Politics: One More Reason to Hate Calvinism
Calvinists are sooooo much more spiritual than we are that we can’t even talk about real life without being corrected. So, let me instruct you on how to discuss last night’s election without being chastised by a Calvinist:
‘Like, praise Jesus. But like, I was watching the election last night, not caring about who won because Jesus should be the king anyway. I just wanted to see how like, you know, the gospel narrative was going to unfold. It was just so awesome to see what Jesus already planned to do. Praise Jesus. I am still contemplating what the election results mean in their gospel context. Like, it’s really, really deep. In my own part of the gospel narrative, I read from the Scriptures about Jesus (of course) for several hours and then went to the polls to see what gave me joy. When I voted, it was like, a mere natural flow dude.”
Seriously, you can’t say anything. I tweeted something about political conservatism, and the next thing I know, I’m getting blasted for “hoping in conservatism instead of Jesus.” I saw where other tweets that referred to needed political change in this country were met with,” Only Jesus can bring about change.” Right. How dare we be so unspiritual! Folks, these people are making me gag. And I think the primary source of my gagetry is the hypocrisy on steroids. In regard to politics, Calvinists in this country posit a mindset of being above the fray, or endeared to loftier concerns unlike the everyday spiritual peasants among us.
The truth of the matter is that Calvin and his followers throughout the centuries have been rabid, political animals. The Puritans were up to their ears in political intrigue, and the executions of many Reformers/Puritans were for political reasons and not martyrdom for the faith (though factiously represented as such). In fact, the Puritans who came to America were political refugees and little more than that.
While pretending to be above the concerns of mere worldly governments, American Calvinists walk about quoting the Westminster Confession constantly. Do you know what that is? It was a document prepared by Reformed “Divines” at the behest of the English Parliament! It was a religious rule of law for the church and state. The European marriage of church and state resulted in the innumerable slaughter of thousands in Christ’s name.
But American Calvinists are above getting involved in the political system that put an end to all of that. It’s like, so unJesus.
I mean really, how petty can a system be when it lacks so much blood and torture?
paul
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
“To say that God is sovereign over his own sovereignty is really a nonsensical statement. No one can be autonomous or the greatest in status and authority over a government that is free from external control. If he were sovereign over his sovereign government, his sovereign government would cease to be sovereign.”
Randy, this is why it is a waste of time. Note you said “…..free from external CONTROL”. Why would you need to know the fruits of the spirit since they are controlled for the elect by God, anyway? Randy was not given the ability to think reason and make decisions. All is done for him. He is controlled. Every move foreordained. That is Calvinism.
Now, go ahead…. tell me I do not understand it. :o)
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It is self-evident that you don’t understand. Your problem is that you are too willing to misrepresent the position. No one believes we are controlled like puppets. If you want to argue against our position, at least try to state it properly.
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Ya Randy, we get it: puppets are not puppets. Reformed Cognitive Dissonance? Hmmmm, I think I like it.
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No, you don’t get it. Puppets are puppets, but we aren’t puppets. You and I both know that no one believes we are. The Scriptures make it clear, for example, that those who crucified Jesus did so according to God’s predestined purpose, yet judas and the others acted willingly and culpably in crucifying him,
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Right. Puppets are never separate, but distinct.
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Huh?
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That last statement may have gone over my head. “Puppets are never separate. but distinct?”
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Randy,
YES! An opportunity to use my new favorite term. The puppet comment regards, and here it is, “Reformed cognitive dissonance.” I love new things, don’t you?
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I like the term “Arminian non-sense” better.
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Lydia,
You wrote, “Randy, this is why it is a waste of time. Note you said “…..free from external CONTROL”. Why would you need to know the fruits of the spirit since they are controlled for the elect by God, anyway? Randy was not given the ability to think reason and make decisions. All is done for him. He is controlled. Every move foreordained. That is Calvinism.”
Perhaps, it would help this discussion if we tried to state our opponent’s position to his or her satisfaction. When I state that God is in control of all that occurs, I do not intend to say that God actively causes everything that occurs. He does not need to cause the ungodly to act in an ungodly manner. Only a fatalist would believe we have no ability to reason and make decisions. No one believes “all is done for us.”
Yes, we believe every move is foreordained, but we reject the idea that we do not act freely and apart from external constraint.
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Since I know you all like John Calvin so much, I thought you might enjoy the following from the Institutes.
“7. In this way, then, man is said to have free will, not because he has a free choice of good and evil, but because he acts voluntarily, and not by compulsion. This is perfectly true: but why should so small a matter have been dignified with so proud a title? An admirable freedom! that man is not forced to be the servant of sin, while he is, however, ejthelodou’lo” (a voluntary slave); his will being bound by the fetters of sin. I abominate mere verbal disputes, by which the Church is harassed to no purpose; but I think we ought religiously to eschew terms which imply some absurdity, especially in subjects where error is of pernicious consequence. How few are there who, when they hear free will attributed to man, do not immediately imagine that he is the master of his mind and will in such a sense, that he can of himself incline himself either to good or evil? It may be said that such dangers are removed by carefully expounding the meaning to the people. But such is the proneness of the human mind to go astray, that it will more quickly draw error from one little word, than truth from a lengthened discourse. “
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SWEET! I can use my new term again: “Reformed Cognitive Dissonance.” Sweet. Makes me feel good.
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Paul,
Where is the cognitive dissonance? Is simply does not exist in this matter. This would be a matter of simply accepting plain statements of Scripture for what they clearly state. The Bible teaches both the sovereignty of God and human responsibility. Our inability to fully understand everything God has revealed does not mean we can reject everything that doesn’t square with what we wish to believe.
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