There are a few Americans who I am really bothered by. Donald Trump continues to ascend that list for me, as he continues to refuse to put his Forzieris, or whatever ridiculous shoe he wears, in his mouth. I gotta tell you, Lance Armstrong and Roger Goodell are not far behind (Brady will get the best of him any day now...).
I will vote. I hope whomever wins will increase the pathetic amount of federal funding given to Science. Bill Clinton was the last President to have that foresight. But I am very apolitical -- and I don't think that makes me a bad American or Christian.
As a Christian, the complex mixture of today's pluralistic and tenaciously moving culture with our wonderfully dumb two-system political system, leaves Christians with absolute, polarizing views in both Democratic and Republican camps that are so obviously hypocritical with Christian viewpoints that, in my view, Church and State needed so obvious to be separated. This wasn't more apparent when I watched two guys I have immense respect for, Robert George, a leading conservative thinker and Professor of Law at Princeton, and Cornel West, a leading intellectual and colleague at Princeton, discussed their different political views. Both George and West are vocal, compassionate and seemingly very genuine Christians, yet, disagree whole-heartedly on a lot. A lot.
In "Uncompromised Faith: Overcoming our Culturalized Christianity", Michael Craven writes:
"... For one, politics has never been the means of actually changing the culture and, two, it is certainly not the means of which the Christian church- the most powerful social and cultural transforming force in history - has or should fulfill its mission and purpose."
Craven's quote is important because it makes me feel like being apolitical isn't a total cop-out. One of the most quoted parts of Scripture is Jesus' words about the reigning Roman Empire and Julius Caesar. Simply, "Give Caesar what is Caesar's...." and then He moved on to Commission-level items.
Many Christians, whom I respect, guys like James Dobson and and ex-Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson, couldn't disagree more. I just don't see it. I think interest may be better divested towards insuring religious (alongside civil and as part of personal) freedom. There is nothing I can see that can matter on a political front if personal freedom is not intact -- and surely the Constitution and founding Fathers certainly support that notion.
And lastly, is being apolitical un-American? I don't thinks so. After all, by standing up for personal freedom for everyone, and personal respect for all people, you can be apolitical in a way in this country, yet very true to this country's notions of democracy and founding values. At least, that is how I think about it.
