We’re Down to Two Flavors….
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”
(Psalms 20:7 ESV)
This years presidential election is like going to Baskin Robbins and finding that they only have two flavors…horse manure and chicken manure.
One scoop or two?
Cup or cone?
It seems to me worth pondering why God would saddle His (allegedly) favorite country (next to Israel,of course) with such a choice.
My guess is so that we would learn that not making a choice is a choice as well.
Maybe… it’s so that we would learn that there are times when all the world offers is beneath our calling and unworthy of our selection.
Maybe… it’s so we would learn to distrust the powers of this world and seek to move in the power of God only.
Maybe… it’s so we will realize that problems of the soul can’t be cured with partisan politics.
Maybe…it’s so the church will rediscover what it means to be the church.
Maybe… I’ll skip the ice cream this time…
“Manure” is too nice a word.
I get in too much trouble with the other one… 🙂
Ok the subtleties of this one elude me.
But it is clear that you want us to truth the Lord not these horses and flavors that are being offered.
That I get.
Baggy eyes or spray on tan?
“He (the devil) always sends errors into the world in pairs–pairs of opposites…He relies on your extra dislike of one to draw you gradually into the opposite one. But do not let us be fooled. We have to keep our eyes on the goal and go straight through between both errors. We have no other concern than that with either of them.”
C.S. Lewis
It doesn’t matter – the lifer government workers control what goes on.
The military and career diplomats control foreign policy and career treasury people control the economy.
Whoever the president may be – they make decisions on a need to know basis.
If Trump is president, believe me “the football” will not have batteries installed.
BD,
It’s not very subtle. 🙂
We sold out to politics and abandoned the power of the Spirit and the gifts that He has given.
Now we are trying to baptize two cretins as God’s choice…
“But Michael if you don’t eat your chicken manure we’ll all have to eat cow manure.”
“But Michael if you don’t eat your cow manure we’ll all have to eat chicken manure.”
Dallas,
Exactly…
“We sold out to politics and abandoned the power of the Spirit and the gifts that He has given. – Now we are trying to baptize two cretins as God’s choice…”
Who is the “we”? To all here – If you are part of the “we” then you need to stop doing this.
MLD,
Michael can clarify for himself, but the “we” to me means Christians. There are many Christians on the religious right who are now trying to baptize Trump as God’s candidate. There are Christians on the religious left who do the same for Hillary, although maybe a little less explicitly.
Certainly not nearly all Christians are guilty of this, but far more than there should be.
Wow, Scott. That C.S. Lewis quote is straight truth.
Josh, that’s what I thought too when a friend of mine sent the quote to me.
Kevin H – well if “we” are not we, then they should be identified as “them” or “they”
“we” = “evangelicals” 🙂
MLD,
Evangelicals are an identifiable, large, voting block.
A cursory look at my Facebook page will affirm how intertwined with politics the church has become.
Evangelical “leaders” had a meeting with Trump…so they could choose whether or not to mobilize this group.
I’m not sure why you continue to dispute it’s existence..
Non evangelicals (Reformed, Roman Catholic) have also been caught up in this.
I can’t speak for Lutherans…
MLD,
You can quibble with the use of pronouns, but it is a manner of speaking. The use of “we” indicates that this is something that happens within our group (the group in this case being Christians).
Just like if I were to we (Phillies fans) are pretty rude sometimes. Now, I’m never rude myself 😉 – but I’m identifying with my group that certainly has a good amount that act that way.
That CS Lewis quote is so good I posted it on my FB page. Thanks, Scott!
“were to say”
Kevin,
Exactly…
Would you look at that. I was right.
PS – I would like to congratulate American voters on these two magnificent candidates you’ve chosen.
Exactly, that Phillies fans are rude? 😉
What Bernie Sanders inspired among us old worn out progressives and young Millennials is awesome, hearkening back to New Deal Democratic Socialism and its proven benefits among american workers. We are influencing the Democratic Party even though many of us are not Democrats, we are inspiring a new generation to become active in american politics, even on the grassroots level. This is for change, and it requires a multi-generational commitment, beyond the persons the parties are offering. Not participating is the worst possible choice. Each of us has a voice. It’s our choice to silence it, but if one chooses to silence themselves then one chooses to answer for that non-participation.
Trump? Never. A buffoon, an embarrassment to anyone who has a shred of decency in their soul.
Hillary? Probable winner, electable, for many of us she will be a strategic placeholder while we bring reform and change on the state and local levels and round out the supreme court.
