What depresses me most about the current state of politics

[James]

Today's Sunday School lesson in the Formation series spoke to the issue of abuse of power and the demonization of politics. In a theoretical sense power is always abused and I will leave that issue for others to raise. It is the demonization of politics which disturbs me.

Here in the batttle ground state of Virginia, we are once again bombarded by two mighty opposing forces. Independents, like me can once again sit on the fence wearing gray shirts and blue pants or blue shirts and red pants and have both sides shooting at selective parts of our anatomy. It leads to strange and disturbing bits of interaction with our fellow citizens.

My daughter, of whom I am quite proud, who in her personal and professional life ministers to the "least of these" every day went to the VA state fair. She was wearing a sticker or button showing her support for one of the tickets vying for the presidency/VP of our "great nation." As she approached a booth with something to sell, one of the vendors pointed to her and said, "you are an instrument of the Devil, and you are going to hell." All he knew about this pretty blond born again Christian lady standing in front of him was that she was wearing a political sticker. This was enough information to condemn her to hell.

In my life, my two closest friends are Republicans. Over the last 40 years for one and 30 years for the other, we have talked freely about every subject under the sun. We have ranted and raved and pontificated to one another and compromised and come up with some unique solutions to some of the messes we are in, but starting with W's administration, it has become harder and harder to talk. So we do not talk about politics and as time goes by we talk less and less of religion, culture, business, education or anything else that includes the world at large. We cannot talk about these other things because the politicians are now directing our thinking on all these things. The only thing that holds us together is that we have shared every great life event of these last decades including several life threatining events. We have drunk deeply of each others joys and sorrows. But as the years go by even these great bonds of love are weakening under the self appointed gods of the world. The democrats and the republicans are grinding our friendship into the dust.

If this demonization can threaten shuch a friendship, can anyone doubt that it can threaten the bonds that hold our republic together.

[Tom Parker]

James:

That is truly a shame what happened to your daughter. The marriage of politics with religion is dividing our country in a way that as you pointed out can even effect close relationships.

It needs to stop.

My eternal hope is in Christ and not a political party.

[James]

Thanks, Tom for your input.

[Dave Roberts]

It disturbs me when we choose to demonize all those who are of the opposite (or at least of a different) political persuasion than we are. As I look at all the candidates out there, I am reminded that each one was created in God's image. Each one is the object of God's love. Why can we not disagree on issues and yet remember our common bonds as those who share this third rock from the sun?

[Haruo]

Better watch out Dave, there's a slippery slope between a heliocentric world view and Darwinism!

[Ed Pettibone]

[Stephen Fox]

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispa ... r_on_leno/

[Stephen Fox]

http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/ ... ing-rogue/

[KeithE]