a king and a kingdom

The X-Files and Politics (Another Rare Soapbox Blog)

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

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The longer I live, the more I think that The X-Files got it right. I do believe that there is a shadow government that’s really running the show while the used-car salesman/carnival barkers/limelight politicians are a diversionary tactic to keep the public from paying attention to the REAL deals going down.

Sometimes, it seems like a vastly elaborate magic trick, where the misdirection involves Republicans yelling at Democrats (or visa versa) while the other hand sneaks the hidden eight of clubs from inside the shirt sleeve. I wonder if those same politicians meet up at a bar and laugh into their beers about how most of their audiences really bought their schmaltz.

I guess that makes me a conspiratorist. Or a conspiracy-buff. Whatever.

I do think it’s interesting how the majority of people who profess their tolerance loudest of all are the quickest to vilify, libel, and slander anyone who offers a differing viewpoint or worldview, i.e. anyone who disagrees with me is automatically a racist, an elitist, a traitor, a homophobe, a misogynist, a hate-monger, and an inbred redneck (or a drugged-out hippie). It’s interesting to me that for most, if someone has a different political philosophy, then that person must be either an imbecile or evil incarnate, or some combination of the two.

I wonder sometimes if we actually stopped haranguing and started actually dialoguing (with actual listening involved), we might find that we’re not so far apart after all. Maybe we’d find the other side actually makes sense.

I personally have chosen not to pledge my ultimate allegiance to a President and a country, but to a King and a Kingdom (with thanks to Derek Webb for the imagery). I know that 1,000 years from now, after so many campaigns and elections, no one will remember who was the 49th President, but Jesus will still be king.

That’s where my hope lies.

awake

Thoughts on The Hunger Games

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / 4 Comments

I saw The Hunger Games last night. I believe that leaves two people on the planet who have not seen the movie. I am a bit behind on these things, but eventually I figure them out. One day I may tackle this whole “world wide inter-web” thing.

The premise is that there is a country called Panem with 12 districts. Once, these districts rebelled and were summarily squashed. As punishment, each district must send two tributes, one male and female, each between 12-18 years old, to fight to the death until only one remains.

I was reminded again how foolish it is to trade freedom for security. To trade inalienable rights for immediate needs. Kinda like when Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup.

When we give any government enough power to give us everything we want, we also risk that same government taking away everything we have. In exchange, we get told how to raise our children and how to run our businesses.

This is not about how one political party is right and the other wrong. This is about keeping your eyes wide open to what’s going on around you. To getting the facts before you jump to conclusions. To making informed choices at the voting booth.

The Bible tells us to be innocent as doves and wise as serpants, to know the times, and to trust not human beings, but only God.

Ultimately, we as believers can’t forget that our hope is not in a President or Congress or a revamped judicial system or new Supreme Court justices, but in a King and a Kingdom.

We’re not called to take back a country, but to help usher in a new kingdom– the Kingdom of God that will never end and will see wrongs made right and justice prevailing at last.

I love that in the movie what ultimately wins is being willing to lay down your life for another. After all, greater love has no man than he is willing to lay down his life for his friends.

That reminds me of another story. The greatest story ever told.