Monday, August 31, 2020

religion and politics

Religion and politics--the two things we're never supposed to talk about, right? Thankfully, I was blessed to grow up in a family where both were talked about with equal fervor. One is a given, seeing as how I've spent the majority of my life with a pastor for a dad and mom who has always led children's ministry. Faith was never something reserved for Sundays. Lessons in morality and God's way vs. my way were a never ending (and admittedly for a teenager, somewhat annoying at times) part of everyday life.

At the same time, I grew up in a family with a military background. That means politics were never a taboo subject, though the same thing applies to those discussions being annoying to a teenage girl at times. I can remember one conversation between Pop and Michael when they were talking politics that eventually turned into a discussion about what Michael would do if he were in charge. Pop has always had a bit of a habit of playing devil's advocate, and by the end of that conversation Michael had to concede that the only way to ensure what he wanted politically would be to become dictator with strict rules on who could enter his country.

So needless to say, I've never really been one for avoiding those conversations. I'm pretty sure both topics were covered during my first road trip with my boss, actually, and there were some things we agreed on and some on which we differed--and neither of us got mad. For the first time in my memory, the whole country is talking nothing else. The problem is, most people seem to have bought into the idea that the only way to discuss hard topics is to yell and scream and insist that anyone who doesn't agree with you is a horrible human being who can't possibly have any redeeming qualities.

And to be perfectly honest with you, I'm in the group that's being screamed at lately.

I was raised to believe that my faith could only be genuine if it impacted every aspect of my life. If you speak one way on Sunday, a different way in the office on Monday, and another way when you go out with friends on Saturday night, that's not faith. It's some sort of show, something you do because it's expected of you or is somehow the "right thing" in a specific circle. That kind of faith, though, really isn't worth much.

That's the kind of faith that people can comfortably separate from politics. It's a handy set of relativistic morals that can be changed with the times and trends--focus on the happy parts, like love and "acceptance" (whatever people mean by that), and leave out all the uncomfortable things like sin and repentance and accountability. If you do that, you can buy into the idea that everyone should just do whatever feels right and that no one should have to answer for their actions.

The faith that I've been raised in, though, doesn't allow for that. It tells me that Truth doesn't change according to my moods or whims, and that means that there are times I'm wrong. It tells me that I have to take responsibility for my actions and admit that I've fallen so far short of the goal--perfection--that I can't even see it. It tells me that there is only one way to reach that goal, and it is through the redeeming sacrifice of Yeshua, the one and only son of the Eternal God.

That faith tells me that every decision I make should be based on the teachings and laws found in the Scriptures, including decisions about politics.

I'm not typically outspoken about my political stance. Those who know me know where I stand on just about every issue, but I'm not one who usually gets loud about elections. I'm patriotic and know more than most the cost of the freedom so many take for granted, so I have always encouraged people to get out and vote. I'm quick to say that if you don't vote, you can't complain. Usually, I leave it at that.

This year, though, I don't feel like I can leave it. I fully believe that this election is the most important I have seen in my lifetime. I never would have dreamed that I would see our country so bitterly divided, with so many people so blatantly calling for its destruction. This country has defined freedom and liberty for people all around the world since it's inception, but there are people who are trying to take that away. They are telling us that if we don't support "democratic socialism," we don't support equality and we can't possibly love our neighbors. And after all, isn't that what Jesus told us to do?

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of my Savior's words being twisted to fit an agenda. Yes, I love my neighbors. I am called as a follower of Christ, though, to love as He did. That means leading people to the truth, not letting them wallow in darkness while I tell them I love them. As my Mom always told all of us growing up (and by "us" I mean any kid she has ever taught...or met), "I love you too much to let you act like that."

Love isn't letting people do whatever makes them happy. It is hard and honest and "rejoices in the truth," as we're told in Paul's letter to the church in Corinth. Love is telling someone when what they are doing is harmful. It is showing them God's plan, even when they don't want to see it. Love is supporting one another, but it isn't letting someone have a free ride through life simply because they think they are entitled to it.

