Today was the first time I was able to go in person to vote for the president. I love the patriotic feeling of being able to vote, going to my polling place, seeing people outside with signs for their candidates and then all the volunteers to help with the voting process. It seems like such a selfless, giving day which unites people of all different political views to appreciate our country's freedom in having a VOTE.
However, this presidential election does frustrate me, as it seems as if the gap between both candidates is so WIDE, I have often wondered these past few months how a person like me, who considers herself somewhere in the middle of these two parties and candidates would decide. While I did vote and decided which candidate to support, I don't have particular strong feeling about Obama or McCain winning or losing. This makes me feel more unpatriotic or something than the people so energized with their candidate, but after months of soul searching and considering, I still haven't gotten to that point.....
Really, I hate the divisions and having to pick one or the other. Maybe my job doing counseling which requires me to emphathize with people and their experiences, overflows into my thinking about politics, I can consider both sides and find positives in both. I can also find negatives, but in them BOTH. And its not that I don't have firm ideas about things, I do, its just that neither party/candidate captures them completely.
I was in Georgia/Florida this past weekend. I was blown away by Southern politics and the overwhelming conservative voice. People handing out McCain/Palin stickers galore. My parents were giving me things to read and arguments against Obama all weekend. They are so scared the liberal DC has turned their formerly conservative-but-not-really-thinking-for-herself-just-going-along-with-what-she-grew-up-around-views, daughter into one of "them". Here in DC the voice is 100% Obama from what I have seen, including the CEO of my agency using her platform to make political statements and Obama signs adorning the halls.
Obama supporters can't imagine why people would vote for McCain, and McCain supporters can't understand why anyone would vote for Obama. Again, the gap is so wide and there is such a lack of understanding from one side to the other. While I often feel alienated from both groups, not able to fit in with either, I do appreciate being able to see both sides. I hope to be a person that brings people together and has friends on all sides and not surround myself by just those "like" me. So, I might not "fit in" but I am learning to embrace this and find that it enriches my life, politically and beyond!
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"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (although I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak, I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
I Corinthian 9:19-23.
David Lipscomb's comment on this is:
Paul accommodated himself to the prejudices and preferences of men so far as he could without sacrificing truth and righteousness, in order to win them to Christ ... He did this not that he might be personally popular with any man, but that by doing so he might throw no obstacle in
the way of their giving the gospel a fair hearing.
"Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?"
Matthew 15:3
As someone trying to authentically follow Christ, I seek to follow God in my life and not do things for the sake of tradition!! Do not assume everything you do as a "Christian" actually reflects the heart of God. Think about it. I have been so frustrated with people assuming that the US is a "Christian nation". Where do you get that from? Is that in the Bible? That God will bless the USA? I don't think that makes me unpatriotic to say, because I am very proud of our country, and thankful to all who have sacrificed for our freedom. However, because of our freedom, yes, I can acknowledge God in my life, but others should also be able to acknowledge their own beliefs. I am all for our country and government letting us be free to worship and have our own worldview, and not dictating what that should be, and by claiming that we are a "Christian" nation following biblical beliefs, that seems to infringe on that freedom. If we take away others freedom, then we are also closer to our own freedom being taken.
Thoughts?
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2 comments:
Ha! And yes it may very well be in Coastal Living. I think your last post is so interesting. I am also sitting on both sides of the coin. On one hand if we do force everyone in our country to follow "bibilical" beliefs we will be infringing on their freedom and closer to one day having our own freedom being taken away. But on their other hand I always fight the battle in my head of what is truth? It is the gospel of Christ. And how much are we required as followers of Christ to stand for it and see it upheld? Our post-modernistic world stands by the assumption of truth is relative. What is true for you may not be true for me. In essence if you hold this assumption than you really believe that their is no truth. Truth is relative.
So if we hold to the belief that all should be allowed to worship and believe what they like, how then are we upholding truth? Or better yet are we, by allowing this, supporting that relative viewpoint.
I hope I'm making it clear that I'm unsure what to think on this subject. Just throwing another view out there. All I can sort of conclude is that in a perfect world we would be able to say we are a Christian nation and everyone should believe the truths of the gospel, because it is the one truth. But we live in a very fallen world with the consequences that yes, if we impose our beliefs on others then we risk our own freedoms being taken away.
And a further tough thought, what is the balance between suffering for the gospel but also throwing no obstacle in the way that others will give the gospel a fair hearing?
Ahh yes, discussion! love it, thanks Katie. I am not easily offended, so please always share thoughts!!
Yes, I do not know all the "answers" but know that I am restless for more in this world. I'm sure this will never be quenched until heaven, but I guess I am still fighting for more "here".
I was just reading that a recent survey of young adults who are "familiar outsiders" to Christianity showed that the three most common perceptions of Christians by onlookers are that we are anti homosexual, judgmental, and hypocritical (Barna Group research www.barna.org)
Yikes, isn't that what Jesus chatised the religious elite for back in the day? And that is how WE are perceived by others? Not much has changed after all these years after all...Sadly.
SO, with politics, I am wary of Christians always taking platforms which are SO vocal about homosexuality and marriage and abortion, because that just continues the portrayal of the above. Where is the love? The taking care of people? Meeting people where they are?
I know there has to be a balance between fighting injustice and loving/accepting, but think about Jesus, how much time on earth did He spend fighting the government or working to change it, instead he was spending time with people, changing THEM, love THEM, living with THEM.
If someone is so against abortion, then why don't you spend your energy working to prevent unwanted pregnancies, or helping in the adoption process, or educating woman about choices besides abortion? Do you really think just voting for someone who is "pro life" means you are fighting the injustice of it? I feel like the church takes pride in voting for candidates with these platforms as an easy way out, a way to not get "messy" with actually having to interact with people, but just hoping to vote a like minded policitian into Washington to deal with it for them. I CAN'T imagine this is the Lord's heart for us.
Now, in hopes to not be #3 (hypocritical) I do not profess to have this all figured out or living these ideas. It is hard but I am working on it and struggling to know how best to "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14.
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