It's been a long time.
Okay I haven't posted anything since July which means two things. I haven't cared enough to write anything, and its okay because nobody is really reading this anyway. Now all that being said I will try to be more consistent in my blogging.
I thought I would start off today with a little politics (being the political animal I am) not partisan but political. If our politics comes form Jesus Christ then we realize that Jesus had a pretty clear set of standards on what he thought society or the Kingdom of Heaven should be. As we approach this election how are we applying all the standards that Jesus set forward in candidates? I would argue that these go beyond the easy morals we tend to break these arguments down to, and our focus should be more on the least and the lost. Matthew 25 gives us a clear example of who are neighbors are and how we are to relate to them.
Second, if we cling to the truth, and knowing that the truth will set us free, why are we as Christians not outraged once again of the tactics of candidates. I'm borrowing from Theologian Marva Dawn who spoke at a seminar 4 years ago and asked that same question. She basically siad and I'm paraphrasing "When campaigns are based on lies and we know that they in fact are lies why do we tolerate it as Christians?"
A good point. So I leave with this. What are Jesus standards, and how do any of our Candidates from the top on down live up to them?
1 comment:
Hey, Steve! Lest you think you are alone "out here"...
My thoughts are 2...all I have time or energy for at the moment...
1) I don't know that I'd say "lies" but more "hooks" that catch our wishes and hopes -- some folks do follow through on what they say they'll do in the election phase after all and
2) We should also be looking at how the folks the candidates surround themselves behave; in the case of GWB, the people around him were/are also a concern (sometimes bigger concern).
Politics and religion can work/go together, I think. I have always had a hard time understanding how modern-day Republicans can also be "new day" Christians because they seem so self-focused and selfish -- completely anti- what we are asked to be when asked to "do for the least of these." But, then again, I tend to see only small pieces of things (a result of my rose-colored glasses).
So, where to go from here? Be educated, be kind, speak up for those who don't have a voice, have expectations for behavior, put your foot down? Sometimes it feels like things are so screwed up, it is impossible to know where to start. I suppose that's where the hope comes in...because we hope that the next person through the door, sitting at that desk, will have the "magic" whatever to fix it all so that things will go back to "the way they were" and we won't have to worry about it any more. Maybe. I could be making some big presumptions here. So, that's why I say not lies but hopes...people buy into hopes because they want someone to sell them a fix for the mess so they don't have to feel so overwhelmed by it anymore.
Anyway, my 2 cents...politics is in the air and everyone has an opinion.
Check out Newsweek's website when you have a chance to read on the book "The Shack" when you have a chance...I'd be interested to see what you think. I haven't read it yet...Dad's waiting to get it from the library.
See ya!
--Lesley.
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