This week on the Writer's Almanac, Garrison Keillor quoted John Adams, who said, "Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There was never a democracy that did not commit suicide."Are we in danger of committing democra-cide?Isn't it ironic that we are now trying to nurture democratic nations internationally while we rush headlong into the fire that burns with a white hot passionate hatred toward people different from us in our own nation? And we're just talking about people in different parties, to say nothing of the other racial, religious, social ways we express disunity and hatred.How many times in the last few weeks have you uttered, "He's an idiot" or "She's an idiot" about a candidate or friend who emailed you a newly minted narrative to discredit a candidate? If we think we can barely live in a world led by the party we oppose, what does that say about our world view, what we trust in?This week, Newsweek's Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham asked the question, "Is there a religious reason to vote for or against Obama or McCain?"Judging from the pile of desperate emails we're getting, the answer is yes. And many on both sides of the aisle believe there are religious reasons to vote for one or the other party or candidate.I'm of the party of people who have grown exasperated at the notion that religion can only be expressed through one particular party. That doesn't make me a Republican or Democrat. My conservative friends think I'm a Democrat. My liberal friends probably think I'm Republican.My voter card still says Independent. Maybe next time I get a card, I'll ask if they can record "Christian" on my party affiliation. Because I'm a Christian who believes a particular political party or candidate is not the answer to my prayers.
Friday, October 31, 2008
I Was Just Thinking...
I was just thinking that I needed to write something in the ol' blog. But then I was also thinking that I really didn't have anything to say... which is a definite problem when its time to blog. Just as I was thinking that I wasn't thinking of anything to write, I got an email from Wineskins' editor Greg Taylor. (Well, he didn't write it to me personally, but he did include me!). As I was reading his note, I started thinking that what he said is what I am thinking too. So here is what I am thinking today.
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The founding fathers of our nation, yes I said OUR nation; that is the nation we live in. We are responsible for the actions committed by the governments we elect. Whether our government is burning witches at the steak or taking land from those who are accessed of being with the devils as was done in the past. False witnesses are nothing new and sometimes they hide behind the cross. Neither is the answer to my prayers but I believe both are decent family men who have made some bad divisions and I have heard that the church supports one more than the immoral majority and if the lazy immoral majority supports one shall I not be leaning to support the other? I to am an‘Independent’ voter and that is a label I have worn long enough. The founding fathers of our nation and king Solomon had something to say about the common people and in short, left to their own devices the common people are perfectly capable of destroying themselves and any government that tries to stop them. You might imagine that I am not in favor of democracy and to some extent your imagination would be correct, however I know the damage mob rule can do and left unchecked a riot can destroy an entire nation and even the world. God forbid that we ever allow the flames of the mob rule the church or our nation.
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