I don't know where to begin on this issue of my blog. Usually it's about church stuff, but today and maybe the next few will be about our current situation in Washington DC.
Briefly I'm upset with many components of our Government. For one thing, I think our President has stepped over the line toward Treason, especially in blaming his own country, which he stood up in front of a "huge" crowd and promised to defend, and to obey the Constitution of the United States.
I'm also upset with our checks and balances system that is supposed to protect us from such threat to our security. Can't our elected leaders do anything about the damage the President is doing to our international reputation, our relationship to our allies, and those who look up to the US for some kind of democratic and moral example. To trash the NATO connection, to insult our neighbor to the north, to place tariffs on products is only going to hurt our own economy. I'm sure really heavily invested folks have found a way to make a lot of money as more and more people lose their jobs.
I'm also upset with those who report their support for this President from a religious perspective. Poll after poll, show his support and yet he seems to violate some of the very basic tenants of our Christian faith. The standard of comparison should be Jesus. Jesus has given us a great deal of guidance in the Gospels that could be used to decide what is right and wrong. The Bible, which many of his supporters hold dear, has not influenced their beliefs enough to know that what is being recommended and supported goes directly against what the Bible teaches. How can you claim to be a follower of Jesus and make such poor connections to what Jesus would claim as a direction for us to follow. To me that's the essence of a hypocrite. That goes for the religious leaders who are misleading the flock to be supportive of the policies of our President.
I'm also upset with us who claim patriotism and haven't a clue what our country stands for and what guidance our Constitution gives us for moving forward. Our country is not perfect, that's for sure. The way we treated native Americans, the way we treated slaves, the way we treated those of Japanese descent during the WWII, the way we treated the Chinese in settling the West, all give us reason to ask for forgiveness and to be extra careful in what we say and do now. But those very lessons should help us not misguide us.
It's too bad that fear is holding us back from doing the right thing. I know a lot about that, not wanting to upset the apple cart etc. But at some point somebody has to say enough is enough.
Enough of this right now, I'm coming back later for more.
Pastor Jeff
