believe it is at the intersection of the cross from which we must begin our political involvement. We talked about Shane Claiborne and his new book “Jesus for President”. I think he gets it, that it is not really about public policy, but instead is about doing small things with great love as Jesus showed us time and time again.

Lane found this short article on Shane at CNN Politics today. My favorite part of the article follows…

“This is not about going left or right, this is about going deeper and trying to understand together. Rather than endorse candidates, we ask them to endorse what is at the heart of Jesus and that is the poor or the peacemakers and when we see that then we’ll get behind them.”

Claiborne says the movement of younger evangelicals is growing and looking at the Bible in more holistic terms. He is quick to say the call of Christ has more to do with how people live their lives on November 3 and 5 than how they vote on November 4.

“It’s certainly easy to walk into a voting booth every four years and feel like you’re going to change the world but that’s not going to do it.”

“Call to Renewal” speech by Obama

Check this out…http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060628-call_to_renewal/ 

Early Voting Texas Primary Ends Today February 29 2008

Last chance to avoid the long lines on Tuesday…

What is a movement?

Read the short story below of an example of why I think Obama is fundamentally different than any politician I’ve known (except for maybe Reagan) in that his candidacy is not about him, or even what he will do for the country. Instead, it is about what we can do as a people bound together to recreate a government of, by, and for the people. I consider myself apolitical, even cynical with the state of governmental affairs, but I do believe in the power of motivated individuals who are willing to work with others to make our neighborhoods and cities a better place to pursue, participate, and enjoy in the redemption begun long ago on the cross. 

Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:28:51 -0500To: Northern Virginia for Obama! <NorthernVirginiaforObama@groups.barackobama.com>From: donnacywinski@comcast.netSubject: [NorthernVirginiaforObama] Hope in Catlett, VAAccording to the Virginia Board of Elections website, Senator Obama won inCatlett, Virginia by one vote. Catlett – a small town in Fauquier CountyVirginia where we live, is a very conservative place. There are not a lot ofDemocrats here. Over the years, as our sons have watched us vote forcandidates who did not win, they have often asked me whether their votewould make a difference. My response has always been, “How can you hope tochange things if you don ‘t vote?”When the campaign came to Virginia, we signed up to volunteer with a smallgroup called “Fauquier for Obama ’08”. Since people in Fauquier County donot live close enough to each other to make canvassing worthwhile, our groupgot permission from Giant Foods to set up a table outside. We handed outstickers, copies of Senator Obama’s policy proposals downloaded from thewebsite and obtained names and contact information from the twenty or sopeople who were brave enough to come up to our table in front of all of theRepublicans who were shopping that day.Our son manned a table at the local community college. He got about fivemore volunteers and handed out stickers. He and five other studentsorganized a commuter waive along U.S. Highway 29 where they held up signsand braved lit cigarettes, obscene gestures and spit from passing cars andwhere they also got thumbs-up signs, smiles, honks and waives. On ElectionDay our sons voted for the first time . We sat at polls, passed out morestickers, and served coffee and hot chocolate to voters.Senator Obama won Virginia by a large margin. He won Fauquier County by asmaller margin. He won Catlett, by one vote. We will never know who castthat one vote that put him over the top. But never again will my sons ask meif their vote makes a difference. They know it did.Senator Obama is winning elections because of one vote at a time. Everyperson who is inspired to hope that our country could ever be united or thatwe could have affordable health care or that we could improve educationalopportunities for average folks or that we do not have to fight wars just sooil companies, the arms industry and Halliburton can make obscene profitswhile young Americans die too young, can make a difference. We know thisbecause he won in Catlett by one vote.Yes We Can!!!