politics

Words to Live By

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“As a prisoner of the Lord, I urge you: Live a life that is worthy of the calling He has graciously extended to you. Be humble. Be gentle. Be patient. Tolerate one another in an atmosphere thick with love. Make every effort to preserve the unity the Spirit has already created, with peace binding you together. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were all called to pursue one hope. There is one Lord Jesus, one living faith, one ceremonial washing through baptism, and one God—the Father over all who is above all, through all, and in all” (Ephesians 4:1-6, The Voice)

Note: In regard to preserving the unity, it doesn’t say, “make an effort if you feel like it” or “try it if the mood strikes you.” It says “make every effort.”

That means “do everything with in your power so far as it depends on you to preserve the unity the Spirit has already created.

It seems lately, American believers (I can’t speak for any other believers) have done a poor job of fighting for unity rather than fighting with each other and tarnishing the name of Jesus in the process.

Regardless of who wins the election, our allegiance will still be first and foremost to Jesus. It will do us no good if we win the political arguments and lose the relationships with those who desperately need to hear the good news of the gospel.

It gets harder and harder to remember that our real battle isn’t against flesh and blood but against the evil spiritual forces behind the scenes. Maybe what you need to do instead of bashing the politician is pray for them.

Don’t lose friendships over differing political views. That degrades democracy and free thinking (and yes, I completely stole that one from a post I saw on Facebook).

Remember most of all that you gain far more by loving someone well than by winning an argument. Jesus showed the best way of all when He laid down His life for His friends (and for His enemies as well). I’d like to see more of that this election season.

 

Don’t Panic

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“Don’t panic. I’m with you.
There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.
I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you.
I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you” (Isaiah 41:10).

There’s a wonderful series of books called The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, in which all sorts of sci-fi shenanigans occur and in which one electronic book features prominently, the book after which the series is named, On the cover in big friendly letters are the words “Don’t Panic!”

I think that’s very good advice for these uncertain days.

No matter which way you lean politically, the end is not nigh if the opposition wins. America is not done for if “they” win.

No matter how out of control you feel right now, despair will not have the last word.

No matter how much you avoid looking in the mirror because you detest the image looking back, those voices in your head will not have the last word.

God will have the last word. Jesus already had the last words when He cried out on the cross: “It is finished!”

For those who have clung to the cross as their last desperate hope, victory is the final word. Peace is the final word. Joy is the final word.

I have read the last word of the last page of the Great Story. It is Amen. The Bible ends with the promise that the final victory is for all those who will simply drop their pretenses and come.

That’s the invitation. Come to Jesus just as you are, not after you’ve cleaned yourself up and pulled yourself up by your own bootstraps and vastly improved your morality. Just come, you and your scars and regrets and shame. He will never cast out anyone who comes to Him in earnest faith.

 

 

State of Affairs

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I’m offering up an additional candidate for President of the United States of America– my cat Lucy. I think she’s as qualified and fit to lead the country as either of the two major party candidates.

I continue to see how people are hypersensitive to the faults of the opposing candidate and equally blind to the faults of their own candidate. The other side can’t merely be wrong. They must also be stupid and evil. There can be no dialogue and no understanding between the two sides, according to this so-called logic.

I also continue to see how people justify character assassination and hate in the name of politics. After all, the other side really isn’t human, is it? They have no feelings with which to hurt, right?

Too many people still believe that there are political answers to spiritual questions and that laws and policies can fill the God-shaped hole in each of us.

Contrary to popular opinion, the world will not come to a screeching halt on November 9, regardless of who wins. As I’ve mentioned before, we are electing a President, not a Savior. That position remains filled and will be so long after last President leaves office.

Our battle as believers is still not against flesh and blood, against the liberals (or conservatives) and the Democrats (or Republicans). It is against spiritual forces in the heavenly places. That remains true.

So think before you take a jab at a candidate or those who support him or her. Remember that in the Kingdom of Heaven, love is the currency we spend and the language we speak. Hate does not become us.

By the way, my cat Lucy’s platform is More Naps for Everyone. It’s something I fully endorse. She’s much less high-maintenance than either Clinton or Trump, plus she’s much cheaper on the economy. Vote for Lucy.

 

 

Be Nice

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I think I can safely go on record and declare that I am an Independent. I don’t drink the kool aid of either political party. I refuse to be blinded by ideology to the point where I can no longer see any flaws in the person who represents the “right” side.

That said, I have some advice, particularly for those of faith who are wading into political waters. Two words: be nice.

You can disagree with someone and still be friends. You can hold opposing viewpoints and still be civil. You can admit that maybe the other side isn’t evil and may have some valid arguments. You can hold your convictions with humility and reverence and remember that there’s always more than one perspective.

You gain nothing if you descend into throwing insults and defaming the character of the opposition’s candidate. That does nothing to address the issues and ailments of our society or to give aid to those in need.

