Loss of Faith

In 1980 I campaigned for Ronald Reagan as a conservative Christian.


Both the religion and the politics became untenable in the course of the next eight years,

Originally posted by Wulebgr
In 1980 I campaigned for Ronald Reagan as a conservative Christian.


Both the religion and the politics became untenable in the course of the next eight years,

What brought on these changes?

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
What brought on these changes?

Truth

Originally posted by Wulebgr
Truth

Can you articulate what is Truth?

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Can you articulate what is Truth?

History

a little bit vague, history, truth

Originally posted by Wulebgr
In 1980 I campaigned for Ronald Reagan as a conservative Christian.


Both the religion and the politics became untenable in the course of the next eight years,

You happy with that? Good.

You not happy, keep looking.

Originally posted by Wulebgr
In 1980 I campaigned for Ronald Reagan as a conservative Christian.


Both the religion and the politics became untenable in the course of the next eight years,

Ronald Reagan,
political campaign,
conservative Christian,
religion

In all of this activity where was Jesus the Person ?

Can't one be steeped in all this activism and be far from the enjoyment of Christ Himself ?

In the Gospel it says that there was a crowd of people crowded around Jesus. But one woman touched Him. Jesus was amazed and stopped to asked "Who touched Me?" He felt power flow out of Him. He knew someone touched Him.

His disciples thought He must be crazy. Couldn't He see all this huge crowd of people crowded around Him. But not many had touched Him.

It is the same today. There are many people "crowded" round Jesus for this and that and the other. There are fewer who touch Him in reality and deeply.

I am sorry, but when you boast that you were so actively crowded around religious and political stuff for conservative Christian values and what not, it could just be that.

Maybe you were in the mob crowded around "Jesus," but never touched Jesus. So what then really have you "lost"?

Originally posted by jaywill
Ronald Reagan,
political campaign,
conservative Christian,
religion

In all of this activity where was Jesus the Person ?

Can't one be steeped in all this activism and be far from the enjoyment of Christ Himself ?

In the Gospel it says that there was a crowd of people crowded around Jesus. But one woman [b]touched Him. Jesus was am ...[text shortened]... d around "Jesus," but never touched Jesus. So what then really have you "lost"?[/b]

Boast?

I don't see how admitting one's shame, one's sins, is a boast.

I was young, ignorant, and misguided. Not all my peers were as deluded as I. My role in the campaign was minuscule, limited to the local college Republicans. My walk as an evangelical was new-found and would prove over the next eight years to have been a mistake of youth. My conservatism reflected the still strong influence of an agnostic father.

If there's a boast, it is this: the mass delusion need not be fatal that leads folks away from science, away from objective history, away from responsible journalism, away from having enough patriotism and respect for their nation that they do not protest when the President wants to speak to youth. I embraced a mass delusion, but some study of history and a genuine quest for truth pulled me out of that delusion. I came to see how I had embraced two untenable positions that had become unrighteously joined.

Originally posted by Wulebgr
Boast?

I don't see how admitting one's shame, one's sins, is a boast.

I was young, ignorant, and misguided. Not all my peers were as deluded as I. My role in the campaign was minuscule, limited to the local college Republicans. My walk as an evangelical was new-found and would prove over the next eight years to have been a mistake of youth. My conserva ...[text shortened]... came to see how I had embraced two untenable positions that had become unrighteously joined.

=======================
Boast?

I don't see how admitting one's shame, one's sins, is a boast.
===========================

Quite right. I apologize. Boast is definitely not the right word.

===================================
I was young, ignorant, and misguided. Not all my peers were as deluded as I. My role in the campaign was minuscule, limited to the local college Republicans. My walk as an evangelical was new-found and would prove over the next eight years to have been a mistake of youth. My conservatism reflected the still strong influence of an agnostic father.
=====================================

I am very sorry that this happened to you.

