Mike-like v. Christ-like

As everyone knows I don't support Gov Mike Huckabee. His attempts to differentiate himself from Gov Mitt Romney alone, and not any other candidate, are brazen assaults on Romney's religion. This from a man of "faith." My article serves to convince those who haven't yet given up on him, to do so immediately. To find another vote, even if it's McCain. If this man runs a campaign like this, how will he govern?

Two examples:
1) In predominantly "evangelical" Christian Iowa, where many voters had reasonable hesitations to voting for a Mormon, Huckabee exploited his own faith as well as the voters' fears of Romney's to his own advantage. He produced an ad that touted his stances on issues while the screen showed in all bold, "Christian Leader." First being a Christian doesn't automatically qualify you to the most powerful position in the world. And second, the ad was a blatant attempt to codify Romney's religion as a cult in the minds of the voters and solidify his standing as a true Christian.

2) In an interview with a NY newspaper, Huckabee was asked if Mormonism was a cult. He dodged the question artfully, replying he wasn't running for President of a seminary but of America. A few moments later, however, he turned to the reporter as coyly asked, " Aren't Mormons the ones who believe Jesus and the Devil are brothers?" This calculated reply was meant to arouse the greatest revulsion among Christians towards Mitt Romney because of his religion's beliefs. Instead it awakened a backlash among most of the country. Except for Christian voters. If any group of people should understand freedom of religion and if any group of people should staunchly oppose any assault on their beliefs, it should be Christians. Instead they rallied to Huckabee's support giving him a victory in Iowa. This former preacher used his charm and folksy way to fool thousands of Christians. Because he spoke our language, we walked lock step over the cliff of religious intolerance. The very thing we hate most about secularism in America today, the assault on our beliefs, was exactly what motivated voters to his side and propelled his campaign to victory in Iowa.

My Mom and I agreed this week that Huckabee's motives and actions are increasingly unChrist-like. They're Mike-like. He is self-motivated and self-righteous. His campaign style, as attested to by Arkansas Republican Legislators, is vindictive and personal. Begrudging and entitled. Words that don't seem to describe Jesus, but rather other Biblical characters, namely the Pharisees. Which is another thing that drew me away from the Arkansas Governor. Where he comes across with humor and charm and religiosity, it is countered with bitterness and resentment and retribution.

For me, there is nothing more putrid than self-righteous holiness. Exploiting Christians or their beliefs for political gain is unconscionable. It is not Christ-like. Christians should play a role in politics, but Paul never instructed us to petition the government to make laws banning behaviors that don't line up with our beliefs. He called us to be different. To live "in the world but not of it" does not mean politically changing it. It means living a life led by the Spirit, a life that God uses in the lives of unbelievers. In places like Corinth or Ephesus or even Rome, God didn't call for Christians to fight a political fight. He called us to the spiritual one. That saw evil all around no matter what laws are in place. That said our fight "is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers and principalities of this world." It's a spiritual battle that won't be won by politics. And it shouldn't be. Christ is the Hope of the world; He's not a conservative wing of any party. He is all powerful; He doesn't need laws passed to work in the lives of men. He is love; He's not bickering or fighting or revenge. He is holy, and by Him we are. Not because we stand for certain morals or call for new amendments or fight the latest secular movement. Because His grace is sufficient, we can trust He is strong enough to help. Strong enough to fight. Strong enough to win.

Don't hear me saying as Christians we should roll over and let the world fall to chaos. To the contrary, our role is significant in that we have the Hope of Nations. That's why I said we need and must play a part. But we cannot exploit our beliefs for political profit. "For what does a man profit if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul?" Jesus saw the Pharisees in such a light. Consumed with rituals and rules and obligations to laws never written on mankind's hearts. They cared about power and controlling people's behaviors with undoubtedly good, yet eventually evil intentions. This control and dominance enabled their ritualistic lives to shine holier than everyone else's, a self-made glorification.

Mocking another person's religion is insensitive and derived from fear. Generally. I don't mean insensitive in a Political Correctness sort of way. I mean in the Way of Christ. Can you see Jesus insulting Nicodemus for being a Pharisee? No. He was patient with him. How did Philip act with the Ethiopian Eunuch? I'm sure some people can twist examples from the Bible to show that we should be intolerant of other faiths. But is that how we want to live? Do we want to spend our time defending intolerant tactics instead of living a radically different life of love? Christ had compassion for the lost and hurting and searching. He performed miracles to feed to heal them. While we can't perform physical miracles, our lives of love and hope and reconciliation can be even more miraculous.

We can disagree and find beliefs offensive and false. We can call them any label we want, from "un-Christian" to "cults." But where does that get us? Does it bring those "cult members" to Christ, or does it serve to push us further apart so we aren't confronted with those beliefs anymore? If we truly believe that Christ is the Way, why are we scared to learn and know and proclaim that? Why are we scared to embrace it and encourage others to? We label and scare other believers away from the lost so we aren't tempted to join them. But that's not right. It sounds Pharisaical to me. I personally don't care if you do or don't think Mormonism is a cult. But even in politics, running on the mantle of being "Christ-like," Gov. Huckabee has been anything but. Insulting and exploiting someone else's religion is in essence exploiting your own, and it is insensitive, or a better word, indifferent to the person's eternal worth. On a bigger picture than politics, Romney and other Mormons could be hardened to ever seeing the Real Jesus because His followers failed by attacking instead of loving. They mocked and insulted and tarnished a man and his beliefs, and they did it all in the name of Christianity for purely political self-made glorification. Is God more pleased because Huckabee used his "faith" to brand another man as hell-bound? Is God more pleased that Huckabee exploited the fears of Christians to further his political fortunes? Is He glorified more by inciting people to hold another man's beliefs against him? That tactic works for the person attacking, in this case Mike Huckabee, but the souls of the attacked and ridiculed harden and stay lost. And that's not even taking into account the people all over the world who are watching and wondering how ours is a religion of hope and love.

Christians have no problem labeling Islam as another religion. Or Hinduism as another religion. Or Atheism, in a way, as its own religion. But Mormonism for all its inerrancies, is called a cult? Why insult the souls we should be rescuing? Did Christ insult the woman at the well who was searching for love? No, because He is love. And He let love win her over. He let Hope and Joy and Peace win her over.

My hope for Gov. Romney is that one day he can find it in himself to forgive Mike Huckabee. For the politically motivated stabs at his soul; for his calloused, vindictive approach to the Presidency; for his campaign of retribution, resentment and bitterness glossed over by spouts of religiosity and self-righteousness. And when Mitt does, he'll have proven himself more Christ-like than his opponent.