Politics Free Church?

[Anonymous]

"In case it's not clear - this is a big big big problem. Because the Founders desired nothing more than freedom from state influence in religion. They'd witnessed two centuries of Catholic-Protestant wars."

This part of your statement is true. The Founders wanted the state and the government out of the church so people could freely worship in the faith of their choice.

"If we don't fix our politics we are going to end up living in Franco's Spain - a Christian authoritarian nation."

This part of your statement is an absurd stretch.

[Anonymous]

"100% agree huge problem. And ladies you need to start voting better, because they are coming for your jobs and your property, etc. Don't believe me? Mark my words, those old white Christian dudes want control period and will not stop til they get it. It's going to be ugly."

That's just ridiculous. If you live your life believing this about people of faith, it sux to be you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

I am looking for a church in the DC area. Preferably Episcopalian or Presbyterian, but honestly any mainline Protestant church will do. The difficulty is I am looking for a church that is NOT overly political - seems to be an issue in DC, where all of the churches are either aggressively conservative or liberal. I am trying to avoid lectures about how MAGA/social justice is the way, the truth, and the light and just trying to find a traditional church. Any recommendations? I don't want to be subjected to sermons about critical race theory or Donald Trump being the most Christian president ever (which, as a Christian, lol no). Any suggestions?

Thanks!

What?

Jesus preached social justice. Have you read the Bible? At all? Jesus’ tirades against the wealthy, and the moneychangers and the Pharisees and the fascist Roman rulers (Pontius Pilate, for example.)


You seem to be looking for a social club, not a church. I hear Zog Sports has some openings.

Christian charity, being voluntary and heartfelt, is utterly distinct from the compulsory, impersonal mandates of the state.


One can scour the New Testament and find nary a word from Jesus that calls for empowering politicians or bureaucrats to allocate resources, pick winners and losers, tell entrepreneurs how to run their businesses, impose minimum wages or maximum prices, compel workers to join unions, or even to raise taxes.

One of the charges that led to Jesus’s crucifixion was indeed tax evasion.


Christians are commanded in Scripture to love, to pray, to be kind, to serve, to forgive, to be truthful, to worship the one God, to learn and grow in both spirit and character. All of those things are very personal. They require no politicians, police, bureaucrats, political parties, or programs.


The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want,” says Jesus in Matthew 26:11 and Mark 14:7. The key words there are you can help and want to help. He didn’t say, “We’re going to make you help whether you like it or not.”

Jesus clearly held that compassion is a wholesome value to possess, but I know of no passage in the New Testament that suggests it’s a value he’d impose by force or gunpoint—in other words, by socialist politics.

Socialists are fond of suggesting that Jesus disdained the rich, citing two particular moments: his driving of the money-changers from the Temple and his remark that it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. In the first instance, Jesus was angry that God’s house was being misused. Indeed, he never drove a money-changer from a bank or a marketplace. In the second, he was warning that with great wealth, great temptations come, too.

These were admonitions against misplaced priorities, not class warfare messages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jesus said to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger and foreigner, and give all your money to the poor. He said the wealthy could not enter Heaven.

It's inescapably political.

So, you imply there is 1 political party who gives all their money away to the poor in America, and they are only true Christians? I never heard of that party before. It must be real tiny. I must've missed passing by their commune. I mean, really??

[Anonymous]

Avoid Grace Episcopal in Alexandria. Big, big issues. I will let you do the research.

[Anonymous]

Neelsville Presbyterian

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Avoid Grace Episcopal in Alexandria. Big, big issues. I will let you do the research.

I just mentioned an incident there to someone yesterday. They are terrible.

[Anonymous]

Then it's not a church. Why do you think humanity is now politics?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Avoid Grace Episcopal in Alexandria. Big, big issues. I will let you do the research.

