Should true Christians join revolutions, protest actions?

Should true Christians join revolutions, protest actions?

Through the power of the various media—TV, Internet, satellite and print media--we are all witnesses to the killing and maiming of hundreds of people in the Middle East; they are now in the midst of toppling down their despotic rulers.

While this violence is going on in that part of the world, our kababayan in the Philippines have been busily commemorating the EDSA People Power revolution, celebrating their success in kicking out a former dictator, thereby restoring democracy and freedom in the country.

But how should true Christians view and react to this world’s political turmoil: should they get involved not only by expressing their solidarity to these demonstrators but also actively joining their struggle to oust their oppressive leaders?

Well, the bottom line is, could we really bring about lasting solutions to mankind’s problems such as poverty, hunger, diseases, unemployment, injustice and corruption by joining these protest actions, even if we have been successful in removing from their lofty posts these wicked rulers, would that be enough to make this world a better place to live in?

Look at our own experience at EDSA uprising, after we have ousted former President Marcos, the aged-old problems of poverty, unemployment; violence, pollution, injustice and oppressions are still very much prevalent at present. Despite the leadership of these people-- Ferdinand Marcos, Cory Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo—in running the affairs of the state in a span of many years, still majority of our people have not felt any meaningful changes in their lives; most of them are still poor, victims of injustice and corruption, unemployed, and millions of them have to seek overseas jobs in order to survive.

These problems are unsolvable; no political leader can ever hope to address these difficulties, it’s beyond humankind to find solutions to these dilemmas.

Even in some countries, let’s say the Islamic Revolution in 1979 in Iran, the ouster of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, the recent defeat of the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, the downfall of the so-called The Gang of Four in China, the change of leadership in these countries has not wiped out the poverty, corruption, injustice and other woes plaguing their peoples.

In the December 10 issue of the Watchtower magazine, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses, an article entitled Reap Blessings Through God’s Spirit-Guided King, it says “ In a world that is in chaos politically, socially and environmentally, how can the human race sustain another 100 years?’ That is what astrophysicist Stephen Hawking asked in 2006. An article in the journal New Statesman observed: ‘We have not abolished poverty or constructed world peace. On the contrary, we seem to have achieved exactly the opposite. It is not as though we haven’t tried. ? We have tried everything from communism to pure market; from the League of Nations to nuclear deterrence. We have fought too many wars to end war to believe that we know how to end war.”

Let’s see what the God’s Word, the Bible, is telling us why we as imperfect humans don’t have the right and capability to govern ourselves, in Jeremiah 10:23, it says that “I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.”

But, of course, there are some sincere leaders who would really want to effect changes in the world today, but their efforts are doomed to fail because of this truism that.... the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one”. Satan the Devil is the ruler of this world, he’s “the god of this system of things.” (1 John 5:19 and 2 Cor. 4:4)

Jesus lived at the time when the Jews were living under the tyranny of the Roman Empire. But, he never encouraged his followers to march in protest or become politically involved. Her repeatedly said that his disciples were “no part of the world.” (John 5:19).

When the authorities arrested him, he did not stir up his followers to stage protest actions, which he could have done so if he had decided to. But instead, he told the Roman governor “ My kingdom is no part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be delivered up to the Jews. But, as it is, my kingdom is not from this source.” (John 18:33-36.

So as followers of Christ, we should remain politically neutral and we should maintain our conduct fine among the nations and to remain subject to human governments even if those in authorities are hard to please and unreasonable (1 Peter 2:12,13 and 18).

But instead of being active politically, as true Christians, our main focus should be the preaching of the good news about God’s Kingdom, the Kingdom government which Jesus taught his followers to pray (Mat.6: 10; 24:14) And this Kingdom government will destroy all the world’s wicked governments and it will bring about lasting solutions to mankind’s problems. (Daniel 2:44)