Jesus said to love your enemies. He said to pray for them. He didn’t qualify that statement. He didn’t say “Treat them right only if they treat you right.” He didn’t say, “Pray for you enemies unless they insult you.”

Hopefully, you can support your candidate without making those who don’t your enemies. Still, you will have those who will vilify you anyway. You can still choose love.

At the end of the day, you don’t fight hate with more hate. You fight hate with love. Your weapon is the kind of love that led Jesus to the cross to die for sinners and enemies. It was a love that said, “Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Don’t compromise your convictions. Take a stand for your beliefs. Just don’t be a jerk about it. Do whatever you do out of love.

Politics, Shmolitics

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It’s not even November and I’m already tired of the Presidential election and politics in general. What I’ve seen so far this time around has left me more deeply committed than ever to being an Independent.

I see too many people who have drunk the kool aid of either the Republican or Democratic party. They demonize their opponents and dismiss anyone who wants to vote for the opposition to the point of being almost cartoonish.

I’ve seen both sides who have blinders on when it comes to any faults in their own candidate, yet at the same time are unwilling to give any credit to the opposing candidate.

Abba’s children are called to a higher standard. We know that we as a nation are electing a President and not a Savior. That position has already been filled.

We know that the problems we face are not political but spiritual in nature. These problems won’t go away, regardless of who wins the election.

I for one am thankful that not everyone is like me and that everyone else doesn’t think like I do. I know that getting outside of yourself and learning about different perspectives is a good and healthy thing.

My hope still lies not in a flag and a country but in a King and a Kingdom. I remember that in four years when we go through the whole election process to choose another President that Jesus will still be Lord and King.

Here endeth the soapbox blog post.

 

Your Own Echo

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Someone made a very astute comment on Facebook recently that has stuck with me. Basically, what he said was “how can you grow if all you ever hear is your own echo?”

He meant that how could you ever mature and learn if all you ever listened to and read were people who only expressed those views you agreed with? How could you continue to expand your horizons if you shut out any dissenting opinions and opposing viewpoints?

That’s a valid question.

If you want to grow, I think it’s good to occasionally read a book that you know you will disagree with. It’s good to listen to someone who espouses a different worldview than you. If you lean to the left politically, maybe read something or listen to a speech given by a conservative, and visa-versa.

You’ll probably get angry with what you read. But then you have to ask yourself why you’re angry. Is it that what the person is saying causes you to doubt your own viewpoints? Or maybe have you fallen into the trap of demonizing anyone who disagrees with your worldview?

You’ll know you’ve reached maturity when you can disagree with something or someone and still respect their arguments that are put forth in a civil manner. You can choose to see that people have the right to believe differently than you and that maybe if you had shared the same experiences you might have a similar viewpoint.

I’m still hoping that we can reach the point where we can sit down with our political opponents and talk through our issues rather than blasting each other from a distance and spouting hateful rhetoric and insults.

It’s best to take everyone else more seriously and take yourself a lot less seriously. Remember that there’s a lot yet that you don’t know, so keep an open-mind when it comes to people you disagree with. We could all learn something.

 

 

Maturity

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I’m laying (or is it lying) in bed, typing this as I listen to the rain pounding on the window. There’s something comforting to me about storms when I am safe indoors and not out driving in one.

I’ve been thinking about something quite a bit lately. In theory, we’re the most tolerant society, yet in practice we are anything but. We talk a good game about how we tolerate anything and everything, yet wait until someone disagrees with us or spouts a political view that is opposite to what we hold dear and see just how tolerant (or intolerant) we really are.

It’s about maturity. How do you react when you speak your opinions and someone contradicts or criticizes you? How do you take criticism?

Once again, I do not mean that you meekly abide under verbal or physical abuse. I do not mean that you allow someone to berate or insult you and not defend yourself.

I do mean someone who disagrees with your beliefs or convictions. How tolerant are you then?

I confess I don’t like criticism. I may not always show it, but I tend to be defensive and angry when I get told I’m wrong. A lot of people are that way.

Maturity means you don’t always have to agree 100% with criticism, but you can always find some nugget of wisdom there. You can always use the negative comments to spur change for the better within yourself.

It’s one thing to be steady in your convictions, beliefs, and actions, but it’s quite another to live outside of any accountability in a place where no one can ever correct you for a perceived mistake or unwise choice. You need at least one person whom you give the permission to speak into your life, even if that means they can tell you the truth about when you’re out of line.

Maybe we can get to the place where we can actually have an open dialogue and listen to what those on the other side of the debate are actually saying instead of the all-too-common haranguing, name-calling, and demonizing that characterizes much of what goes on in politics and society.

Maybe we can get to the place where we welcome dissenting voices that will challenge us to examine our own beliefs and convict us to live in such a way that our actions match our words.

