Skip to main content

Allegiance

Is it just me, or does it seem that we have been in the presidential campaign season for years? Politicians are an exclusive group, in my opinion, and their are no "outsiders" among them, at least not on the national level. You reach that point by being one of them, and knowing how the system works. A teacher once told me that perhaps the best qualified individuals would never even consider running for office, let alone get elected.

The past 18 years or so I have had the theory that the people will elect the presidential candidate with the best last name, with some consideration given to looks. We've not had a Mondale, Gore, Dole,Dukakis, or Kerry, but we elected a Bush, Clinton, and Bush II. Assuming that McCain wins the Republican nomination, I don't like his chances again Hilary Clinton. I think her name beats his name. But Obama? I don't know what to do about that. Right now it is a toss up - their names tie. So then it goes to looks, and there it is not contest becaus McCain isn't beating any body in a beauty contest, and Obama is someone you would want to go to dinner with. So, either way, I think the Republicans are in trouble this fall, but the pickings were slim namewise: Huckabee, Romney, Guiliani? The Democrats have had a much more competitive field in the name arena, and I really thought Edwards was a winner (names and looks), but oh well.

Don't laugh. I may be on to something. You tell me...do more Americans make informed, well-reasoned and principled decisions at the ballot box, or do they cast their votes based on something as simple and superficial as names and looks? God help us.

This year the politcs seem to be so personal and passionate, due in large part to the war. With so many of our family and friends sacrificing so much, passions run deep in politics. I see good Christian people, Democrats and Republicans alike, sincerely seeking answers to our nation's challenges and prayerfully seeking the Lord's guidance. Often these people speak and lead from a spiritual authority, believing they have discerned the Lord's will on a particular matter, while their political opponent says the same thing. Who's right?

Abraham Lincoln sturggled with this during the Civil War, observing that both sides believe the Lord to be supporting them. Lincoln said both MAY be wrong, but one MUST be wrong, because God cannot be both for and against something at the same time. A general once commented to Lincoln that he hoped the Lord was on their side. Lincoln thought a moment and then said, "I hope we are on the Lord's side."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Eulogy for Dr. Evelyn Romig, Who Is Not Dead but Merely Retiring

How does one honor the career of a teacher like Dr. Evelyn Romig, who taught English and Literature for 44 years? I was her student four of those years at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, TX. Honestly, she teaches me still. I loved Dr. Romig fiercely when I was a college student. I took every class she offered. She was my adviser and I spent time in her office being advised on academic matters and other things. I often reflect on what her life means to me. My recollections and anecdotes here will be personal, but I do not think they are unique. I was 18 years old and a freshman when I first met Dr. Romig. I was a Baptist ministerial student, majoring in something from the School of Christianity. She was my British Literature teacher. Because of things I had done in high school and because of how well I tested on the ACT and SAT, I did not have to take the typical Freshman English courses. I had no way of knowing at the time how much this small woman, an English Literature p...
1 comment
Read more

Her Own Woman

Kathryn is here now. She was born Sunday night, 5:57 p.m., and weighed 7 pounds, 10 oz., and measured 20.25 inches long. Kim was in labor since about 9:00 a.m. Saturday. After hours of waiting and miles of walking around that hospital, Kim never progressed beyond 6 cm. Every time we came close to making a decision about what to do next, it seems Kathryn would change the game on us and we would have to wait for another couple of hours to see what would happen next. We almost went to the OR at least twice before we finally did because Kathry would do this or that. She was letting us know she was in charge. After whe was born I stood with her in the nursery while they cleaned her up and checked her out. She cried for a while and then got real calm and collected. I watched her as she sized me up with her eyes, took a good look around the room, and then looked at me and kind of smirked knowingly. I got the distinct impression that she was very much amused by everything that had gone on the ...
7 comments
Read more

Racing with Horses, Walking on Water, and Accepting My Weakness

I am tired of Hurricane Harvey. I am ready for all of this to be done and for things to settle down. I long for the routine, familiar, and predictable. I have had enough of trying to limit or mitigate the effects of Harvey on my family and property. I have become worn out trying to control and make sense of how my church is recovering from the hurricane. I am just about through with the ongoing, and seemingly never ending, management issues related to hundreds of volunteers funneling through my church on a weekly basis to assist our community in the recovery efforts. The logistics of making it all work week in and week out, the delicate dance of being the pastor to all the personalities involved, is exhausting. Add to this my broken heart for our community. I receive gut punches every day as I listen to the stories of evacuation, recovery, and rebuild. I steel myself to being able to do what I can each week and letting everything else go. I am sick of people saying the Lord will ...
3 comments
Read more