The Party Line

I know I listen to too much talk radio. It's like having someone else go to the gym for me. But that's another subject.

A couple of days ago I was listening to Rush. One caller, a soldier who spent time in Iraq as a medic, was telling Rush how he "converted" a fellow soldier from being a liberal (i.e., Democrat) to being a conservative (i.e., Right). Rush saluted the guy for "doing the Lord's work over there."

That doesn't really bother me; I expect that from Rush. What gets under my skin is the idea it communicates to those already antagonistic to the message of Jesus: Christian = Republican = political power.

But, are we, those who claim to follow Jesus, that much different from the Ditto Heads? For the most part, those who call themselves Republicans (or Democrats) identify themselves by the votes they cast.

Does my identity come from casting a vote for Jesus and then learning to talk the party line? Listening to the "right" radio stations? Does it mean being right and showing how the other guy is wrong?

And what is it that I belong to as a follower of Jesus? Is it all about majority rule? Am I beholden to an ideology? Is the church really and practically that much different from a political party? I sure hope so, but I'm thinking there's too much confusion between the two.