The Whore of Babylon

Lisa: They should take a good look at themselves, and what their church has become.
[the congregation gasps]
Lovejoy: Lisa, it's still the same basic message -- we've just dressed it up a little.
Lisa: Like the Whore of Babylon?
[the congregation gasps]
Lovejoy: That is a false analogy!
Lisa: No, it's not. It's apt. Apt!

One of the points made in The Godless Constitution is that when believers try to impose their faith throug the government, both the Government and Faith is inevitably corrupted. Well it seems that Cal Thomas is moving towards that point of view as well. He's responding to a post by Jim Wallis on what Christians should learn from our recent election.

One does not have to agree with all of Wallis' agenda - and I don't, especially on Iraq - to consider his arguments. Politics often dulls the senses to morality and "values." That's because of an unholy alliance between people of faith and politicians that often ends in compromise on the part of the faithful and the cynical harvesting of their votes with little offered in return. So, when someone like Rep. Don Sherwood (R-Pa.) is exposed for cheating on his wife and allegedly abusing his mistress, Cynthia Ore, he still gets an 85 percent approval rating from the Focus on the Family Action organization.

He obviously isn't in Wallis's camp (who is substantially more liberal), but he does suggest that, rather than lecturing America and allying with shady politicians, Christians might be better served by serving.

What is God's way? Isn't it helping the poor through transformation and assisting them to do for themselves? Isn't it feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting those in prison and caring for widows and orphans? Would such behavior, rather than partisan politics, recommend their faith more highly to those who do not currently share it, or who do share it, but apply it differently?

It's an intriguing question.