Saturday, May 17, 1997

March organizer goes too far in 'claiming our city for Christ'

By Tom Schaefer / Knight-Ridder Newspapers

I really don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but I have a slight problem with today's (May 17) March for Jesus in Wichita.

Actually, Wichita is just one of hundreds of U.S. cities expected to participate today (May 17) in this 10-year-old observance. And cities and towns in more than 100 other nations are supposed to have their own festive events in which they, too, will pray for their political leaders and praise Jesus.

So what's wrong with that? For the most part, nothing. In this country, Christians are free to proclaim their faith in almost any setting. (We'll avoid the ticklish subject of religious expressions on government property.) They can espouse their beliefs publicly on billboards, bumper stickers, T-shirts, television, radio, hot air balloons, streamers behind Cessnas and, yes, banners in parades.

All of the above and more are perfectly legal, if appropriate laws and regulations are observed. And I join the marchers in praising the One who is gracious and merciful and abounds in steadfast love.

My problem is with a statement by an organizer of the Wichita event: "We are claiming our city for Christ," she said, referring to a spiritual rather than political takeover. And it's that aspect of the parade I cannot endorse.

"Claiming" a city or nation for one's religion has had an unholy history that I don't want to see repeated. Romans, for example, demanded obeisance to their pseudo-divine Caesars from first-century Christians. Crusaders in the Middle Ages extended a hand of faith to non-Christians, while wielding a sword in the other hand - should the invitee refuse to convert.

Today, theocratic states such as Iran persecute Baha'is who refuse to renounce their faith. Orthodox Christian Serbs have carried out a policy of genocide in Bosnia to "cleanse" the nation of Muslims. Hindus and Muslims clash in India with deadly frequency. Catholics and Protestants enjoy an uneasy peace in Northern Ireland till the next terrorist act occurs.

And the list goes on.

The fact is, claiming a nation or a city for a specific faith and supposedly for civil peace to reign rarely accomplishes the desired outcome and often results in incivility or outright violence.

A rabbi in this country once said: "When I hear the term 'Christian America,' I see barbed wire." An exaggerated fear? Let's resolve that it remain so. But history doesn't provide many positive examples of a government-imposed faith benignly ruling a citizenry that includes people of other faiths.

Christianity is at its best when its followers live their faith for others in families, churches, schools, workplaces and social settings rather than use their faith to rule over others. There, in everyday settings, words of hope and forgiveness can be offered to those who express a need for redemption and renewal. There, simple deeds of caring can be shown even to the so-called undeserving.

Such behavior isn't often flashy or exciting; television cameras usually don't capture these quieter moments of compassion. When faith works the way God intended, one person "imitates" Christ to another, providing an example to follow.

To be fair, I assume that most who will participate in the parade want simply to offer praise to God and prayers for our civil authorities. And that's well and good.

But a march that promotes "claiming our city for Christ," even if the intent is non-threatening, runs too great a risk of turning off the very ones who should be enticed by a message of faith.

Therefore, count me out of today's parade. Nothing personal, mind you. No hard feelings toward those who will be marching. It's just that, with this parade of believers, I'm simply not in step.

Tom Schaefer writes about religion and ethics for the Wichita (Kan.) Eagle. Write to him at the Wichita Eagle, P.O. Box 820, Wichita, KS 67201.)

(c) 1997, The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kan.).

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