Before discussing how my participation in Indonesian politics can be evaluated through the lenses of the Christian Worldview, it is important to mention that the latter is not a fixed set of rules. Indeed, Bible is quite open to various interpretations, and therefore there is no unity in opinion on whether and how an individual should participate in political life. Some Christians consider that direct involvement in politics, including voting, is unnecessary as everything happens according to God’s will, and such behavior even can be harmful. On the contrary, other Christians maintain that participation in politics is crucial as it fulfills the teachings of Jesus Christ. Yet, there are still some commonly accepted notions associated with Christian Worldview, and, as such, my political participation will be analyzed in that clue.
One of the central commandments of the New Testament is love towards one’s neighbor. In this regard, my political participation can be viewed from this perspective as I think that the love towards others manifests itself in active participation in social life, which is inherently connected to politics. For instance, I often demonstrate my protest – either physically or on the internet – against some authorities’ actions that violate the country’s laws or my countrymates’ human rights. I think that such an open expression of one’s disapproval signals the government that they did something wrong. As a result, if many people express their opinion, authorities will be less likely to repeat unjust actions in the future, which ultimately benefit all the citizens. Therefore, my open protest helps to ensure not only my safety and dignity but also those of my ‘neighbors’, which in some sense can be considered an expression of love.
Another example of my political participation, which is in line with the Christian Worldview, is that I try not to make an idol for myself. It is related to my support and voting for certain political candidates. I understand that nowadays, the media has great power to portray political leaders as ‘all good and all-powerful. For this reason, I try to support the candidates for their actions and avoid idealizing them. I am aware that if the latter occurs, it stops me from adequately analyzing the candidate’s programs and thus making decisions that would benefit my country and its people the most.