It seems people have misunderstood, as well as misrepresented, the church's role and influence in "secular society." The early Christians lived in the secular society of Rome, but by heralding the good news of salvation, what some might call "thumping," their words along with their deeds changed all of society of their day. In present-day America, however, secularists have taken over and changed the rules of the debate on so many key cultural issues.Religion, or more accurately, the Christian way of life, is being shoved out of not only politics but the American culture. We believers are being forced to accept things anathema to our way of thinking and living -- accept them or be labeled "haters" or, more recently, "thumpers."
Every Christian is keenly aware of the Great Commission, where Jesus commanded, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19). Christians in the earliest days of the Church did not keep silent about their faith, bringing it with them (and many times at great cost) into the public arena. St. Paul debated at the illustrious Mars Hill with Greek and Athenian scholars (see Acts, Chapter 17). Many there, in fact, welcomed his insights and reasoning skills. Others, including both civic and religious leaders of the day, wanted him to keep his views to himself...
In the book of Romans, Paul challenges people to "be transformed by the renewing of your thinking." (Romans 12:2). Will the Christian way of thinking be welcome in the "court of public opinion," or will we just settle into being a country filled with people who have a bumper-sticker mentality, never having a thought beyond the cleverest saying we can slap onto the tail end of our vehicles.
Read it all here...
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