1 Samuel 8:4-7 - 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him,
"Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now
appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations." 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to
Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for
they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king
over them.
1 Samuel 9:2 - And he had a son whose name was Saul, a
handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more
handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of
the people.
Election campaign season is now truly upon us in all of its glory, and I can hardly wait to be wowed by both of our party candidates! Do you hear the obvious sarcasm and cynicism in my words? I am already fed up with the last year, so I cannot even begin to imagine what's to come.
I am not impressed in the least with either John McCain, or Barack Obama. Though many would say I would be throwing away a good vote, it is quite possible that this year I will actually vote for a third party candidate. It would not be the first time I have done so, but I am not encouraged at all with either of these two front runners.
What has happened to the American people when as is typical, we choose to vote for and get excited about IMAGE over SUBSTANCE? Barack Obama is exciting people with his rock-star persona, and his preacher like public rallies. His calls for "change" have become cannon fodder for comedians, but his voting record seems to be largely overlooked by most. He has the most LIBERAL voting record in all of the Senate, including Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton! The "right" to kill babies in the womb, and the Nanny State are central to his political ideology. I know that is blunt, but that is the truth. Barack wants the government to take care of you. In fact, he insists on it! You need help with your life from someone other than God, and Uncle Sam/Barack is the man.
Unfortunately, the call for a king who makes us feel good about ourselves is as real today as ever. Barack reminds me of the Biblical texts that I have quoted above. It seems that Saul's main credentials for leadership included striking good looks and being taller than anyone else! Sounds like the way Americans elect their public officials! Barack even has one more electable quality that Saul lacked. He can give a good speech.
The fact that Senator Obama is African American is getting many people excited too. I don't care what color a man's skin is, or what brand of hyphenated American he is as long as his policies are acceptable. My beef with Barack is just that. His policies will hurt America and its people horribly. Ethnicity is no reason in and of itself to elect anyone.
At least if Barack gets elected, we can feel good about the way our President looks and carries himself. Those who have hated the George Bush swagger, and his appalling use of the English language will finally get some relief!
John McCain seems to be a good guy with a distinguished military record, and many years of service on his
side. But John McCain is a politician through and through. He will do and say what it takes to court the right, the left and the middle, and get elected. Then, he will do what the heck he wants to. He is that kind of guy. Who does he really represent? In a way, I think that could be a good quality, but, I find myself still trying to figure him out.
Senator McCain is an insider if ever there was one. Yes, at times he has been kind of a maverick, but not with policy decisions that have brought great change to the political process or government in general. He seems pretty slippery to me. I realize this is all pretty subjective and personal, but I base my thoughts upon policy and history, not just some feelings I have about his energy, looks, or his commitment to "change."
One last thing, while I'm at it. I am fed up with parties, and labels as well. I am not a right wing conservative evangelical freak. I am not the so-called "Christian Right." I am now an Independent who is going to work hard to vote my conscience, and not some affiliation. I don't want the government in all my business, and I don't want a nanny state OR corporate welfare. I think both John McCain and Barack Obama are too ingrained with the typical Republican and Democratic Party disease to do much to really help or change America. Band Aids will no longer work. We need major surgery! SO HELP US GOD!!!
Anyway, there you have it. The most political I have been in a post in a long time. May God have mercy upon us and not give us the leaders we deserve, but the leaders we need!
This is one of the most difficult elections I can remember (as far as voting goes). Cassia is so troubled, this is her first year as a voice at the polls. She has said several times, "I don't know who to vote for." We read World, and some other blogs and online mags, but are so unsettled.
ReplyDeleteNo, we are not considering voting for Obama, but McCain doesn't flip my flapjacks either.
*sigh*
Doug, it's so great to have you back someplace where I can at least interact occasionally. I value your wisdom tremendously. This blog is simply another example of why.
ReplyDeleteDoug,
ReplyDeleteI may not have a lot of fancy bible verses to add to this comment but what I do have is a heart. A heart that breaks when I hear about all of the pain and suffering that goes on in our world today and I have a heart that has been broken and a heart that has been restored by a relationship with Jesus Christ.
But I, unlike youself, have hope for America.I believe that Mr. Obama will provide a voice for the change that America needs. I am sorry that you do not see that. I agree that band-aids won't work anymore. For the issues of today we do need surgery but in order to prevent the need for more surgeries in the future we need to address the reasons we have the wounds in the first place.....
There are many issues at stake with this election, So I would like to hear what you think we should do about these issues. Because as much as you would like to turn away from this election the issues will still exist. I believe as a follower of Jesus Christ I must address these issues head-on.
Someone once said that poverty is the cancer on our society, and abortion is one of the symptoms. Would you agree? Trying to address this symptom without treating the underlying problem is like putting a Band-Aid on cancer. Right? So why are the majority of women having abortions? Why are young women and teens looking for love in all the wrong places?
Sexual activity among teens is directly connected to an inability for their parents/caretakers to communicate love to them properly in a way that they understand. So how to we educate the parents? How do we give them the tools that they need to overcome their wounds so that they do not pass the infections on to the next generation? How do we educate the young girls to be confident, loving women?
Economic instability (poverty) in America is another major factor for the decision many choose abortion, right? So is it possible that if families were strengthened and supported the pregnancy rate would drop?
So how do we go about strengthening/supporting the family? How do we provide a way out of poverty? How do we provide work for the unemployed? How do we educate young men and women who grow up in brokenness and poverty? How do we offer hope to them? How can we be a light in their darkness???
