This blog is a response to Tony Campolo’s article on Red Letter Christians. My friend Jeff Goins has brought together some ideas on the debate here. There is a website called ‘Red Letters Campaign‘ that is not related to Campolo.
Well, I’m sorry. It looks like I’m about to go on record disagreeing with one of pinnacles of the Christian Left – whether he likes to be called that or not…
I resent that I have to pass Campolo’s litmus test in order to be a Red Letter Christian (RLC). He can say all day long that he doesn’t identify with one particular party, but that doesn’t make it not so :). Many people that I would consider “left-wing” strongly state that they are centrist. Again, saying it doesn’t make it so. It’s kind of silly to say that people on the ‘Religious Right’ are tools of the Republican party but, of course, he isn’t a tool of ANY party.
I was talking with a friend once about some hot-button issue (I don’t remember what it was) and he kept saying (referring to my point of view) “That’s a very conservative view.” I finally stopped him and said “You mean ‘bad’ don’t you? When you say ‘conservative,’ you mean ‘bad?'” He danced around it and then admitted that yes, he was using conservative to mean “Something I don’t agree with that is, therefore, bad.” This is how I think many people use the word ‘Republican.’ If someone is a Republican, they must hate poor people, foreigners, people of different colors, and gays. They also must want to rape the environment, shoot every visible animal, and drive their Hummer H2 really fast with lots of starts and stops. The real irony, if you’re still reading, is that many people reading this will do the same thing; assume that I must be ‘Right-wing’ and then dismiss what I’m saying as ‘bad.’
I choose to be a RLC by being merciful, kind, a peacemaker, etc. I don’t have to buy into Campolo’s specious ideas of global warming, peace, and supposed hatred for people of different sexual orientation.
I really like and respect Shane Claiborne; I don’t agree with everything he says, but at least he puts his money with his mouth is. Ever since I heard Dr. Campolo use his “30,000 children in Africa died of starvation last night and none of you gives a sh*t.” line, I’ve been leery of what he says. I’m always suspicious when people use large, round statistics to back up their arguments. I did the math; about 150,000 people die every day, so I figured that he was either lying or using hyperbole to make his point. I don’t appreciate it when people attempt to manipulate my emotions, especially for a good cause. Either way, I haven’t had much use for him since.
I’d be more than happy to leave politics out of any discussion of being the Christian that God intends me to be. But Campolo has already injected politics into the debate. It’s kind of like arguing with someone who says “You always disagree with me.” All you can do is walk away.
Tell you want, I’ll stay instead and go first. My name is Mark. I’m a Christian and I love God with all my heart. I don’t care who gets elected, even though I’ll vote for the candidate that I think I should vote for. I know that God will use whoever is President for His purposes. I think that God wants us to help the poor however we can. I think that we’ve been given responsibility for the the upkeep of the planet and that God will be/is upset with some of us about how this has been handled. I also know that God has commanded me to love my fellow man and I will do so. I do not preach Paul or Apollos, but Christ crucified.
