I don’t think that involvement in politics per se is the issue, but rather when the message of Christ is dilluted or twisted in order to provide for political expediency that it becomes a problem.
Both of the examples you provide are good and right, but if the pastors who lead that charge stop preaching the gospel in order to accomodate resulting celebrity then they have lost focus.

We should be involved in politics only insofar as condemning that which is wrong and leave the smearing to the low-lifes like Rush and Hannity.
For instance, we should be campaigning night and day to close Guantanamo and cease all torture, as an absolute position, regardless of anything else. We should be appalled that the the president, a self-professed man of great faith in Jesus’ teachings, is now resorting to semantic arguments to say that he does not condone torture. It’s as preposterous as it was to listen to Clinton question the definition of “is”, except this is deadly serious stuff now.
Giuliani — scum. If you’re a christian and seriously considering voting for this man, I think you need to re-examine your priorities. Huckabee is only one I’d vote for and if he’s not on the ballot come the general election, I am staying home. Period.

We should be involved in politics only insofar as condemning that which is wrong and leave the smearing to the low-lifes like Rush and Hannity.
For instance, we should be campaigning night and day to close Guantanamo and cease all torture, as an absolute position, regardless of anything else. We should be appalled that the the president, a self-professed man of great faith in Jesus’ teachings, is now resorting to semantic arguments to say that he does not condone torture. It’s as preposterous as it was to listen to Clinton question the definition of “is”, except this is deadly serious stuff now.
Giuliani.. if you’re a christian and seriously considering voting for this man, I think you need to re-examine your priorities. Huckabee is only one I’d vote for and if he’s not on the ballot come the general election, I am staying home. Period.

The paradox of good people – seemingly separate – being one with the oppressed is what happened at Selma. MLK had marched once and been set upon by dogs and firehoses. He telegraphed hundreds of priests, ministers and rabbis asking them to come. As they marched that second day – in the front row with MLK was one full habited sister – A CSJ from St. Louis. Rabbis, priests, ministers and nuns were there and when the sheriff called out to unleash the dogs and turn on the firehoses – it did not happen. What prevented it? Was it because no one wanted to turn a firehose on a nun? Was it the awakening conversion in those deputies? It is the sort of thing for which Jesus was condemned. Talking about those Samaritans like they were real people – healing those who were not even to be noticed.
In churches the discussion – avoided and ignored for so long – had to occur. It had to happen in churches because churches ask us to be part of the conversion experience.
Peace – another issue – religious or political? Abortion – religious or political? Now there are the communion police as one archbishop directs those who give communion to withhold it from those who the communion minister suspects might be “for” choice.
Religion is part of the process of being human. Politics is also part of that process. They intertwine because we are human beings. If we were machines, perhaps – we could pull them apart.
Pastors should not direct voting, recommend candidates, but should be part of the conversion process. It is not a moment of finding Jesus – it is a lifetime of being changed by the Word of God.

Concerning question 1, why didn’t Jesus lead demonstrations against the oppressive Roman occupation of His day? He didn’t because His mission wasn’t that of being a political leader.
Concerning question #2: I think Dr. King’s marches were very praiseworthy, but my altruism is tempered with cynicism. In my opinion, it wasn’t Dr. King’s peaceful marches that helped end segregation and racist treatment of blacks. It was riots, menacing groups like the Black Panthers, and threats of violence. When these menacing groups showed that they were more threatening than the KKK that’s when things changed. Like I said, I’m a bit of a cynic.

An unfinished thought: When people of faith get involved in politics it should be for the purpose of attacking worldly power, not establishing it.

Aren’t basic human rights different from partisan politics per se?
I don’t recall MLK ever calling himself a Democrat or Republican (even though he was probably to the left of anyone on the conventional political spectrum in the 1960s).
Indeed, both the Democrats and GOP claim King’s legacy today. Whether they SHOULD is, perhaps, closer to the crux of your dilemma.

Christian Pastors are not doiing enough for political effectiveness.
Since it was the Republicans that led from ending slavery by means of war, to bring peace to Africans living in slavery in America, obviously the GOP is connected TO Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream, “yet” to be made a reality. We still need to end the incredible violence IN the African-America community of one African-American killing another African-American.
When listening to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, they have substance and facts in their political responses and not the mocking and laughing ad hominem style attacks from the Liberals at Air America and Kieth Olberman types.
We should be campaigning day and night FROM our pulpits to END Muslim’s torturing and murdering anyone not following Islam. The prisoners at Guantanamo are not being added to daily by means of kidnapping and suicide bombngs. In fact ALL of the prisoners at Guantanamo are people engaged in vioelnce against innocent people. Jihadists kill or subjugate anyone that does not follow Islamic law.
Let us start our political perspective with right versus wrong.
That would entail ridding our Churches of Liberal and Progressive ideology that has altered or eliminated the definition of right and wrong, to allow the most evil people to be excused away, and for those seeking justice and civility to be now labled as bad guys.

This is eery how much it is relevant today.
Here is an ancient example of a Christian (a Roman citizen) opposing the “politics” and “culture” of his day:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing to be wise, they became fools,
and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,
slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
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That was written almost 2000-years ago. Sounds just like what you hear from the “Right Wing” in opposition to the the “Left Wing” of the political spectrum in 2007.
In “real” Christianity there is consistency.

My view is this – individuals (both pastors and laypeople) should do as they feel God would have them to do. To tell anyone what they should do for God is wrong, IMO. That is between them and God.
MLK was an imperfect man who allowed himself to be used by God for the greater good. So did Oskar Schindler and numerious men and women we never even knew of.
I don’t think we are suppose to do things for God – I believe we are to let God work through us. It’s not about us or how wonderful we are or ‘oh look! I’m such a godly person’. That’s hubris.’
Look at King David, Oskar Schindler, Winston Churchill, Abe Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Elizabeth I, heck Angelina Jolie. God has always used the ones with the largest flaws, the greatest sins – the ones most self-proclaimed Christians would have condemed – to produce the most good.
We don’t work for God, God works through us.
My 2 cents worth

“Let us start our political perspective with right versus wrong.”
Because right is right and left is wrong, “right,” Donny?
Meanwhile, isn’t that what our intrepid blogger is saying is exactly what is, well, wrong with both American politics and religion?

Yes I will march. Marching is like prophecying, but to use the name of God for political gain or status is another thing. Anyway, God God is not the only way according to the gospel. Check john 5:15 to 40. You will understand the bible properly.