The ice cream shop will survive as we patiently wait out the crappy presidency, replace the NRA bought congressional dweebs and in the meanwhile sell edible snacks of our own baking.
Kevin H – If I were to guess I would say that 90% of all American Christians have no interest in anointing any candidate, and are NOT trying to baptize two cretins as God’s choice…”
Almost all Christian people I know (know meaning know) just live quiet none political lives – say ‘good riddance’ about the candidates and will hold their nose and vote.
So no, I will not say ‘we’ (the 90%) I will say “they” (the 10%)
I will ask you – do the majority of the Christians that you know (know meaning know) want to baptize one candidate or the other? – I will bet the answer is no – but as you put it, it may be a manner of speech that the media uses – but not real people.
This is important – Do not let others steal the conversation. Even in the SBC that has a heavy Trump presence with leadership – I would bet the far majority of pew sitting SBCers do not feel the same way.
Perhaps it should be worded that “a very vocal, yet very minority of Christians have done the following to the political landscape…”
The bit that threw me was …
“It seems to me worth pondering why God would saddle His (allegedly) favorite country (next to Israel,of course) with such a choice.”
“Even in the SBC that has a heavy Trump presence with leadership”
Russell Moore is at least one SBC leader that is not on board with Trump.
cow deposits or chicken droppings? you haven’t noticed that your burgers have tasted odd for quite some time now?
MLD,
Our Christian radio and television station fills the air with it daily.
The most prominent Christian talk show hosts do the same.
Millions (probably billions) are spent to influence this block and many, many books have been written on the subject.
I don’t know what size the group is, but it’s significant.
my morning reading was in Ezekiel 2 today [yes, lutes, i know the words are directed to the prophet – and Jesus is in there also]… so reading this post made me smile
beg. vs 8…
“But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”
And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it.
And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.
Here’s the problem IMO: there needs to be a place on the ballot that says “none of the above,” and if “none of the above” gets the most votes, then nobody on the ballot wins. There has to be a way for the constituency to reject what is offered. That way no one has to eat any type of farm dung.
Michael
I just don’t think they move the needle much.
Have these talk show hosts moved you?
Anyone here been pushed towards Trump because of something you heard on the Christian radio?
I didn’t even know there were Christian radio show hosts – I thought everyone just played music or sermon tapes.
Now that I think about it Frank Pastore was a radio host at KKLA – did they replace him after he died?
MLD,
I know quite a few Christians in my personal life who are supporting Trump, and that support has been significantly influenced by Christian leaders in the media who have spoken favorably for Trump.
Em, I’m sure you must of moved into chapter 4. God instructed Ezekiel to eat bread prepared over dung in the presence of the people as a sign of their condition.
I thought there was a prior discussion where we determined that MLD lives on a different planet. 😉
Well you guys must go out looking for it. I am sure if I went to my car right now and turned on the 2 maybe 3 Christian radio stations I would get music or a piped in sermon from someone’s church and that I would not get someone endorsing Trump.
I could be mistaken – I listen to podcasts in the car – usually stuff I taped 20 yrs ago and have converted to MP3s.
Someone please recommend to me the Trump supporter on the radio and I will give a listen – but if I change my vote, it’s on you 🙂
Giant Meteor 2016
Or vote Gary Johnson, Libertarian Party
Or write in Rand Paul
We aren’t a Theocracy and no politician can or should replace Jesus.
I think the Lutheran’s have a good perspective of the whole Two Kingdoms thing.
I’m writing in a fictional character for president. I’m thinking Gomez Addams, or Sergeant Carter.
I will say it’s been a fun filled election season. Monty Python couldn’t have written a better script of a black comedy.
Welcome to the American electoral cess pool.
Having worked on a farm shoveling most types of animal manure, I can say that the worst was pig, followed by chicken, cow and horse in ascending order. But none can compare to the day the septic tank backed up and had to be unearthed. That seems to be what this election boils down to, unfortunately.
#36-Scott, that’s serious symbology to ponder… but no, i’m not there yet… one chapter every Thursday on my schedule – i’ve always wondered about cooking over dung… ick … guess i’d rather cook over it than make it into ice cream and put it in an ice cream cone, tho…
It is a continuous source of amusement that partisanship makes us think that enough ridicule and scorn will prove us right and sway the others.
#40-the Two Kingdoms is not an isolated Lutheran teaching… hasn’t everyone been taught that principle? … some do seem to forget, though – i do see that…
I wonder if people will vote, not so much who they are “For”, but more who they are “Against”?
