James linked to this petition that comes with a sort of manifesto that I think is very tactful in suggesting that Christians should vote on Christian values and ethics rather than simply vote Republican or Democratic, though is does subtly lean towards Kerry.

I don’t usually get too deep into topics such as religion or politics, but this one struck a chord. I’ve literally been getting the shivers as I watch the RNC and I hear a politician suggest that our war against Iraq is both a fight against Islamic extremist terrorists and is backed by God and Christian values, then suggests that anyone against the war is also a terrorist.

I think it safe to say, based on what I know of Christian values, that Christ wouldn’t approve of America’s bravado in vanquishing our foe. Defending our country is one thing. Blowing a country to smithereens in a Shock and Awe campaign based on faulty intelligence is another thing entirely. Smugly trotting about, ignoring the international community, does not ring as Christ-like. Putting our country $1 Trillion in debt in order to drop bombs instead of using the same money for humanitarian aid doesn’t seem to agree either. Maltreatment, abuse, torture, however isolated, of human beings at prison camps is completely counter to what I know of Christian values.

And yet, there are supposed Christians protesting at the RNC with signs like this chock full of symbols representing war and destruction. I’d say that nearly 80% of the protest signs I’ve seen in support of the war mention something based in Christian values, and when our own President talks of the war he echoes those same Christian values.

I don’t agree with the religious right currently, but at least I know that not all Christians believe the current administration is practicing Christian values. But I get the idea that some of those Islamic extremists our country would gladly eradicate probably see Christians to be as determined to encourage war as we feel the Islamic extremists are determined to wreak terror. I can’t help but feel like if our current administration were truly Christlike, there’d probably be far less animosity towards us by people of other faiths to begin with.