Beware posters who make negative claims without providing any supporting info and say it's your job to verify their claims.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the National Pres recommendation and would also add All Saints Episcopal in Chevy Chase. It can almost be irritatingly non-political! But it really endeavors to stay grounded in the Gospel (making different political persuasions uncomfortable on different Sundays) without ever being overtly political one way or another. It's a nice mix of pretty strident Dems and hard-core Rs worshiping together on Sundays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the National Pres recommendation and would also add All Saints Episcopal in Chevy Chase. It can almost be irritatingly non-political! But it really endeavors to stay grounded in the Gospel (making different political persuasions uncomfortable on different Sundays) without ever being overtly political one way or another. It's a nice mix of pretty strident Dems and hard-core Rs worshiping together on Sundays.

I hear it's also a nice mix of hard-core Dems and pretty strident R's

[Anonymous]

Fourth Presbyterian in Bethesda does a good job of steering clear of politics. Why I joined.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New poster here.

As someone who voted twice for Obama and twice for Trump I have had a very difficult time finding a church. I am reading this thread closely.

No politics in my Sunday sermon, please.

Look at Fourth Presbyterian in Bethesda

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus' teachings were inherently political and revolutionary. They shape how you view society and your interactions with your fellow human beings. You can't separate the church from politics.

Revolutionary, yes. Political, no. The life and message of Jesus transcends politics.

Jesus' first years of life were in exile because King Herod wanted to kill him. Jesus was literally executed by a Roman governor, in a bid to maintain support from the Jews in a time when there was a growing threat of revolt. And the Jewish leadership's reason was that he was regarded as King of the Jews. If you think the life and message of Jesus "transcends" politics, you are asleep at the wheel.

The Romans and the Jews motives for executing Jesus were based on the political and religious power structures of that time. His message, however, was not about earthly powers. That’s what he meant when he said “my kingdom is not of this world.”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

I am looking for a church in the DC area. Preferably Episcopalian or Presbyterian, but honestly any mainline Protestant church will do. The difficulty is I am looking for a church that is NOT overly political - seems to be an issue in DC, where all of the churches are either aggressively conservative or liberal. I am trying to avoid lectures about how MAGA/social justice is the way, the truth, and the light and just trying to find a traditional church. Any recommendations? I don't want to be subjected to sermons about critical race theory or Donald Trump being the most Christian president ever (which, as a Christian, lol no). Any suggestions?

Thanks!

What?

Jesus preached social justice. Have you read the Bible? At all? Jesus’ tirades against the wealthy, and the moneychangers and the Pharisees and the fascist Roman rulers (Pontius Pilate, for example.)


You seem to be looking for a social club, not a church. I hear Zog Sports has some openings.

Christian charity, being voluntary and heartfelt, is utterly distinct from the compulsory, impersonal mandates of the state.


One can scour the New Testament and find nary a word from Jesus that calls for empowering politicians or bureaucrats to allocate resources, pick winners and losers, tell entrepreneurs how to run their businesses, impose minimum wages or maximum prices, compel workers to join unions, or even to raise taxes.

One of the charges that led to Jesus’s crucifixion was indeed tax evasion.


Christians are commanded in Scripture to love, to pray, to be kind, to serve, to forgive, to be truthful, to worship the one God, to learn and grow in both spirit and character. All of those things are very personal. They require no politicians, police, bureaucrats, political parties, or programs.


The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want,” says Jesus in Matthew 26:11 and Mark 14:7. The key words there are you can help and want to help. He didn’t say, “We’re going to make you help whether you like it or not.”

Jesus clearly held that compassion is a wholesome value to possess, but I know of no passage in the New Testament that suggests it’s a value he’d impose by force or gunpoint—in other words, by socialist politics.

Socialists are fond of suggesting that Jesus disdained the rich, citing two particular moments: his driving of the money-changers from the Temple and his remark that it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. In the first instance, Jesus was angry that God’s house was being misused. Indeed, he never drove a money-changer from a bank or a marketplace. In the second, he was warning that with great wealth, great temptations come, too.

These were admonitions against misplaced priorities, not class warfare messages.

I’ve heard this interpretation before, from the “prosperity gospel” types who also felt the state should define civil marriage based on their interpretation of the Bible and ban abortion based on their interpretation of a Biblical commandment.