God help us all.

My Occasional Political Soapbox Rant

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It feels like an extended full moon season the way people are acting. Actually, it’s just election season, and people have lost their ever-loving minds. In response, I broke from the norm and wrote a rare political rant. Here goes (deep breath):

Rant for the day: It seems to me as long as the two-party system is in play, both parties are all too willing to play up the other side as being evil and how you must vote for our candidate unless you want “them” to win.

There’s an underlying sinister attitude on both sides that says, “You’re gonna take what we give you and like it. If not, there’s the door. The other side will be glad to have you.”

Sadly, too many are too willing to drink either the blue Democratic or the red Republican kool aid. Too many are selling out their own ideology and beliefs to tote the party line instead of thinking for themselves. Too many will turn a blind eye to the faults of their side while magnifying the faults of the other side and demonizing anyone who disagrees with them in any way. The end result will most likely be more of the same, regardless of the outcome. Here endeth the rant.

The point I’m making is that people are once again willing to believe that politics as usual can solve what is ultimately are deep spiritual problems that no human candidate (male or female) can solve. Once again, most will be disappointed when they find out the result is politics as usual.

I’ve mentioned it before, but it bears repeating. After this election, we will have a new president, but Jesus will still be King. In four (or eight) years when the next one steps into office, Jesus will still be King. After the last President, Jesus will still be King.

My hope isn’t in what some politician will do in the distant future or in the promises he or she makes. My hope lies in what Jesus has already done and in the promises He’s fulfilled. I’m banking on the fact that whatever I am afraid of and whatever obstacle lies in front of me Jesus has already overcome and defeated on the cross.

My hope is not in Trump or Clinton. My hope is still in Jesus.

 

 

A Blog for Friday, July 22

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / 2 Comments

I finally got around to watching the Lawrence Olivier adaptation of Hamlet from 1948. I bought the movie some time ago when Borders was going out of business and got it for 50% off.

It was worth the wait. The acting was, of course, fantastic, but my favorite part was the cinematography. The dark and gloomy castle setting almost felt like a character in its own right, and the black and white photography brought out the impending sense of foreboding and doom that foreshadowed the entire film.

My favorite line is the last line spoken– “Farewell, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.” It gets me every time.

Of course, my favorite part of Friday is sleeping in the next day. Not having to set the alarm on my phone for 5:15 am? Priceless. Knowing that I will wake up with a sleeping and very contented cat on the pillow next to me? Even better.

Lately, I love my sleep even more if possible. Ever since my mild case of pneumonia, I tend to get tired more quickly and not have quite as much energy as before. Hopefully, that will soon remedy itself.

I’ve never been more disturbed and concerned about the current political situation than I am for this upcoming election. I’ve never been less impressed with the two major political candidates for President. Maybe this will be the year that a third party shakes things up a bit and causes both the Democrats and Republicans to take some hard looks in the mirror about their own parties.

I still love my Mac. My only regret is not taking the plunge back in 2012 when I thought they were overpriced and not worth the extra moolah. They were and are. This laptop is so much better than my Sony Vaio.

God is still great, life is still good, and grace is still very much what I need the most.

The end.

 

People and Things That Make Me Really Tired

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I used to get upset at a lot of things. Now when I’m confronted by these same things, I feel the overwhelming urge to lie down and take a nap.

Here’s a list of the people and things that make me really tired (note that this is 98% in jest and not to be taken too seriously):

  1. People who won’t speak to you or acknowledge you even when you’re literally sitting right next to them. Is it that hard?
  2. Every piece of electronic equipment that seems to slow down when you’re trying to get through the end of the day.
  3. People who are super impatient and hyper-aggressive drivers that will cut in front of fifteen cars to arrive at their destinations a whopping thirty seconds earlier.
  4. People who still think that spiritual problems have political answers, even after twenty plus years of evidence to the contrary.
  5. People who make lists about people who get on their nerves.
  6. People who are unkind and/or neglectful to animals or children (or other grown people). Kindness literally costs nothing and benefits you greatly, at least a lot more than jerkiness does.
  7. Being up since 5:25 am, which is totally unnatural, unbiblical, and unethical (in my opinion),

Quite honestly, I make my own self tired a lot. I catch myself doing and saying stupid stuff a la Joey Tribbiani. I catch myself thinking judgmentally toward others when  I would expect grace if I were in their shoes.

I think my guardian angel looks at me a lot and shakes his head and face-palms over me on a daily basis. I think I even drive him to drink alcoholic beverages (which is probably frowned upon in heaven).

I know that God looks at me and sees none of the royal mess-ups I make or my daily screw-ups but instead sees the perfection of His Son Jesus. He looks at me more completely and perfectly than anyone else (including me looking at myself in a mirror) and is pleased.

And that, my friends, is the only opinion that matters.

The end.