Christians and Politics??

Every time I read the works of right wing Christians like James Dobson, I wonder where they get the idea that God or Christ wants them to delve so deeply into politics. I understand these are powerful men and women, but I also understand what political power does to even the best of men as shown over and over again in the Bible. Please allow me to touch on a few points.

During the time that the priest Samuel was getting old, the elders of Israel went to him and told him his sons weren't going to follow in his footsteps so they wanted a King to rule over them like all the other nations had. God told them, through Samuel that this wasn't a good idea. God was their King and they would rue the day that a man was appointed King over them in his place. He said a King would make slaves of the people, making them do his bidding over God's bidding. But the people didn't listen. The Kings of Israel led to the nation's downfall, their defeat at the hands of the Babylonians, and their deportation to Babylon.

When Jesus went out into the desert to pray before starting his earthly ministry, we all know he was tempted 3 times by Satan. What most don't realize is that the second thing the devil tempted him with was the power of governing. Satan told him such power was granted to him by God and he could give it to whomever he desired. Jesus turned him down flat.

The people Jesus preached to wanted to try to make him King, but Jesus went away from them in the night. He told his followers to give the government what it wanted and give God what belonged to Him. He didn't say to take over the government and make it do what they wanted it to do. When Pilate was questioning Jesus about his ministry, Jesus told him he was a king but his kingdom was not of this world. He made it clear that if it was of this world, his followers would fight for him. In fact, over and over again Jesus told his followers they should seek the Kingdom of God and not the corrupting power of the governments of the earth in order to obtain what they needed.

Everyone views politics as being corrupt, and the followers of Jesus were told to stay away from such things, not condone them or practice them to get ahead. The ends did not justify the means. He said to obey the rulers, not join them. He said in the end, the rulers of this world would come to nothing.

So my question is, if Satan has been given control of the governments of the world, why are right wing Christians trying so hard to accept rule of this world from his hands? Just who are these people following??

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