In IKEA we trust

The church in Sweden has a trust problem -- one that the furniture giant, IKEA, does not share. According to a poll taken by the business weekly Dagens Industri, 80 percent of Swedes said they had "much or very much trust" in the world's largest furniture store chain. Only 46 percent of the 800 people surveyed said they trusted the Swedish church, which counts 80 percent of those living in Sweden as members.

Also considered more trustworthy than the church were Volvo, Ericsson, Saab, pharmaceutical giant Astra Zeneca, Sweden's public television station, its universities, small business, the central bank and the daily paper Dagens Nyheter. In fact, the Swedish church came in 14th, only faring better than the prime minister's conservative party and foreign companies like Coca-Cola.

Much of their problem lies with the church being a state-sponsored, state-run church. This should be a warning to Conservative Evangelicals to not get trapped in either of the two extremes.

We should not be isolationists, avoiding the government and policy decisions completely. However, neither should we be campaigning for a "Christian government." That never works out for either side. Usually, the Church is the biggest loser as principles and commitments are compromised for power and control.

Comments

[seeker]

However, neither should we be campaigning for a "Christian government."

I don't think even the most conservative "reconstructionists" want this. Note American Vision's statement:

I don’t know anyone today who is calling for “a stronger union of church and state.” Christians believe in a jurisdictional separation between church and state, an issue that is not the point of the First Amendment. The First Amendment dealt with the constitutional relationship between the newly constructed national government and the states. Contrary to Martin’s claim, history is clear on this.

It’s also clear that there was no attempt to wall off religious precepts from political consideration. The history on this is abundantly clear.

[Aaron]

There are some. A group, I can't think of their name, has come to SC, my state, with the purpose of voting in Christians and seperating from the union as an individual nation.

[Louis]

whatsername, the recent Republican senatorial candidate from Florida, said that non-xians shouldn't be voted into Congress because they would vote for sin.

And, frankly, I just don't believe evangelicals and fundamentalists when they say they don't want a convergence of xianity and civil gov't. At the very least, they want a de facto xian gov't, with their principles and superstitions enacted into law.

[Cineaste]

I agree with Louis.

[Aaron]

Katherine Harris, may be the name you are looking for Louis. I had not heard that quote, so I don't know for sure, but that honestly wouldn't surprise me. She has said some outright stupid things.

Every group of people want their values reflect in the government. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is forcing a religion that is the problem.