jesus was a liberal.
My mom is here for a visit. She came on Thursday, my second day working at Hallmark. So far, she's been sorting through a lot of my grandparents' things with my uncle. Tonight, she got a break and John and I took her to the El Capitan Theater to see The Incredibles. It was really nice. John had never been to the Chinese theater before, so we walked around and looked at the foot- and handprints.
Virtually unrelated to anything else: my husband's fist is bigger than John Wayne's.
A couple of weeks ago, John, sort of jokingly, said he was glad the movie was coming out after the election...so we could cheer ourselves up. And I didn't think much about it. But, really, I think that's sort of what we did.
The election. I wasn't even sure I wanted to write about it. What new thing could I possibly add to the entire universe of footage, data, and mindless internet babble about our country's so-called decision? Probably nothing.
I'm not sure I believe in signs. But I do know that after the attacks of 9/11/01, John and I made much more serious efforts to nurture our long-distance friendship. As a direct result, we're married now. The point of my bringing this up is not to draw any weird, grandiose connections between our worst national tradgedy and the importance of my own romantic well-being. My point is that bad things can be used for good purposes, after the fact.
On November 2 and 3, John and I recieved more phone calls from different people than we've received in any two-day span since we got married. And our friends are very sad.
When headlines like this one catch my attention, I'm reminded more and more how my country and my faith are supposedly merging into one, rather ignorant, bohemoth.
But that is not my faith. And furthermore, that is not my country, either.
This church study group we've been going to is great in a lot of ways. The people are friendly and knowlegdeable. There's a feeling of community involved. Normally, a really warm-and-fuzzy experience.
Today, though, I was pretty much constantly uncomfortable.
I'm not a good evangelist. And it's not because I'm ashamed of Jesus or anything... It's because the more Christianity is shoved down people's throats, the less responsive they are and the less they like Christians in general. I know because other Christians drive me absolutely crazy sometimes.
I think one of the reasons our society keeps getting into these black and white, or rather blue and red, debates is that fundamental Christians are gaining more and more power. And I'm not say fundamental Christians are fundamentally bad people. They're not. They're good people who read the Bible as a literal instruction manual. Not only do they expect following it to yield certain results, they also carry in their minds the idea that Satan is with them all the time.
That's the EXACT situation that led to the Salem witch trials.
Living with the idea that two entities are constantly surrounding you, watching your every move and keeping a tally, would not only be terrifying, but it would also give a person a way out: your enemies, not being of God, must be of Satan, and, therefore, are expendable. We've passed the point of arguing the concept that "an eye for an eye" was on longer valid when Jesus instructed his followers to forgive and "turn the other cheek," and come to that point in which we strike out the eye of "the other" simply so we feel like ours are better protected.
And I don't feel comfortable praying that someone, who I know to have already been told fully about the gospel and who still doesn't accept it, will suddenly decide to come to Jesus. I have issues praying for people as though there's something about them, as a person, that needs "fixing."
My liberal friends, they're sad. But they're getting stronger. And most of them are not Christians. By. Choice. Not because someone merely neglected to tell them about God.
And maybe we wouldn't be sad if we could all wrap up in the cozy idea that God is backing the current administration. But I know God. And I'm not only not tempted to accept that way of thinking, but I wouldn't have accepted it no matter who won.
Both sides pray before every game, every deal, and every war. The only way we can all win is to stop fighting each other. But no one likes saying things like that. They sound too easy, too juvenile. Too true.
In the mean time, I'm going to try and look for the good that will somehow be extracted from this disaster of an election.
Virtually unrelated to anything else: my husband's fist is bigger than John Wayne's.
A couple of weeks ago, John, sort of jokingly, said he was glad the movie was coming out after the election...so we could cheer ourselves up. And I didn't think much about it. But, really, I think that's sort of what we did.
The election. I wasn't even sure I wanted to write about it. What new thing could I possibly add to the entire universe of footage, data, and mindless internet babble about our country's so-called decision? Probably nothing.
I'm not sure I believe in signs. But I do know that after the attacks of 9/11/01, John and I made much more serious efforts to nurture our long-distance friendship. As a direct result, we're married now. The point of my bringing this up is not to draw any weird, grandiose connections between our worst national tradgedy and the importance of my own romantic well-being. My point is that bad things can be used for good purposes, after the fact.
On November 2 and 3, John and I recieved more phone calls from different people than we've received in any two-day span since we got married. And our friends are very sad.
When headlines like this one catch my attention, I'm reminded more and more how my country and my faith are supposedly merging into one, rather ignorant, bohemoth.
But that is not my faith. And furthermore, that is not my country, either.
This church study group we've been going to is great in a lot of ways. The people are friendly and knowlegdeable. There's a feeling of community involved. Normally, a really warm-and-fuzzy experience.
Today, though, I was pretty much constantly uncomfortable.
I'm not a good evangelist. And it's not because I'm ashamed of Jesus or anything... It's because the more Christianity is shoved down people's throats, the less responsive they are and the less they like Christians in general. I know because other Christians drive me absolutely crazy sometimes.
I think one of the reasons our society keeps getting into these black and white, or rather blue and red, debates is that fundamental Christians are gaining more and more power. And I'm not say fundamental Christians are fundamentally bad people. They're not. They're good people who read the Bible as a literal instruction manual. Not only do they expect following it to yield certain results, they also carry in their minds the idea that Satan is with them all the time.
That's the EXACT situation that led to the Salem witch trials.
Living with the idea that two entities are constantly surrounding you, watching your every move and keeping a tally, would not only be terrifying, but it would also give a person a way out: your enemies, not being of God, must be of Satan, and, therefore, are expendable. We've passed the point of arguing the concept that "an eye for an eye" was on longer valid when Jesus instructed his followers to forgive and "turn the other cheek," and come to that point in which we strike out the eye of "the other" simply so we feel like ours are better protected.
And I don't feel comfortable praying that someone, who I know to have already been told fully about the gospel and who still doesn't accept it, will suddenly decide to come to Jesus. I have issues praying for people as though there's something about them, as a person, that needs "fixing."
My liberal friends, they're sad. But they're getting stronger. And most of them are not Christians. By. Choice. Not because someone merely neglected to tell them about God.
And maybe we wouldn't be sad if we could all wrap up in the cozy idea that God is backing the current administration. But I know God. And I'm not only not tempted to accept that way of thinking, but I wouldn't have accepted it no matter who won.
Both sides pray before every game, every deal, and every war. The only way we can all win is to stop fighting each other. But no one likes saying things like that. They sound too easy, too juvenile. Too true.
In the mean time, I'm going to try and look for the good that will somehow be extracted from this disaster of an election.
<< Home