Trump has stated from the beginning that he’s the only one who could beat Clinton.
If may be the first Presidential election that will be decided based on who more people DON’T want for POTUS rather than do want.
#44-i’ve been listening a bit and i’m not amused at all as ridicule and scorn is Hillary’s campaign playbook right now… probably Donald’s too
i’d almost bet that neither one is on the ballot in November – almost…
Here is my scorn.
Trump is incapable of civility and reasoned speech, as mama says, “If you cannot say something nice, shut up.”
Hillary is incapable of truthfulness and believable speech, as my mother would say, “She lies when the truth would help.”
Or as my father would say, “Stick their brains in a duck’s but and it would squat.”
Vote Dread
I would of preferred Scorn Dread, a play on Corn Bread;-)
Both of them have two critical spiritual gifts, they have money and they have power and they are not afraid to use it, even if it crushes people. I admire that, well actually I dont it disgusts me but I should admire it. Count that another flaw.
On a less sarcastic note, I got sort of excited and hopeful with some of what sanders was saying. I do think maybe this is the lowest two candidates we have ever had in the last 70-80 years.
In Australia we had our election on Saturday. We have a proper electoral system, where for single-member seats you number the candidates in your order of preference, so you can normally vote for who you want without fear of your vote being wasted. Our Trump-like characters end up starting their own parties and winning a few seats rather than ever being a major party leader.
Eric,
I’m glad you’re teaching us these things…some of us may want to move there… 🙂
brian is right as usual LOL
Eric lives in Australia? The Australian Gun Confiscation/Gun Ban makes me question the intellectual capacity of the entire nation…as well as its backbone and its commitment to basic Human Rights…like the Right to Self Defense. Any nation that gets that major issue wrong….has a severe Moral Problem…and will reap what it sows…and is according to the Crime Data.
My cousin, Matt Damon, is going to be in Boise soon promoting his new Jason Bourne film where he uses Gun Violence to get rich…and he’s currently touting an “Australian style gun ban!” for the USA.
….we’re going to be protesting him….and he will be surrounded by men…men with guns to protect himself.
Guns are good for Matt Damon to get rich and to protect himself….bad for everyone else.
Typical Anti-Gun duplicitous mentality and Immorality.
Eric, count me very jealous of your electoral system.
Up here, the only thing we get to vote for is the party. Personally, I wish parties didn’t exist, just the candidates themselves.
Another gem from C.S. Lewis:
“The attitude which you want to guard against is that in which temporal affairs are treated primarily as material for obedience. Once you have made the World an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing. Provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, crusades, matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours – and the more ‘religious’ (on those terms) the more securely ours. I could show you a pretty cageful down here.” – C.S. Lewis (The Screwtape Letters: Screwtape to Wormwood)
I’m surrounded by friends and family that are for Trump. What many of them post on FB is anti Hillary. They post stuff about the people she’s had killed and then valid things concerning her character and honesty. Some believe our President is a Muslim. So between the President and Hillary they see what would they consider evil. Others see this as a sign of the rapture quickly approaching.
Vets are totally for Trump as well as their family members among those I know.
I don’t see much from the above stating Trump is God’s man but as the less of two evils.
Fear seems to be a big motivation across the board.
I will seek to trust God for this time in our history and for my life personally. Regardless of all of this people need Christ.
Jean, I love that book – every time I read it, I find new insights….
Erunner – nice to see you! Haven’t seen you lately on your blog…..
Stopping in to read and I guess it looks like I’m alone in my opinion here with this community or pretty much so. I am for Trump. He has the guts to go against political correctness. He has common sense. He understands we need a more secure border. He supports our second amendment. He understands ‘all lives matter’ including the men in blue. He has business sense, which we need to deal with the incredibly horrible debt that has been run up. Most people who ‘slam’ him that I know haven’t listened to him much at all – they have only listened to the horrible shewed corporate mass media. He speaks out against the corruption in Washington. He wants to help our vets more. Does he talk like a ‘smooth’ politician? No, but we don’t need more of that phony talk. Trump is rough on the edges but has strength, etc. that our country needs. I think it’s always good to have a differing opinion so I’m leaving mine. Trump 2016
The downside to a fairer electoral system is that they’re still counting the votes a week later as the postal votes come in. Most of the House of Reps is decided, we know which party is in power again. The Senate votes will probably take weeks to be counted.
And our political system generally is not perfect. In the major parties members all vote together, so good luck trying to have any influence via your local member. In parliament they behave like school kids. Lots of funny YouTube videos of Question Time in Australia.