I look at the cities being burned and looted, at livelihoods being destroyed, and am sickened by the idea that people claim to be tearing down so much in the twisted name of "loving" people. It isn't love to take jobs. It isn't love to force people into hiding in their homes--whether they are hiding for fear of a virus that has been blown out of proportion or fear of the angry mob threatening them if they don't give in to senseless demands. It isn't love to scream at people that they are racist for not joining a Marxist group called "Black Lives Matter." It isn't love to tell people that not wearing a mask means they want people to die. It isn't love to say that a woman should be able to choose to take the life of an innocent baby simply because that baby hasn't been born. It isn't love to say that kids should be given hormone therapy and sex changes.

Love is God, and God is righteous and pure and holy. His truth isn't relative, and it doesn't change with the tides. It doesn't matter if biblical principles are "current" or "trendy" of if people say they are outdated and meant for a different time and a different culture. The fact that we have moved away from God and His ideals doesn't mean that those ideals are any less right than they were.

It just means that we have gotten so far from the truth that we can't see it clearly any more.

So I'm not going to say, "If you're a Christian, you can't vote for X." To be honest, those dumb facebook posts that say "If you keep scrolling, it means you don't love God" are the ones I scroll by the fastest. What I will say, though, is that as an American, you have a right and a responsibility to vote. Examine the issues that make the United States a country of freedom and equality, the issues that affect the Bill of Rights: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom to peaceably assemble, bear arms, fair and speedy trial by a jury of your peers...just to name a few. Look at the mandates that are being made by governors while our representatives--those we have elected to speak for us in making decisions--are not getting a say. Consider the fact that we have been forcibly told where we can and can't go (riots are all well and good, but church services aren't...) and what businesses are required to enforce...all in the name of a virus that on its own has a lower mortality rate than the seasonal flu (the CDC only attributes 6% of reported deaths to Sars-CoV-2, which right now puts the number somewhere around 10,000).

And as a Christian, you have a responsibility to weigh all the issues against God's truth. Voting is not about a single person. It's not about picking a perfect candidate--and I can say without a doubt that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have put forth a perfect candidate. Voting, for the Christian, is about figuring out which candidate represents a platform most in line with God's ideals and laws. It is about who values the life of the unborn more than the politically correct stance on "choice." It is about who values the family structure that God has instituted. It is about who supports God's laws: God first, don't steal, don't murder, don't lie, honor your parents...just to name a few.

For me, the choice is clear. I will vote for those who will uphold the Constitution, because I believe the founders of this great country were truly following God's direction when they wrote it. I would ask you to pray, then vote as God directs.




3 comments:

  1. I don't normally argue with people on the internet but you are smarter than this. The CDC did not state that only 6% of people who were put in the COVID totals died of COVID. They stated that 6% of the people (according to death certificate) died ONLY of COVID. The other 94% of people died from COVID along with other comorbity factors. Some of these factors out of 169,044 deaths include influenza/pneumonia (71,700), Respiratory failure (57,502), High blood pressure (37,314), Diabetes (27,528), renal failure (14,529). When filling out a death certificate the doctor will list any factors that contributed to the death along with the major cause. In virtually all these cases COVID was the leading factor in the death. Considering the CDC estimates that 6/10 american adults have some sort of chronic condition this isn't some small subset of the population. Another metric to look at would be excess death (death predicted based on I believe 7 years of historial data) compared to the actual deaths seen. The United States is up around 200,000 deaths for the year. When considering that homicide and traffic fatalities are down this is alarming. Could some of these excess deaths be from people scared to go to a doctor and mental health strain due to the lockdown and isolation? Sure but the vast majority is from COVID. Do some research. Don't trust what FOX news and Trump have to say about this. It's a real problem especially when you consider we don't even know the long term effects that it will have on recovered individuals cardiac and respiratory health. As a personal example (which clearly scientfically can't be proof), I have had 2 close friends contract COVID-19. One a female age 36 and one a male 34 otherwise healthy individuals take months to recover even after being "cleared" with a negative test. The male described walking across the yard as a exhausting experience and the female described her lungs feeling like they were going to burst out of her chest. This is after the virus was gone. Just think about it. I know it doesn't fit the narrative you want to paint but politics aside this needs to be a bipartisian issue.

