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"Religion,
Politics and the Media" By
Fred Mickaelian, Jr.
Itıs
that time in an election year where we all seem to
be inundated with politics - promises, accusations
and an analysis of just about everything said and
done. We need to be careful to evaluate things for
ourselves and not rely on the media to tell us how
to interpret situations. The role of religion in the
campaign is an important aspect to consider.
When conservative George W. Bush said during the primaries
that "Christ" was his favorite philosopher, the media
criticized him for pandering to the "religious right."
They implied that he couldnıt mean it. Then, when
liberal Joe Lieberman was nominated as vice president
for the opposing party, the same media that scolded
Mr. Bush for his religious thinking, applauded Mr.
Liebermanıs mention of the word "God" as an indication
of the sincerity of his faith in Orthodox Judaism.
This seems to be a classic case of double standard.
This double standard is not limited to religious issues,
either. In the political arena, for example, except
in a few instances, the media did not condemn Mr.
Leibermanıs inconsistent stance on the issue of genocide.
I was troubled to learn that Mr. Leiberman helped
defeat a resolution that would designate April 24,
as a National Day of Remembrance for the Armenian
Genocide of 1915. He defended his vote by saying "passage
of the resolution would not change what happened decades
ago." Yet, he has not voted to reject the memory of
the victims of Nazism, even though it does not undo
the Holocaust.
It seems to me that criticism of the "religious right"
should be muted with the expression of Mr. Leibermanıs
religious beliefs. The media reported that Mr. Gore
and Mr. Lieberman prayed together. I wonder, though,
if they were conservatives, would the media not have
chastised them? What will bring balance to the discussion
of Christian faith in public life?
America was founded on a system of beliefs that guarantees
religious freedom. Candidates, regardless of their
political persuasion, need to be able to express their
Christian faith without fear of retribution from the
media. It is not until we stand firm in our faith
and share the importance of Christ in our lives that
we can join Paul in saying, "I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith"(2
Timothy 4:7).
Note: Fred Mickaelian, Jr. is the church moderator
of the United Armenian Congregational Church, Hollywood,
Ca.
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Free In Christ? By Rev. Ron Tovmassian
"It
was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore, stand firm
and do not he subject again to the yoke of slavery" (Galatians
5:1).
In recent years there has been a great emphasis placed on the
pursuit of personal freedom. As a result, many have rejected
the Christian faith on the basis that it is enslaving and restricts
such freedom. Being a Christian means submitting to Godıs will
and becoming His servant. How can we call this freedom? In fact,
some would argue that Christians are repressed, warped individuals,
constantly worried about pleasing God and serving others, suppressing
their own needs because of their loyalty to God. Such people
can see no freedom in Christianity, only slavery and bondage
and restrictions to their ability to live as they choose.
The Bible doesnıt help us much on this score. Paul says, "You
have been bought with a price...!" Jesus says we must "deny
ourselves" in order to follow Him. We learn that Christ paid
the ransom for our sins; therefore, we belong to Him. We have
been redeemed by Christıs blood; therefore, we owe Him our lives.
It begins to sound like a faith of obligation, debt and burden,
but is that what it is really all about?
The TV mini-series "North and South" was the story of a southern
plantation owner and a northern factory owner who were friends
during the Civil War. Early in the movie, before the war broke
out, they were both together at a factory in the north. The
southern man, seeing the pathetic state of the workers in the
factory commented that most plantation owners treated their
slaves better than these men were treated. The message was clear.
Slavery is more a condition of life, than a title. Some who
were slaves in the south, enjoyed productive and rewarding lives
under benevolent masters. Many who considered themselves free
in the north were slaves to ignorance, poverty and hunger while
working for evil employers in oppressive conditions. It seems
it is possible to be a slave by position and title, and yet
enjoy greater freedom than someone who is not a slave. It depends
on who holds the power and how he chooses to use that power.
Those who see the Christian faith as something that enslaves
people, fail to see that we are all slaves already. We all choose
to live according to some philosophy of life. We decide that
something is important enough to be the focus of our lives and
we live for that, It may be ourselves, our careers, pleasure,
education, money, prestige, etc. We become slaves to whatever
we perceive to be the guiding force in our lives, without even
being aware that we have become slaves. If we choose to become
Christians, then yes, in essence it is true that we choose to
become slaves to Christ.
The difference is, however, how we are treated by these masters.
Serving anything other than Christ in this world is ultimately
futile. It may bring temporary pleasure and seem very much like
freedom, but in the end it is self-destructive and leaves our
lives without meaning. The world invites us to be free and then
makes us its slaves. Christ invites us to slavery and then sets
us free. The world invites us to be ourselves and then conforms
us to be like everyone else. Christ invites us to be His, and
then brings out what is best and unique about us as individuals.
Christ did "buy us with a price." He did redeem us and pay our
ransom. He does tell us we must deny ourselves to follow Him.
He does all this not to enslave us, but to release us from slavery.
Before Christ enters our lives, we are slaves to our lusts and
passions and desires, even though they will destroy us. There
is no other option. Christ opened the door and provided another
way of life.
By
following Him instead, we gain eternal life and our lives are
full of meaning and fulfillment.
Bob Dylan sang a song a few years ago entitled "You Gotta Serve
Somebody!" The message of the song was that we would do well
to realize that we are all serv-ing something. None of us are
completely free. We in-vest our lives in something on this earth.
Rather than deceiving ourselves and living blindly, we should
choose wisely who and/or what we will serve.
Take time out to reflect on what forces in your life have enslaved
you. Follow Christ, serve Him, and at the same time that you
make yourself truly His slave, He will make you truly free.
In the words of Joshua, "choose this day whom you will servebut
as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!" (Joshua 24:15).
Note: Rev. Ron Tovmassian is the senior pastor at the
United Armenian Congregational Church, Hollywood, Ca.
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