In light of that (preventing further inconsistency), I'd like to walk you through a critical thinking exercise…
1. Some argue that America is a city upon a hill; that God has blessed our perfect union; and that we are a beacon to the rest of the globe - bringing about God's kingdom through OUR nation, leaders, and policies.
2. If you agree with statement #1, then whoever wins today's election, is part of God's providential plan for renewing His kingdom.
3. If YOUR candidate didn't win, the logical conclusion is that your vision of God's will is not properly in sync with God's. (most likely 1/2 of our nation will fall into this category). This may be hard to swallow, but logically, this is the only valid conclusion you can arrive at.
4. If you disagree with statement #1, you probably don't believe that America is God's nation; that America carries God's beacon into the rest of the world; that America being founded as a Christian nation is more myth than reality; that God's economy is not necessarily man's (which means God doesn't pick and choose American candidates, He's not concerned and/or involved in our American Democratic process - but rather, up to something WAY BIGGER, WAY more counter-cultural, WAY more revolutionary); and that American nationalism and political strength is not in line with the way of the cross.
5. The most important take away in moving beyond election day is to understand that as followers of Jesus, we vote every single day. We vote with our interactions. We vote with our purchasing. We vote by the ways we show and do not show love and mercy to others.
Let's move forward intellectually, honestly, and understanding that regardless of the political lever we pulled today; that how we treat others tomorrow, the products we consume in the years to come, the shalom we work towards, and the love we show, casts a much more important ballot.
Peace,
Ross
5 comments:
Yes. Yes. Yes. Well said, brother.
Thanks. (applying logical reasoning)...And today, those that voted for Romney, and would have argued (had he won) that he was God's candidate are saying that, despite his loss, "God is in control," must realize that under this premise, that God chose Pres. Obama, and that how they viewed God's involvement in politics/policies/candidates was different from their perception and ballot. I doubt this will be their reasoning...but again, applying logic, I cannot think of another scenario.
If a Romney win = God's will, so must an Obama win. If not, then lets not assume that God is overly concerned with American politics...
my 2 cents,
Ross
Ross, I recently read a blog post from a local church regarding Sandy. The 1st point was that God is in control of everything, including the weather. The 2nd point was that God's power (as seen in the hurricane) is awe-inspiring. The 3rd point was that the lives and property lost were a result of living in a fallen world.
So God is in control of everything until there's a negative consequence, in which case it's sin's fault? God brought the hurricane but the destruction it caused was a result of being in a fallen world?
I just don't follow the logic and am disheartened that others can't see the conflict of what they're saying only 2 paragraphs later.
Great post!
Phil
Thanks Ross. I love your sense of clarity. I'm including your post on my Cures for the Post Election Hangover:
http://stuartdelony.com/2012/11/07/cure-for-the-post-election-day-hangover/.
thanks man!
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