Thursday, June 30, 2011

Let's at least agree, there are no lemmings in Heaven

Heard it asked recently, "can an anti-war republican win the GOP nomination?" I find it disturbing that a party has found strength in bolstering such diametrically apposed campaign positions, and no one targeted by these antics seems to be passionately discussing this irony!

While most are certainly aware this is the same political party which has not so sneakily depended on the Protestant Christian's vote in every modern election; why is more not made of the fact, their attempt to devise broad majority support, also requires a simultaneously "Pro-Life" and apparently "Pro-War" vote!? Huh??

If we are honest, we must admit this bazaar stretch of values is far from the only Irony within the GOP's extremely well marketed campaign agenda's; each of which are seemingly dependent on, completely blind, party loyalties, and often require a faith-filled audience, who place their religious faith on the back of political agendas each time they head to the polls. When in fact a person's religion should rarely find such refuge or parallels.

A better question perhaps, than "what has become of Washington?"; might be, "what have our party caucuses become?" Not to mention the other, hot topic of late; the slight-of-hand issue of "Lowering Taxes", which is quite simply "Spending MORE" by another name! ...so odd to me these lame tactics work on our presumably, information age driven, "educated", Christian, population! It does perhaps prove the information age adage, "garbage in, garbage out!"

Further ironic for the Protestant side of this GOP coin; the only candidate qualified to run the United States of America in over a decade, (which the GOP has only half-heartedly supported,) is most likely Mitt Romney. Simply review any and all aspects of his education, personal & professional background and exceptional values. However, the GOP's misguided, seemingly cultic at this point; and as a result, misled regardless of faith, voters; wont be able to support him once again, purely because he is a Mormon.

Such misguided positions, (which also require ignorantly substituting State Constitutional provisions as valid topics of debate, during Federal elections; i.e. Gay Right & abortion, which are all governed and enforced at a State level,) will forever be the linchpin representing why our most capable and educated candidates for such complex Federal offices will never be the "chosen" candidates by the GOP's caucus.

Further considering this exhausting reality, that a vast amount of GOP voters would rather have an oval office occupant, based simply on their time spent sitting in a Protestant church pew, during some potentially postured period of life; regardless of any way they have actually lived his or her adult life, and with NO regard to their education or competence; you easily gain an understanding for the resulting landscape of past, present and apparently future GOP candidates. Sadly, any idealized, Protestant Christian candidate, could easily have a two digit IQ capable of doing little more than wrecking this countries standings; it matters not, so long as he or she campaigns as a devout "Protestant Christian", and is somewhat campaign coach-able, he or she will receive an oddly guaranteed percentage of right wing votes.

Even if you don't agree with all such prevalent statistics or my vague interpretation of past and potential GOP hopefuls; you must admit such campaign approach are absolute marketing genius. One so effectively able to prey on those who pray; and as a result, depend on little more than the needs of those blinded by faith to chose candidates they feel God must have had a hand in choosing. No one can deny such claims are now a mainstay for any GOP candidate to have a chance at securing the highest political office. And given the fact we as Christians are actually called by faith to NEVER "judge" any man's eternal salvation; and therefor have no real position for doubting his or her own claims of faithfulness; we support said candidates with very little or no useful scrutiny.

As a result, within the largest most successful Democracy in human history, you now see vast amounts of votes redirected from a population of those faithful towards a Christ centered God, cast on a blind faith of political propaganda, incapable of actually knowing or determining any man's personal salvation or faith; much less discerning the hype of a campaign or one's character and priorities. Not sure if this is really what God called his children to so blindly accept. A truly embarrassing "witness" for a world wide audience to witness! And quite frankly, having a blind faith in God, should NEVER be exchanged, substituted or directed towards a mere mortal man; regardless of his party affiliation. (And I add that last point of "party affiliation", was made strictly to point out how ridiculous such, U.S., Protestant, Christian trends, truly are!) Faith-filled people should never be taken advantage of in this manner, but sadly, they often are.

Seems to me, we as modern Christians are instead called to have "discernment" for which values within our own personal views, truly represent those of Christ own living witness as he roamed amongst us. In what way did his values not represent that of forgiveness for other's sins and taking care of those amongst us who can not take care of themselves? As well as at the very least, avoiding the needless, continual bloodshed of others? What a sad distortion of one's faith, when it instead becomes polarized through political loyalties and influences based on copying ones peers or moving with the masses, rather than withstanding such sneaky persecutions and the ever present false posturing of political propaganda machines.

I am personally sadden to see any Christian friends of mine act as if there is any faith based factual way to believe the GOP is the Christian party, or the "right" choice based on such peer influenced beliefs; versus a good hard personal evaluation of comparing any parties agenda to that of Christ encouragements to each of us.

Get it together people. Think for yourselves, ask the hard questions, understand why our Federal constitution is only 11 pages and our state constitution is over 300! Ask yourself if the "blind" reasons you think you are nominating and voting for a Federal Candidate are indeed relevant to this countries needs?

Vote like God gave you an independent ability to think for yourself. Quit depending on the influence of those around you; insofar as striving to simply feel secure and loyal to your own potentially incestuous circle of influence, congregational fervor or endless amounts of local community or random product sponsored national media. God wants your loyalty focused on the life of Christ, not hidden agendas or those stricken by far less admirable standards and influence.

You should hope to not only make your Christian vote a smart vote, but also the most "Christ like" vote you can personally muster! This may very well mean asking yourself everyday, if the commentators, news papers, friends and even pulpits you depend on are basing their own views on the qualities you know Christ to have died for? Do you know what atonement means? Are you able to distinguish the difference between grace and religion? Do you know how to forgive those who are not perfect? Do you know how to forgive yourself? Are you working on each of these endeavors daily? Are you voting for a candidate which you know will have policies that represent such Faith and values?

Life is to short to not ask these and many more tough questions. Our countries survivability depends on this level of discernment and voting, which must therefor have little to nothing to do with party loyalty or blindly and easily influenced voters. A vote based on the lessons and behaviors Christ taught us to respect and live, must have and far more to do on very personal research and assessments of the character and stewardship of the man, his life, his education, his history and his ability to guide the Federal and World Wide impacts his or her Presidency will have on our country and those beyond its' man made borders. Time to stretch, time to learn, time to pray, time to discern, then time to vote...
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