Concerning Christian Books

Would Jesus be Conservative or Liberal? (Reflection)

The obvious answer to such a question - if phrased somewhat differently, and in the American context - is that God is neither a Republican or a Democrat. The truth is no one can answer this question, but for any thinking Christian that is at least somewhat familiar with Jesus' teachings as revealed in the Gospel, it should be obvious that Jesus would have gently rebuked any such narrow categorisation of God's message.

Personally, I say we can rest assured that if Jesus were to return and enter a governmental landscape led wholly one way or the other, the scene would have been no different to that described when He entered the temple of Jerusalem. Tables would have flown. 

Being a conservative myself, the rampant secularism of the Democratic ideology would place me squarely with the Republicans if I were an American. But it would never be an entirely comfortable belonging. While the Republicans are much more loyal to their Christian forebears, and are more likely to defend the rights of Christians (and perhaps even go to church on a regular basis), their approach to governance does often lack in love for the poor and despised, the outsider and the enemy. They could be justly criticised of making their nation's wealth, protection and legacy an idol. And that is nothing like what Jesus would approve of. 

On the other side, many who adopt left-wing values do so out of genuine (rather than merely professed) concern for the poor. Actually, speaking more about the further Left - the allegedly socialist-leaning Sanders-variation of the liberal side - there appears to be much Christ-like desire for justice and equality. However, too many idealistic people on this side have wrongly made an enemy of God, mistaking bad Christians as a sign of a bad Christ. There is too much disregard for the spiritual in leftist politics. And this naturally leads to further developments of cognitive dissonance where what a Christian sees as objectively obvious for good or bad is marketed as the polar opposite. The Left, while it at least tokenistically fights for the rights of the voiceless, is only too willing to kill unborn children. This, and its eagerness to see Christian piety ridiculed, is substantially worse, in my view, than the adoption of the LGBT community because the latter is at least characterised by tolerance rather than denial.     

So would Jesus favour one over the other? Is one closer to the truth? 

Well, I have my own biases, just like everyone else. I cannot speak for Our Lord, and would never dare to presume that. However, my hunch is that He would be - indeed, is - severely disappointed but not entirely surprised by either side. We are, after all, just foolish and sinful humans banished from paradise and desperately trying to find our way back. A liberal and conservative attitude are both needed at different times. Yet rather than properly recognise this, we spend too much of our time trying to disparage the other at the expense of fostering a constructive co-existence.

The divide between Right and Left has become so overly politicised, that we dare even bring God into it, like He were little more than a guest on CNN or Fox News, ready put down one side while exalting the other.