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    1. I would love to have an actual conversation with you (not an argument; I don't automatically assume I'm arguing with someone just because we have different views on something), but thanks to the anonymity of the internet you've made that highly unlikely.

      I will say that you're right about one thing--I left out the word "solely" in my post, which would have further clarified my stance. I do my own research; I haven't turned to either Fox News or President Trump for my information. In fact, I go through the CDC data on an almost weekly basis (though I admittedly look at it less frequently now that numbers are on the decline) and probably have more tables and graphs than anyone would ever want to see. As an example, here's some information I posted over a month ago:

      SARS-CoV-2 (simply by the numbers)
      *all data taken from the CDC website, accessed 27 July 2020

      Overall Cases:
      16,296,635 worldwide (0.2%; likely skewed low due to lack of testing)
      4,330,998 US (1.3%; possibly skewed low, though testing rate is much higher than worldwide)

      Overall Deaths:
      649,662 worldwide (4.0% of confirmed cases; 0.0083% of population)
      149,281 US (3.4% of confirmed cases, likely skewed high due to testing rate; 0.045% of population)
      Of US cases, 6% of COVID-related deaths list COVID-19 as sole cause. COVID-related deaths account for approximately 9% of all US deaths since February 1st.

      Cumulative Hospitalization Rates:
      0.12% of all cases in US result in hospitalization
      0.0058% of cases in school age children (5-17 years)
      0.338% of cases in 65+ age group
      Highest risk is age 85+, with 0.64% of cases resulting in hospitalization

      Deaths compared to 5-year average (2015-2019), week ending July 18th:
      Chronic lower respiratory disease: down 4% (9.6% higher than previous highest year)
      Influenza and pneumonia: up 1.3% (6.8% lower than previous highest year)
      Other respiratory diseases: up 3.6% (14.6% lower than previous highest year)
      Alzheimer’s and dementia: up 14% (0.70% lower than previous highest year)

      Kids (under 18; % of 2010 census):
      COVID-19 to date: 16 (0.00002%)
      2018-19 flu season: 477 (0.0006%; 29.8x more than COVID-19)
      H1N1 2009: 317 (0.0004%; 19.8x more than COVID-19)

      I stand by what I've been saying all along: this virus has been blown completely out of proportion and is being used to create fear and division in our country and world. I've never said the virus is a hoax or nothing to be wary of--I have a family member who has been fighting it for a couple of weeks and I grieve for those who have lost loved ones because I know what losing someone is like. The flu is more dangerous when people have underlying health conditions, too. It has also shown to be many times more dangerous to kids than this virus. Yet we don't force lockdowns or test people who are asymptomatic.

      It's sad to me that someone would zero in on what amounts to 2.5 lines of my post and then tell me I'm "smarter than this." Whatever your thoughts on this virus, the main point of my post stands: as an American, it is my right and my duty to vote for the candidates who best represent and uphold the principles of the Constitution. As a Christian, it is my responsibility to take a step back from the political lies on both ends of the spectrum, look at who is supporting a platform most in line with the Word of God, then prayerfully seek God's direction and vote accordingly.

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  2. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid_weekly/index.htm?fbclid=IwAR2-muRM3tB3uBdbTrmKwH1NdaBx6PpZo2kxotNwkUXlnbZXCwSRP2OmqsI&_ga=2.234644190.1944813414.1599041049-1099465754.1599041049#Comorbidities

    https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/excess_deaths.htm

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~Mandy

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