Blue-Like Politics: Miller, Obama, and Christians in Politics

Though it is no surprised, Donald Miller, Emergent best-selling author of "Blue-Like Jazz," voted for Barack Obama. Many have criticized him, as long with others in the Emergent movement for their approval of Obama's politics, for making this decision. The Emerging Church has frequently criticized Evangelicals for voting Republican. I find their hypocrisy appalling. If it isn't OK for Evangelicals to vote Republican, then why is it OK for Emergents to vote Democrat?

Either way, if you are interested in why Miller voted for Obama, you can click here and read his reasoning. The criticism he and others have received aren't necessarily related to politics, but morality. How can one be pro-life, as Miller and others say they are, and still vote for the most pro-choice candidate in Presidential politics? Furthermore, how can one believe homosexuality be wrong and vote for a candidate believes otherwise? These are serious questions, and after reading their argument, I find their defense of their vote doesn't hold up. As I have already argued, reduction is not the answer to abortion, defending life is the answer to abortion. But at the same time, is John McCain the answer to all of our problems?

I honestly couldn't care less who Miller voted for, but I find his argumentation interesting. We are seeing a shift in politics in Christian circles and Miller represents a portion of that shift. Is this a good trend? I fear that it is not because it involves compromise on issues we should not compromise on, such as abortion, right to life, marriage and family issues, etc. At the same time, Christians must not be wedded to any party, whether Republican, Democrat, or other, or to a politician, such as Obama, McCain, Bush, or any other. Sadly, the Emerging Church, including persons like Miller, are guilty of the same crime they have been accusing Evangelicals of committing; confusing Christianity with a political party.

Regardless of the turnout, we must remember that as Christians, our primary concern is the gospel and nothing else. Politics is to never be a primary issue, the gospel is.

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Picture above is of Donald Miller giving a prayer at the Democrat National Convention where they named Barack Obama their candidate for the Presidency.