Things like this have happened to others also, including myself. This is why to cultivate a regular and intimate touch with the Spirit of Christ on a daily bases is so crucial.

I for one want to be like Paul, forgetting the things that are behind and stetching forward to that which is before. Not only the bad experiences I need to leave behind. Even the good experiences I need to leave behind to stretch forward to fresh experiences of Christ which lie ahead.

But I am sorry that this experience hurt you so.

============================
If there's a boast, it is this: the mass delusion need not be fatal that leads folks away from science, away from objective history, away from responsible journalism, away from having enough patriotism and respect for their nation that they do not protest when the President wants to speak to youth. I embraced a mass delusion, but some study of history and a genuine quest for truth pulled me out of that delusion. I came to see how I had embraced two untenable positions that had become unrighteously joined.
==================================

Some very good points in this, I think.

Originally posted by Wulebgr
Boast?

I don't see how admitting one's shame, one's sins, is a boast.

I was young, ignorant, and misguided. Not all my peers were as deluded as I. My role in the campaign was minuscule, limited to the local college Republicans. My walk as an evangelical was new-found and would prove over the next eight years to have been a mistake of youth. My conserva ...[text shortened]... came to see how I had embraced two untenable positions that had become unrighteously joined.

it seems you are finally understanding what it means to be a christian

Originally posted by Wulebgr
History

I wonder if what you ultimately found untenable was the self-centeredness of both conservatism and Christianity.

Originally posted by Wulebgr
In 1980 I campaigned for Ronald Reagan as a conservative Christian.


Both the religion and the politics became untenable in the course of the next eight years,

Does it strike you odd that Christ did not become politically active? Politics is a battle for wordly control so that men can rule over other men. Conversly, Christ came to serve mankind. Make no mistake, the biggest falsehood is to call these people in public office public servants. In fact, the Bible warns us of men ruling over other men. Case in point is when the nation of Israel tried to appoint themselves a king. God then warned them of the down side but they persisted. I think it is 1 Samuel chapter 8. It is a good read.

As a conservative, I feel as though I have been let down as well by the Republican party. In fact, I'm not sure I can support them in the future because of my trust issues with them currently. For now I just plan to focus on supporting any plan to detour any authoitarian rule whether it be from either party whehter it be over control of my health care or energy expenditures or my personal freedoms being violated by such things as the Patriot Act. I will do all I can to fight a police/nanny state.

Now as far as a lack of truth regarding what Christ taught, I have no idea what you are referring to. However, as for "W" and company, I have already thrown them under the bus but not Christ.

Originally posted by jaywill
I am very sorry that this happened to you.

Things like this have happened to others also, including myself. This is why to cultivate a regular and intimate touch with the Spirit of Christ on a daily bases is so crucial.

Quite true.

Not only did we succeed in getting Ronald Reagan elected, but he was reelected by a landslide. Then, his major conservative critic, the very man that called his completely ludicrous ideas about the federal budget, "voodoo economics," followed in his wake, pushing some of the ideas he had condemned a decade earlier. Then, that man's son had eight years of power after a brief interlude for a "small time punk with bad habits" (to quote the late Hunter S. Thompson's unforgettable caricature of Bill C.).

I think the delusions continue, and most self-professed Christians in the USA still embrace the Party of Death.

Originally posted by whodey
Does it strike you odd that Christ did not become politically active? Politics is a battle for wordly control so that men can rule over other men. Conversly, Christ came to serve mankind.

As a conservative, I feel as though I have been let down as well by the Republican party. In fact, I'm not sure I can support them in the future because of my trust ...[text shortened]... are referring to. However, as for "W" and company, I have already thrown them under the bus.

Now as far as a lack of truth regarding what Christ taught, I have no idea what you are referring to.

Try rereading his posts. Nowhere does he speak of "a lack of truth regarding what Christ taught." It's truly alarming how often you things other than what is there. Perhaps this is because you are firmly entrenched in the "mass delusion" of which he does speak.