I don't expect any candidate to be perfect. In fact, my theological beliefs tell me that I will always be choosing between the lesser of two evils - or more positively put, the better of two less-than-perfects. The fact that candidates are willing to endure the hard work, the media scrutiny, the pressure, the responsibility - of both the election and the office - can be seen a sign of something good. After all, if all a candidate cared about was personal peace, personal comfort, or personal wealth, there are a lot better ways to get ahead. So rather than say, "I don't think either candidate is good enough for my vote," I'm more prone to say, "Thank God that people are willing to run at all, and thank God that we have two candidates as good as the ones we have." We could be choosing between Mugabe and Mugabe.
ReplyDeleteI believe there is much to protest in our current system. But noninvolvement, it seems to me, generally empowers those who are in control. So non-voting becomes a kind of passive vote for the people in power.
It is a mistake to think that electing the better of two candidates necessarily guarantees things will get better. (Electing the worse of two candidates, however, can definitely make things worse!) I've lived in the DC area most of my life, and it's clear to me from where I live that there are powerful forces that resist the leadership of every new president - political and economic lobbies, bureaucratic and institutional inertia, plus the frightening ever-present momentum of the military-industrial complex. I agree 100% with my friend Jim Wallis who says that what changes society is not just elections, but the wise and ongoing pressure of social movements on elected officials. Politicians are always checking the wind, Jim says - and our job, through social movements, is to change the wind. And I also agree 100% with my friends Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw who remind us as followers of Jesus that we don't elect our ultimate commander-in-chief. Rather, we discover that he has elected us to join him in his mission. In that light, I believe our vote must ultimately seek to express our fidelity to his good news - which is (according to Luke) good news for all people, and especially good news for the poor.
Rosemary and other readers,
ReplyDeleteWow, good stuff Rosemary! I enjoyed Brian McLaren's article too. It captured much that I agree with, though I'm sure Brian and I would have different priorities in what real change looks like. Social movements are very necessary in a system like ours. After all, our Constitution begins with the words, "WE THE PEOPLE..."
First of all, I truly apologize for communicating the idea that I do not have any hope for America. I have much hope for this nation. I am not like many Christians today, convinced that the end is at hand.
However, my hope is not in the two main candidates running for office. As I told you at the lake, I am happy for you that you are passionate about the political process, and Obama's campaign, but I could never vote for him. That is my opinion, based upon my view of what the Scripture teaches.
The other issues you bring up, though valid, are too deep, complex, and debatable to address in this blog or this comment section. Suffice it to say that I am on the polar opposite of you when it comes to the reasons behind abortion, and the so-called link to poverty.
Go do your homework on abortion and you will see that the overwhelming reason for it is not poverty, but convenience. Yes, many poor, minority women have abortions, but the middle class is also quite well represented.
As far as teaching parents etc..., and all of the other things that "we" have to do, who is "we?" "We", (Government Programs) have been doing these things for the last 50 years with the most well financed educational system in the history of the human race, and the problem has grown worse.
Starting with FDR'S "NEW DEAL", AND LJB'S "GREAT SOCIETY", the government in this country has taken on a bigger and bigger role in the education of our children, and has become more intrusive in the lives of its citizenry. Our Founding Fathers warned of such things, and they were right.
In some ways, the Government has taken from parents their role to parent and replaced it with 6-8 hours a day of school-house parenting. The church has also had its role largely stripped away within society, due to its own failures and Government intrusion.
We must address all of the very complex issues our country is facing, but the answer is not more of Uncle Sam. I know I sound so typically conservative here, but I believe I have history solidly on my side.
That is why neither the Republican or Democratic Parties offer much hope for change. They both cater to special interests, big money, and the disease of self-service. Enough said for now.
Doug
Doug, another great post. We ARE in need of major surgery! Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, and I've been wondering for some time now if America can any longer say, "Our God is the Lord."
ReplyDeleteRosemary,
How do we provide a way out of poverty?
Answer: Make personal decisions and take full responsibility for your own life.
If I followed the path of the majority of my 'poverty' neighbors growing up...I'd be out there smoking dope, selling dope, and working for minimum wage alongside them.
But I didn't, nor did my brothers, and many others willing to finish their education (even if it is only High School), not commit crimes, and realize life is what you make it.
Stop having sex before marriage, stop relying on the govt. to provide for your every need, and don't be afraid to sweat. Ya, you might have to flip burgers for starters, or dig ditches, or shovel cow manure, or AAAAAAA ... join the Military and serve your country, but you can make it.
There's always a choice.
These gals having five different children, with five different fathers, don't need our help...they need to take responsibility for their own actions and stop making poor choices.
But it's oftentimes easier to keep having these 'anchor babies' because it means another 500-600 dollars from Good 'Ol Uncle Sam every month. And when they have enough of them, it's just as easy to ABORT and they don't have to change their lifestyle one bit.
Not much of an inconvenience when society is telling them sex is free, it's perfectly normal and okay, it's not murder, it's completely acceptable and 'empowering'.
Americans were taking care of the poor, homeless, and needy long before Welfare, Food Stamps, WIC, Unemployment, etc ever existed. And we quickly became one of the most prosperous nations on earth.
We don't need more taxes, handouts, and govt. assistance. We need more PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. If a (man) doesn't work, he shouldn't eat.
I think psychologists call it 'co-dependency' when someone else 'enables' another to continue in their lifestyle of poor decisions. Likewise, if people can do whatever they want, stay lazy, and satisfy their every desire without consequences or worries of eating, having housing, etc...than why would they change.
They get free healthcare, free food, dang near free housing, have a t.v. in every room, three cars in the driveway, and 'disabiltiy' pay because of their ADD and/or 'bi-polar' sickness/disease, so all of their 'basics' are handed to them....thanks to the tax dollars from the rest of us who actually WORK for a living.
Yes, "pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our Lord is to visit the orphan and widow in their distress," but we shouldn't, "cast our pearls before swine," either. I think we should be helping others....but only so much. At some point they too have to help themselves.