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Conservative Christianity

07 Monday Mar 2016

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I’ve been thinking about conservative Christianity lately.  I’ve been thinking that I don’t find it in the Bible so I wonder why it is such a big deal with politics and those professing to align with the “Christian-right” or “right wing evangelicals”.

Jesus was radical but not political.  That was much of the confusion of his day, that he was here to do business at the local/national level when he was here to do business at the spiritual/supernatural level.

He was off being tempted by Satan.

He was healing and forgiving people.

He was telling people who wanted to follow him to GIVE ALL they had.

It just seems a bit strange to me that a political movement today that evokes self-responsibility and “good stewardship” is aligned with Jesus who told stories about the Prodigal Son (forgive without limits), the Rich Young Ruler (give and give some more), the Lost Sheep (the one who needs the most help is important), the story of the workers (the guy who showed up last got paid the same amount as the guy who had been there all day).

In Acts 2 we find the church coming together daily and selling all their possessions and giving to everyone as they had need.  That doesn’t sound anything like the Republican Party’s evangelical platform to me.  It doesn’t sound like socialism either.  It sounds like a group of people who were compelled to act individually because of Christ’s love, mercy and grace.  They didn’t wait on the government to act on their behalf and they didn’t tell those who were in need to get a job…they just helped.  Again, we see a theme of Christ-followers giving and giving generously.

I can’t align politics, Christianity and conservatism.  At the same time I don’t align with the liberal politicians either.  While I don’t think they should take my money and force giving, I also don’t think politicians need to legislate Christian teaching.  Take Roe v. Wade.  You see, I’m naive enough to believe that if the church really loved on single women who were pregnant, we would see abortions go down.  If we saw the church start adopting these babies and loving on them I believe we would see abortions go down.  I guess I see love as the way to combat abortion instead of the Supreme Court.  The people who do this now are people who are compelled to act because of who Jesus is, not who has political power.

We could also talk about the poor and immigrants.  I have had the conversation already with others and there are many different views.  I always leave it with them as “what do you think Jesus would have to say about immigrants if you were having the conversation with him?”

I can’t align Christ-likeness and this thing called conservative Christianity in political circles.  I’ve tried but as I really study Jesus I cannot imagine him giving a hoot about our political scene and I’m even further from seeing him line up with Ted Cruz or anyone else using the banner of Christ for a political office.

Call me crazy.  Call me soft.  Call me whatever…just please do not call me a conservative Christian.

Grace and peace.

Old Adages

29 Monday Feb 2016

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I’ve often heard (and probably guilty of saying) “they got what they deserved” when something bad happens to someone not well liked or looked down upon.  Whatever bad thing happened to them…well, they deserved it.

I wonder if people ever say that about me.

I wonder if people say it about the United States.

I watch Donald and Ted and Marco digress into name calling while our country suffers and can’t help but wonder if we aren’t getting what we deserve.  When shows like “The Real Housewives of Wherever” and a slew of other trashy, conflict-driven offerings continue to collect viewers is it any wonder we get the Theater of the Absurd from the people running to be the “leader” of our country?

I wish we had great debates about the needs of this country.  Instead Donald calls Ted and Marco names and they fire right back…because too many people enjoy it.  We wonder why we battle over #BlackLivesMatter and #CopsLivesMatter.  We wonder why there are so many people living on the streets and so many others living in poverty who need health care.  We wonder why there are so many problems with our country and then we see so many encouraging the junk we see on TV from people who want to “make America great again.”  Really?

Sadly, it seems love and concern for our fellow man is quickly evaporating while I want a nicer car, bigger house and more of everything grows.

In a conversation about political correctness yesterday, one wise gentleman made the comment that our failure to know each other, to enter into meaningful relationships with people we don’t know or don’t agree with is the cause for political correctness and spending time with each other is what will eliminate it.

We have a country that is deeply divided in so many area and this is what we get for folks who want to be President.  We may just be getting what we deserve.

Grace and peace.

What I Learned Soaking Up Politics

16 Tuesday Feb 2016

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Several years ago I was a politics fanatic.  I knew all the players the state and national level and got to spend time eating with and talking to some of them.  At one point, I even looked at a political run that was (fortunately) preempted by a friend who decided to run for the spot.

Here’s some things I learned:

Most of the people in politics care.  Most of them do, both Democrat and Republican.  Talking to them one-on-one, you gain an appreciation for what motivated them to start off in politics.

None of them are as bad or as good as people say.  I remember when Jimmy Carter was running for office and hearing a man say, “I’ll move to Mexico if he’s elected.”  Well, he’s still living in Texas and the world didn’t implode.  It’s the same with Bill and George and Barak and Hillary and Donald and Ted.  They are all swayed by big money.  They all forget the one-on-one conversations when the campaign is over.  They all do what the votes tell them to do.  None of them go in as statesman but politicians.

