I'm an American of the old kind. I believe in what the founding fathers said. I believe in how they explained it in the federalist papers. I believe in liberty. I believe that "the government that governs least is the government that governs best." I believe in the value of all human life over all animal life. That said, I believe in loving our great country and taking good care of its land and animals. I believe in the responsibility of the individual to live a moral life, not stealing from, lying to, or harming his neighbor. I believe the individual is responsible for his fellow man's welfare, but that it is oppressive if the government steals an individuals money to give to another against his will. I believe in the freedom of all people to walk safely in the world, and I believe that punishment is the job of government for all who break the laws of the nation.
None of these things is radical. And yet, in our modern world, I have become part of the fading fringe. Why? Because the radicals, and the socialists, and the communists, and the big government types team up with the worst parts of human nature, and encourage greed and oppression both here and around the world. And these crazies have taken over the halls of Academia, the schools, and the News sources. By doing so, they cause the majority of people in America, who trust these institutions, to act in a non-thinking manner against their own self-interest and tell them it is for their prosperity (think New Deal socialism, think great-society socialism --which have ruined our economy, have made ghettos of our inner cities, have created a growing welfare state, has ruined our health care economy by removing competition and encouraging the greed of the producers, and who will continue to do this until America is a full-fledged socialist nanny-state like France).
So, it might seem that I am losing. People who hold my point of view are called haters by people who don't know what hate is. We are called Fascists by people who don't understand the word (anyone who calls Bush a Fascist, just write that person off as someone who is never going to listen to you, for everyone who took civics in the 6th grade in the old days know that fascists do not go into other nations, liberate them from oppressors, and then give their nations back to them and leave. fascists used to be a pretty scary thing. now, according to the wackies in power, they are presidents who bring freedom to others and then step down when their term is over --I tell you, fascists aren't what they once were, back when we had the Hitlers and Mousillinni's of the world!). We are called intolerant by people who cannot tolerate the morality of their fathers. We are called ignorant and narrow-minded by those who take no time to study the wisdom of the ages and are closed to any ideas that are not part of the liberal elitist zeitgeist (trust me, the modern citizens think less for themselves than any humans I've ever met-- I talk to all kinds of people all the time, from all walks of life, normally to speak about issues beyond politics, and I find that the average person who believes the newspapers and their liberal profs are the ones who look to be spoon fed and least question the status quo. We really need to rescue our fellow men from this strange trance). I am confident a day will come when I will be labeled a criminal, though I harm no man, lie to no man, steal from no man, oppress no man. If I do not give hearty agreement to the sins of this world or the worldview of the masses than I shall be seen as the enemy. And that's okay. I'm not afraid.
Why am I not scared? My hope is in God. Jesus turned to Pilate who thought he had power, and when Pilate said, "don't you realize I have the power over your life?" Jesus said, "You have no power over me except what is given you."
All authority is from God. He has a plan for human history that is greater than ours. Our self-indulgent nation is getting the government it deserves. But God still sees us. My friends, don't gloat over political victories, nor become depressed over failures. The kings of this earth are tiny and they are always fading away. Come to Jesus and you will never fade away. One day our King will come, and no one will stop Him and all will celebrate Him on bended knee. And His government will have no war, no hate, no disease, no hardship, and no sin. He is good to the lowly.
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7 comments:
"One day our King will come, and no one will stop Him and all will celebrate Him on bended knee."
Have you ever been completely amazed how that statement can totally fill a person in anger and hatred to you for saying it? The time is near...
has that happened to you, Andy? You said this and someone got mad at you?
I haven't often had that experience. When it comes to politics, I've often gotten someone filled with anger and hatred long before we got this far!
But it puts things in perspective. Odd as it may sound, I don't hate anyone because of their political views, and even the politicians I don't hate. IF there were no Jesus and Kingdom to come, I might. But I figure, really, as important as all this is now, one day, it will be no big deal.
peace.
I have, and it was just like someone lit a fuse. I've found that using the word 'sin' can be just as volatile. I've learned to keep the pearls in my pocket when walking through a pig pen.
Thanks Mike for saying what I've been thinking for quite a while now. I'll have to pass this along to my brother who is filled with anger at the politicians and their promise of "wealth". I'm glad my treasures are stored up for me in Heaven.
"pearls in the my pocket"? sounds like a good title for a song, a book, or at least a poem.
You're welcome, Amy. As you know, we struggle with "kingdoms in conflict" as Chuck Colson puts it. In these earthly kingdoms, we try to be good citizens, make them as just as we can. But ultimately, the greater Kingdom is over all, and we thank God for that, don't we?
Mike said: "I believe that "the government that governs least is the government that governs best." I believe in the value of all human life over all animal life. That said, I believe in loving our great country and taking good care of its land and animals. I believe in the responsibility of the individual to live a moral life, not stealing from, lying to, or harming his neighbor. I believe the individual is responsible for his fellow man's welfare, but that it is oppressive if the government steals an individuals money to give to another against his will. I believe in the freedom of all people to walk safely in the world, and I believe that punishment is the job of government for all who break the laws of the nation."
If you honestly believe in those things, then you have to believe in it from both directions. It's not ok for powerful corporations to trample the country and pillage it, leaving the less powerful and sometimes powerless shredded on the floor. To be given huge rewards for shipping jobs overseas and making the almighty dollar their God instead of having a healthy balance between profit and what is good for our country.
Do you honestly thing Jesus would side with that viewpoint?
Conservatives seem to come off as religious but when you dig, you find such selfishness in the fundamental building blocks of that mindset.
Don't give to the needy- let them fend for themselves, and if they can't, then too bad. You must stifle any sympathy and coldly brush them off.
Don't make sure all Americans have health care- if they don't have it, fine, as long as YOU do. And if someone worked all their lives and then was diagnosed with cancer and went bankrupt and lost their homes- oh well. At least it wasn't YOU.
Against abortion, but totally for war.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are" (Matthew 23:15).
Really- look at the mindset of conservatism. Is this how Jesus wanted people to be?
Jersey girl, I have no desire to get into a contest with you about who knows the Bible better.
It seems to me you don't know what it says about war, about hard work, and about charity.
You also apparently know nothing about me, my philosophy of life, the way I am with money and the poor, etc.
You don't have to agree with me, but please, don't take it as an insult if I feel it a waste of my time to argue with someone who doesn't care what I have to say anyway.
peace.
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