Rep. Thaddeus McCotter - Completely on point.
Hear! Hear!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
America, Where is Your Spine? And why aren't we on our knees?
I am only 56 years old. I am an American citizen of mixed descent. I grew up believing that I lived in the greatest country on earth and that it was my responsibility to find a way to become a contributing member of society and to look out for those in need around me. Where did those impressions come from? Where have they gone?
I firmly believe they came from the Judeo-Christian moral compass that was the foundation of our society and decreed how we would act, how we would treat each other and that if we failed in those duties, the responsibility was ours alone.
I say Judeo-Christian because those were the primary faiths in America for 200+ years. Even if you were not a church or temple attender, those values were still instilled in you from birth. If the economy was bad - we sucked it up and dealt with it. If you did not do your job and got fired - it wasn't the bosses fault. People of all ethnicities and political stripes could have strong verbal battles without belittling each other's personhood - we thought ethnic jokes were funny and were able to laugh at ourselves.
When did we outsource to the government our responsibility for taking care of ourselves, and through our own volition, our neighbors (not the government through usurpation of our pay and property)? When did we stop believing it is wrong to lie, steal, cheat and bully our way to goals, whether a passing grade, acceptance in a group, or new legislation.
I believe it is the direct result of our society distancing itself from God in a very gradual way over the last 50 years. Free love, sexual revolution, situation ethics - the beat goes on.
Has there always been corruption in places of power? Yes, there has. Have there always been evil people who prey on others? Yes, there have. Have there always been those who push the bounds of societal norms? Yes, there have. But never in my lifetime have I seen so much corruption, greed, evil and dependence at so many levels of society. Our politicians are the products of the society they live in. Add to that the fact that many of them are DECADES removed from any sort of normal daily life like we lead with the usual responsibilities, and they don't have a clue. They don't have any idea how their speech, actions and goals do not meet up with what those of us who still try to have a Judeo-Christian spiritual focus and work ethic (again, whether you are an active worshipper or not) believe is "normal" and "right".
I believe it is time to both stand up and kneel down. I believe it is time to stand up and be proud of who we are. To step out and show it through our actions of direct generosity to our neighbors rather than hoping someone else will do it. To show it through our actions on the job, in our families and in our communities. Am I guilty of failing in all these areas? I absolutely am. The difference is, I come from a time where guilt was an OK thing to feel. It taught you that something needed to change or improve. I believe we need to rediscover how valuable self-examination and purposeful reformation of our lives are.
I firmly believe that it is also time to get on our knees and petition God the father to redeem this nation. The United States was a gift of Divine providence to a weary world. It was a governing and societal divine experiment. It is collapsing from within the way that all civilizations do when they bow to baser instincts, give too much power to the government and grow too soft.
Imagine what Jehovah God could do if the entire conservative Judeo-Christian community vowed to pray for this nation? What problems would we figure out how to solve? What leaders would emerge? What great thinkers and innovators would take us into the next century?
We MUST bow our knees and our hearts and say "Create in me a clean heart oh God, renew a right spirit within me". And THEN say - "Here am I, send me".
I firmly believe they came from the Judeo-Christian moral compass that was the foundation of our society and decreed how we would act, how we would treat each other and that if we failed in those duties, the responsibility was ours alone.
I say Judeo-Christian because those were the primary faiths in America for 200+ years. Even if you were not a church or temple attender, those values were still instilled in you from birth. If the economy was bad - we sucked it up and dealt with it. If you did not do your job and got fired - it wasn't the bosses fault. People of all ethnicities and political stripes could have strong verbal battles without belittling each other's personhood - we thought ethnic jokes were funny and were able to laugh at ourselves.
When did we outsource to the government our responsibility for taking care of ourselves, and through our own volition, our neighbors (not the government through usurpation of our pay and property)? When did we stop believing it is wrong to lie, steal, cheat and bully our way to goals, whether a passing grade, acceptance in a group, or new legislation.
I believe it is the direct result of our society distancing itself from God in a very gradual way over the last 50 years. Free love, sexual revolution, situation ethics - the beat goes on.
Has there always been corruption in places of power? Yes, there has. Have there always been evil people who prey on others? Yes, there have. Have there always been those who push the bounds of societal norms? Yes, there have. But never in my lifetime have I seen so much corruption, greed, evil and dependence at so many levels of society. Our politicians are the products of the society they live in. Add to that the fact that many of them are DECADES removed from any sort of normal daily life like we lead with the usual responsibilities, and they don't have a clue. They don't have any idea how their speech, actions and goals do not meet up with what those of us who still try to have a Judeo-Christian spiritual focus and work ethic (again, whether you are an active worshipper or not) believe is "normal" and "right".
I believe it is time to both stand up and kneel down. I believe it is time to stand up and be proud of who we are. To step out and show it through our actions of direct generosity to our neighbors rather than hoping someone else will do it. To show it through our actions on the job, in our families and in our communities. Am I guilty of failing in all these areas? I absolutely am. The difference is, I come from a time where guilt was an OK thing to feel. It taught you that something needed to change or improve. I believe we need to rediscover how valuable self-examination and purposeful reformation of our lives are.
I firmly believe that it is also time to get on our knees and petition God the father to redeem this nation. The United States was a gift of Divine providence to a weary world. It was a governing and societal divine experiment. It is collapsing from within the way that all civilizations do when they bow to baser instincts, give too much power to the government and grow too soft.
Imagine what Jehovah God could do if the entire conservative Judeo-Christian community vowed to pray for this nation? What problems would we figure out how to solve? What leaders would emerge? What great thinkers and innovators would take us into the next century?
We MUST bow our knees and our hearts and say "Create in me a clean heart oh God, renew a right spirit within me". And THEN say - "Here am I, send me".
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Lent, Passover and the Future of America
Perhaps it is time to back away from our computers for some period each day, as we walk through the Holy Seasons of Passover for Jews and Lent for Christians, and spend that time in prayer and fasting for our country.
I know I have spent much too much time thinking and worrying instead of praying to the One who CAN fix the mess that we (yes WE) have allowed to happen.
"If MY people which are called by MY name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways - THEN will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land". II Chronicles 7:14
"Everything in the heavens and earth is yours, O Lord, and this is YOUR kingdom. We adore you as being in control of everything. Riches and honor come from you alone, and YOU are the ruler of all mankind; your hand controls power and might, and it is at your discretion that men are made great" I Chronicles 29:11-12.
Jehoshaphat called all the people of Judah together - in the face of coming attacks by three surrounding enemies. "Our God will you not judge them? We have no might against this great company that comes against this great company that comes against us; neither do we know what to do; but our eyes are upon Thee. And ALL Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives and their children."
God's response was to give them a very specific "battle plan" - have the musicians lead the army with praise to God. He told them not to be afraid for the battle was not THEIRS but HIS. However they still had to follow His leading and instructions.
God is still in control. He is not ready to give up on this "Divine Experiment" called the United States of America. Pray for all of our leaders that they would be given true insight into what the purpose of our nation is and how they can best serve the American people rather than themselves. Pray for us to have the courage to take action where necessary to have our voice heard. We have done this in the past, but then let down our guard and returned to our daily routines. That is why we are where we are. We have sat meekly by and allowed our country to be shanghaied. Our prayers need to be persistent and powerful and we need to acknowledge our own failings.
Imagine what a might move God might make for the future of our great nation if the entire conservative Judeo-Christian community across this land from every denomination and worship style joined together for a season of prayer and fasting.
Just my Saturday afternoon thoughts
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