How bad are things? If things are as bad as they are, shouldn't we just go ahead and let them disintegrate totally? If we're in a synod with problems, shouldn't we get out and let the synod fall to pieces? If we're in a country with warped politics and bureaucracies, shouldn't we just go ahead and vote for what's right, even if we know that will, in effect, throw support to the "greater of two evils"? Shouldn't we go ahead and let things fall apart so that we can get the pain over with and begin the healing and reconstruction process?
I don't think so.
I used to think so, but not any more.
We knew from the time Maggie was a baby that she'd need a second heart surgery. People wondered about the state of synod. She got the surgery she needed --covered by insurance-- because synod and its health plan was/is still going.
Some people said Gary should not have stayed so long at his last parish. But I think of certain people in the congregation who were brought back into the fold of the Church through his ministry there. The delay (even if it hurt our family) was for the salvation of some dear saints.
God delayed in the destruction of Ninevah and Assyria. There are Ninevites with whom we will be spending eternity, singing praises to the Lamb of God, because God sent Jonah and delayed in taking down that evil empire.
There are many people for whom I have a lot of respect that are ready to see the end of America as we know it. They see the evil here with the same disgust that some of our enemies see it. They want to see the downfall of both the Republicans and the Democrats. And I can certainly see why! And yet... I see the blessings that have come to many people because of the delay of the implosion: physical blessings, spiritual blessings, blessings within relationships, and material blessings.
Like my friend Jenny said, bad government is better than anarchy. I guess it just shows how blessed we have been --how little trouble we have seen-- that her statement doesn't easily & obviously resonate as truth.
How often in the Bible did God tarry with His chastisements and punishments! And it was always for the sake of extending the time of grace.
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Indeed, there are still Christians in Ninevah, or as the city is known today, Mosul, Iraq. One of my Iraqi teachers was an Assyrian from Mosul, and when he explained how the Christians there still celebrate God's mercy in the time of Jonah with a three-day fast, it gave me shivers. The communion of all saints indeed!
ReplyDeleteInsightful and well said, Susan. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI think you are assuming that if someone other than a Republican or Democrat is elected that anarchy would result. You assume that life would change for the worse.
ReplyDeleteI cannot make that assumption. I also think you are making an assumption that if those of us that vote third party were forced to make a decision between the 2 major candidates that we would choose the one you think of as the lesser of two evils.
That's a lot of assumptions.
I find it interesting that as the time for the election draws nearer I'm seeing lots of arguments to vote for a particular candidate because the other one is just so bad. I guess we should just vote for someone, not based on what they will do in office, but based on speculation of what the other one might do. We should vote based on fear, fear of something we are not even sure might happen.
It's no wonder the government has gotten so big and taken away so many of our freedoms.
I do not think that anarchy will result from electing someone who's not from one of the two major parties. I do think that American life will change drastically if a particular one of the two biggies is elected. No, not immediately. But like his own vp-nominee said, he will be tested.
ReplyDeleteAs for which side the third-party voters would choose if they had to pick between the two -- most of the people who object to both candidates do so because they both believe in massive govt. So, yeah, I assume that they'd choose the one that wasn't pushing as hard and fast for growth of govt power.
I have heard of some who are voting third-party because they want to vote Democratic but are too bigoted to vote for a black man.
You mentioned voting out of fear of something that we aren't sure will happen. What about fear that someone will actually be able to enact a portion of what he is promising to do?
I cannot vote based on fear that someone might get in and do what he promises. I have to vote based on who will do the best possible job in my opinion. Call me an idealist, but I think that voting based on keeping the other guy out isn't the answer.
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