The end of the semester is a very busy time so I apologise for not posting often. I will get back to writing about "The Rantings of a Single Male" soon but tonight I wanted to post about something different I have been thinking about recently.
I don't really like politics but I feel that it is my responsibility to make informed decisions when I exercise the privilege of voting. So, as we get closer to the presidential primaries I have been examining the positions of some of the presidential candidates. The candidate I am most impressed with at this point is Ron Paul. His positions on taxes, border security and immigration, personal liberty, abortion and national sovereignty make a lot of sense. But, I am having a tougher time accepting his position on the war in Iraq and foreign policy.
From the Ron Paul Website :
"Too often we give foreign aid and intervene on behalf of governments that are despised. Then, we become despised. Too often we have supported those who turn on us, like the Kosovars who aid Islamic terrorists, or the Afghan jihadists themselves, and their friend Osama bin Laden. We armed and trained them, and now we’re paying the price."
I see the truth in what Ron Paul says on the subject and understand that things we have done in the past may have contributed to Islamic terrorism. But, I am not sure that if we withdraw from Iraq that Islamic terrorists will simply leave us alone. Is the cat already out of the bag? Is it too late for that? I just don't know...
In church recently my pastor was talking about the fact that the most important aspect about any individual is their relationship with God through Jesus. Not their gender, race, nationality, marital status, or political affiliation, but their relationship with God. Because our relationship with God is what is eternal. Eternal.
And you know what? God has eternity in HIS hands.
Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
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5 comments:
What we do in life echoes in eternity -- Maximus Decimus, in Gladiator. You might consider subscribing to the Breakpoint commentary from Chuck Colson's ministry, which will come in your email daily -- a transcript of the daily radio show.
I am leery of the idea of the evangelical church becoming a sort of chaplain to the Empire, which some evangelicals seem to be willing to do, but I recognize our need to be salt and light.
Here is something which you can write of as being of a "spirit of weird" or perhaps a cogent observation: I believe that the Holy Spirit's influence on politcs in a country where He has influence is not soley of a sort where policy preferences are sort of nudged or pushed through the aggregate effect of His working in different hearts. .
... When we look at physical bodies or ecologic systems in nature, we can see evidence of a Designer who who built "push-pull" mechanisms into how things work (sugar/insulin -- "left/right" in politics). To explain what I mean, I say that perhaps he works both sides of the aisle, so to speak, when He broods over people's hearts to cause them to ponder different policy preferences and prefer them -- even if they are "different" - does any of this make sense? So he is not disputing with Himself, but rather influencing terrestial politics such as He can in a way that is more complex than we suppose.
Or is this just "spirit of wierd" to you?
Hi Anonymous,
Thanks for your comment and for the tip on the Breakpoint commentary. I will check that out. When I lived elsewhere I used to hear Chuck Colson on the radio but we don't get to hear Chuck here in east Podunk.
I think your observation about God moving our hearts in perhaps differing ways in a sort of homeostatic balance is thoughtful and interesting...and I mean interesting in a good way, not a "spirit of weird" way ("spirit of weird"...lol, I like that). After all, how can any idea prefaced by a quote from Gladiator not be good stuf? ;)
Would you explain what you mean by "chaplain to the Empire"?
Hey, it's singlechristianman, and I am having digital hiccups -- I posted anonymously only because I couldn't get things to post and didn't have time to work out the bugs, and haven't worked it out yet... "Chaplain to the empire" is a phrase from Gordon Hackman, linked to from my 'blog. When you have evangelicals doing things like signing a statement of support for the war in Iraq (which is a different kind of ball of wax from doing something like issuing an advisory opinion about the morality of a war) you ...can probably get the gist of what I mean. If you have been in the military, as I have, you will have seen "official" Christians who serve two masters.. most nearly always without a conflict, but not always.
"Spirit of Wierd" comes from a lady whom I went out with once as a result of her reading my blog, and I liked that phrase as well.- SCM.
Hey SCM,
Thanks for clarifying about the "Chaplain to the Empire" issue. I hope you get your technical issues sorted through soon. I thought the comment "sounded" like you :)
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