Democrats can spend money and don’t let a budget stop them.  Well, a bunch of Democrats do anyway.  When I lived in Fort Worth I met Charlie Geren, a Democrat representing that area.  He was a good guy and I thought had a pretty good fiscal policy.  I’d vote for him again.

Republicans spend too much time fretting over money.  This world has problems and this country has a s$#tload of money to help with those problems.  It should be the church doling it out but too many churches can barely make it as it is with people giving so little.  It’s a little bizarre when the Democrats look more Christian than the evangelical right.

Whoever wins won’t have a big impact on my life.  The super rich find lots of loopholes to avoid paying taxes.  The middle class will pay what they have to pay and just try to keep the kids in college and the house together.  The rest are too poor to do much about anything and keep getting poorer.  With a recent unemployment spell and 4 kids in college I don’t have any money so they can’t take much more from me.

All of them scare me!  There’s not a person in the race I would vote for right off the bat.  Bernie may be a little crazy.  I think Hillary is a bad person and has done some very bad things.  Trump is an egotistical lunatic.  I wouldn’t trust Ted Cruz as far as I could throw him.  He’s as big a whiner as Donald and I get the feeling he would sell his soul for the vote.  Rubio, Kasich and Carson all have me wondering but they still scare me.  I appreciate Kasich’s aim to run a clean campaign but he doesn’t say enough at times.  Carson is too quiet.  Rubio, well, he’s on the edge of brawling and I wonder what power will do to him.

It’s a crazy world out there and no one in politics to be in politics is going to change it.  One day a change will come.  One day.

Grace and peace.

Yeah, I voted too.

06 Thursday Nov 2014

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I voted on Tuesday.  Like many of my friends and thousands of people I don’t know, I took the time to cast my vote as part of the “democratic process” and let my voice be heard.  I heard 2/3 of the populace did not vote.  I am not surprised.

I voted but I cannot say it makes me proud because in this election, like so many others, I feel I am voting for the candidate who is not as bad as another.  The mud slinging, name-calling, attack ads and arrogance do not lead me to believe “in” a candidate and to believe even less of what they say.  Then there is the cash.  Lots and lots of cash.  From lobbyists.  From corporations.  From political machines.  Why does it take millions and millions of dollars to run a campaign?  And, how in the world does a candidate spend that much getting elected and then say the money to feed and house the homeless is not available?  Say what?

Men and women have sacrificed to give us the right to vote.  They have bled, lost friends, lost limbs, lost lives.  They have given of everything they have for everything we have and I bet not a single one of them did it hoping partisan politics and cash would rule the day.  What a sorry job so many candidates do of honoring what was given for their right to seek office.  It is disgusting at many levels.

In another life I was very political.  I stayed up with a meat and cheese tray watching election results and I knew all the candidates.  Then real life hit me and realized that what we have now is barely a semblance of what people have and continue to sacrifice their life and limb and mental health for in our country.

Billions of dollars have been spent in my lifetime to get people elected.  How many families live on dollars a day, on the streets, who cannot get treatment for mental and physical illness and so many other needs so someone can get “elected” to office to be a “public servant” and help the people who need the most help?

For the record, I voted for Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians in this election.  I do not belong to a party.  I belong to God and I live in the United States of America.  (United.  Now there’s a word our politicians need to think about.)  I am conservative in some areas, liberal in others and moderate on most.  Not that any of that matters.  What matters is, and what should matter the most in our elections, is who truly has a heart for serving others.  When I find a ballot full of that type of candidate, I will truly be proud to vote.

Grace and peace.

Let’s Spend More

11 Tuesday Dec 2012

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It has been reported that the two candidates for President in 2012 spent around 2 billion dollars.  $2,000,0000,000.  That’s a lot of zeroes and that’s a lot of money that could be spent in so many ways that would result in something better than the same (or a new) President.

I recently read a blog that stated the average income in the U.S. is a bit over $50,000.  What would happen if $2 billion was spread among all the households in the U.S. making less than $50,000?  What would happen if it was used to fund rehabilitation and training programs for the homeless?

We are criticized for not exercising our right to vote.  We are reminded that people sacrificed their lives for our freedom to choose our leaders.  I just wonder what those people would think if they new we were spending 2 billion dollars to get it done.  How about we not exercise our right to vote if the candidates spend more than the average household income?

Let’s spend more money where it is needed, where it builds people up, where it gives someone a chance they didn’t have before, where it helps someone who is struggling.

Our political system makes me sick.  I did vote this year but, once again, I did not vote for anyone I support but only for someone I thought was the better of two choices.  I would propose the greatest country in the world shouldn’t have to spend 2 billion dollars for a “free election process” because that much money isn’t anywhere near free.

I am ranting and not offering any solutions.  I generally try to follow a rule of only bringing up a problem if I can offer a solution.  Maybe one day I’ll have a solution that I trust would work.  In the meantime, I’ll rant and hope for people smarter than me to be creative and help this country truly help itself.