Thoughts on Democracy

Came across this post today, where she took the time to type out a lengthy passage of C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters - one of my favorites. If you take the time to read it, I think you'll be struck, as I was, of how well Lewis described our current social and political situation. Lewis had an incredible ability to see things through to their logical conclusion, and therefore often his work seems prophetic - in the sense that he described something the way it would become, 60-80 years before it happened.

*Edited after I thought of a better way to explain what I mean - someday I'll learn to edit BEFORE posting...

I don't think anyone here would argue that not all ideas are equal. Some ideas are good, some are bad. Although all human life has intrinsic value, that does not mean every person's ideas are good ones. Therein lies a danger in Democracy. If we all have to be equal, no one can be outstanding. If no one is outstanding, what do the rest of us have to reach for, to aspire to? Who can be a hero? Other people's success does not threaten my worth - my worth is founded in what God says about me, not in my accomplishments or in comparing myself.

It's not just the U.S. that is heading this way, either. It seems like the world as a whole wants to cut down the successful ones - that's kind of the whole premise behind socialism/communism and there are so many countries governing with those principles. Of course, heading back into the feudal system isn't a good goal either. It's definitely a balancing act. I'm rambling now, but...thoughts about this?

Raw

Sometimes I wish I had thicker skin.

All the political talk wears on me after just a few days of it. I start to feel emotionally...raw. I haven't even had any arguments about it. But I'm amazed at how many different STRONG opinions there are about what our country needs in a leader, even among people who agree on almost everything else. And because it's such an emotional issue, it's scary to even try to talk about those differences.

If it could be a non-emotional conversation, I would love to discuss politics. I feel like discussing ideas actually means something, and you can learn a lot about other people by how they relate to ideas. But most of the time I feel too thin-skinned to be able to take it when someone else has a deeply held view that feels completely contrary to mine. It literally makes my stomach hurt and I feel all shaky. Why is that? Am I just needing to be liked by other people?

Here I go anyway...

I want the United States to be a great place for my children and their children. I want leaders who will govern with principles that line up with my other beliefs (not forcing religion on other people, but defending its freedom, since that's what our nation was founded on). I don't agree with legislating morality, I think taking care of abortion, for example, is a job better done with the love of God's people, but neither do I want to pay for someone's abortion with my taxes. I believe the government takes enough (or too much!) of my money in taxes and should be responsible with what they have, not ask for more. I believe churches do a better job taking care of people in need than the government does with programs. I believe foreign policy is best left to someone with a much better understanding of the world than I have, but I believe it's the job of the government to protect and defend its people - that's what the Bible says is its job. I do not like angry, victim mindset people, just in general. If someone is angry and not doing anything about it, they just really want to stay angry in my opinion. If I work hard, I want to see the fruit of my labor. If someone refuses (not where they can't work, that they refuse) to work hard, they should not live off my work. I want people to tell the truth, to live with integrity, and be no-nonsense about...nonsense.

That's what is important to me in a politician. So, here's my idea. Give us your list of what's important! Don't attack what I believe, tell me what you believe, because I'm interested. Follow the format I just set up, and tell me what you think a politician should do and be. No being mean! Remember, I'm thin-skinned. :)

More on Palin

My husband wrote a post today that, for multiple reasons, deeply moved me. He wrote it as satire that could also strike you as funny, but that's not how it affected me personally. :) See what you think!

On Palin

This post said very eloquently what I'm feeling about making a judgment about the Sarah Palin deal. In addition to the reasons this blogger listed against Palin, I've also seen someone talk about Deborah in the Bible, and how it was an insult to Israel that there were no men willing to step up and lead. Then she quoted a passage from a minor prophet that talked about Israel's sin, and mentioned that women lead them. I'm unsure how much of that was related to culture, and how much is God's intended authority structure.

So for right now, I'm reserving judgment. Palin is an interesting person, for sure. She obviously stands up for what she believes while showing love and compassion for people (her daughter, for example) who make mistakes. I'm watching the whole thing carefully.

More Obama Satire

This one reads like C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters. Whew.

A Rant Against Socialism

By the incredible Dave Ramsey. Preach it!

Just War Part 2

I want to finish my train of thought here...even though Marianne further explained that it was not so much pacifism she was asking about, but what the individual Christian's response should be to persecution. I'll have to write a seperate post about that. I do, however, also feel the two are linked in some ways because of her question about our pastor having a bodyguard. I feel this train of thought will address that question.

So...

Here's the second principle we find in Scripture regarding authority.



2. Those who are in authority are charged by God to protect those under their authority.



Romans 13:4 "for it [the God-instituted authority] is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil." (emphasis mine)



Proverbs 14:28 "In a multitude of people is a king's glory, But in the death of people is a prince's ruin."



Proverbs 20:26 "A wise king winnows the wicked, And drives the threshing wheel over them."

More to come...

Further thoughts

Marianne posted a blog today that was incredibly hard for me to read. In fact, I must admit to physically shaking after having read it. However, I really appreciate the spirit with which she wrote it - not as an attack on New Life, but with genuine questions that demand answers if we are to live out our faith in this current day.

First, a couple of thoughts. I feel that it is impossible to process a traumatic event the same way if you are connected to it, as you would being far removed from it. Therefore, even if Marianne and I both had perfect theology (wouldn't that be nice, Marianne? :), we could still come up with totally different answers and feelings. I'm not sure she would have said some of the things she did if she had been here, but my perspective is probably also somewhat skewed by the fact that I am here.

Second, I feel that there has been a ton of pacifist information out there among people of our age group, and that the concept of just war has not been accurately portrayed or defended using Scripture. As an aside, I don't know what to think of the war our country is currently engaged in. But I will submit to my governing authority (whoever that happens to be), and support them in the decisions God has them make. (Prov 21:1 "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.") There is a place for serving God rather than man, when man tries to prevent us from serving God, but I do not see that happening in our country right now. Therefore, I feel we should support our president.

I immediately needed to study this subject in depth, because I would have no peace until I did. I am asking God for guidance as I do it, especially because it's easy to believe something from personal experience and then look for Scripture to back up one's beliefs. I didn't want to do that. So, here are my thoughts, with the Scriptures I found.

1. God sets authority in place, no matter what their beliefs. This means if Hillary Clinton is elected president, I will submit to her authority, even though I personally disagree with her beliefs.

If she was in authority, her heart would be in the hand of God, as she would be our "king." Therefore the decisions she would make would ultimately bring glory to God because He would direct her. Pharoah and the plagues of Egypt come to mind. God demonstrated his power to the Egyptians by hardening Pharoah's heart. (well, first Pharoah hardened his own heart, and then God began doing it after Pharoah had made his decision, see Exodus 8-9)

Romans 13:1-4 (NAS, because it is a very literal translation)

1Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
2Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
3For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;
4for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.

I'm going to do this in several installments so I do not neglect my children in the meantime. :) What I'm doing with the next couple of posts is establishing the groundwork for my position. I'll come around to the point later. Please discuss, but because this is an especially intense subject, stay on subject - if you disagree, please attack logic not people. I won't post anything mean-spirited.

Let's work out the answers to these things together!

Healthcare and the Government

This post has a rather interesting analysis of the problems with government-provided health care. As someone who has spent the better part of my life uninsured due to my dad and now my husband working for a small business, there is a certain allure to free healthcare. However, I had never thought about the natural results of that policy. Yuck. I think I'd rather pay out of pocket, and make payments until the end of time if one of us lands in the hospital, just like we had to for Hannah's birth and RSV stay. The cultural changes that might be involved with government healthcare do not outweigh the pain of a lack of insurance.