Civilian Affairs & Kingdom Dreams

I recently had a brief chat with a fellow Christian in the church I attend that revealed an interesting but potentially troubling view expressed in our movement. 

The brother recently attended an international leadership conference for our worldwide churches in the US, where one of the speakers shared about the urgency we must have in building the Kingdom of God. To underline the urgency, the speaker apparently shared (based on what the brother told me) that in a few years Islam will be the World's major religion and if it keeps growing at the current rate, it will be the dominant religion in the US. My immediate reaction was, 'so what?'. Why 'so what'?

Well it's not as if the World's major religion has been, or ever truly was Christianity as Jesus taught it, and I certainly wouldn't describe the US as a Christian nation (it's meant to be a secular nation actually). But if Islam was to dominate the World or the US, this is an American concern and perhaps a political concern, but not a Christian one. Even when Christianity dominated certain parts of the World it did so in some of the most horrific ways, not the ways Jesus taught. And the faith was even born at a time ruled by paganism and secular values, and thrived nonetheless. 

If we are to take Jesus and Biblical prophecy seriously then we know the Kingdom of God, "will itself endure forever" (Daniel 2:44), there's nothing to worry about. The only variable is who will endure with it. God is not in a foetal position in a corner of his office wondering what became of his country - after all he's not a conservative fundamentalist Christian American, or any kind of earthly citizen. In fact I don't think he has any interest in politics or nationalism of any kind. But we can appropriate God's image (thus committing some kind of divine copyright infringement) and have him represent our causes without his compliance, agreement or permission. 

If we're in God's army, the most dangerous enemy is usually within our own hearts, and where our hearts will be in a few years is purely up to us.

Outer Space & The Final Frontier

So scientists discovered a massive ring around Saturn recently. Made up of dust particles invisible to the naked eye, the ring is so large it would take '1 billion earths to fill it'. That's big. The significance of the discovery varies depending on who you ask. Some scientists are excited - sick uninsured people  or the homeless couldn't care less or may not even even know.

Still, everything has its place and indeed much of the effort to study space has led to inventions and developments that help us in day to day life on Earth. Like fireproof materials or satellite communication among other things. However, a debate around the importance of this discovery has begun, what with the many problems we face on terra firma like war, economic collapse, natural disasters and nuclear proliferation to name a few.

While there is no doubt that many answers to a better life on earth lie somewhere out beyond the blue, the answers derived thereof can solve only so much. They may help us to be healthier, greener, more efficient users of energy and make earth a better place to live - and that will surely have a positive sociological effect. One is heavily influenced by ones environment after all.

But the final frontier that is far from conquered is not the vastness of space, but the depth (or shallowness) of the human heart. It is from this mysterious place that the world of humanity comes into being, and from this place that our most serious problems and most powerful solutions arise. We may find an answer to famine and malnutrition, but will that cure selfishness? We may find the solution to clean and green energy - but will that rid the world of greed? Indeed, vices such as selfishness and greed are often the root causes of issues like deforestation, pollution, war and racial prejudice, a painful marriage or a lonely soul .

We must and should strive to build a better world around us, but it is in vain if we aren't building a better world in us. Science may make us healthier and smarter, but it doesn't have the power to make us kinder, happier, more peace loving or forgiving. We know that people can shine their brightest in the midst of poverty and hunger. And can plumb the depths of depravity in comfort and plenty. What would we be if we strove to perfect our hearts along with our minds?

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."