Skip to main content

politics

I start to wince whenever someone ones to bring up the coming election in group conversation.
Don't get me wrong. It is important. It should be discussed.
I just don't like it.
I don't always no where I stand.
This registered Republican is considering voting in the other direction. But truth be told, I haven't done my research. I'm still on the fence.
As always it seems there are no good options.
Do I go with certain moral issues? Do I go with what I think is best for the hope of the country? Or who will be best at foreign policy? Or who will be best for my bank account. Shaun's no voting philosophy is sounding better all the time ( don't lecture me in your comments.... I will vote)

Being a teacher makes you liberal even if you don't want to be. Reading Shane Claiborne doesn't leave you much choice.

But secretly I still harbor all these conservative things.
Me and Shaun are responsible. We have good health insurance. We are saving for our retirement. Part of me thinks I should be rewarded for this. Why should I have to pay for people who aren't responsible like me? Sure they of course should have some basic rights and services, but shouldn't they do something for them. Shouldn't mine be better.

And then I think about all those troubling parables Jesus told. He paid the workers who worked one hour the same as the ones who worked all day. He didn't care so much about fair. About responsible. About giving people what they were due. He loved.
The early church didn't care so much about 401Ks or portfolios or social security. They took care of each other. I'm not sure that concept is entirely democratic either. What the bible has to say about politics doesn't fit neatly into either party. It dabbles in the moral right, and lingers to the bleeding left.
I'm not even sure Jesus would vote.
You might argue with me and and say these things I am pondering are church issues not government ones. And to that I agree. Sort of. But only sort of.

Before I vote, I promise to do my research. But I will still squirm when the topic is brought up in large groups. When someone makes a snide comment. In either direction.

Comments

Sars said…
This is a great post, M. I especially like the part about dabbling and lingering. This is really the first thing I've read recently that a)does the complexity of the issues justice b)actually makes me think a little bit.Well written.

Popular posts from this blog

Either/Or

Recently I met an old friend for lunch. He was actually my senior high prom date. He wasn’t just my prom date, but had been my friend for a good part of high school. And our group has mostly stayed in touch through the years. But not him. Even though we live in the same big metroplex, I hadn’t seen him in almost 15 years. At prom, He even won some kind of senior superlative, Mr. BHS or something like that. In other words, he was well-liked, nice, funny and smart. And it helped that he drove a Camero. We didn’t break up or have a falling out. He kind of just disappeared. And not just from me, but from everyone. And I had looked for him. At class reunions. On myspace. And eventually, only about a year ago, he finally showed up on facebook. When he did, I suggested we get together for dinner or something. And he responded with a really awkward email. Explaining that he was gay. Warning me. Trying to let me out of my dinner invitation if I wanted. And I already knew this. Possibly I had ev...

me too

I used to never question God. It was just part of the way things were. Just like I believed in Santa and the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny. And eventually I grew up and started to wonder. I always believed, But occasionally I started to wonder if he was always good. If he really loved me. Singular me rather than an all inclusive version. That he was paying attention. That my prayers mattered.` And I didn’t know that I should play by the rules. That questioning these outloud things in a Bible study or Sunday School class Will get you bumped to the top of the prayer list. Because I know. But sometimes I wonder. And I didn’t need their scripture memory verses or their books or their prayers. (but I guess prayers never hurt) And I was just hoping for someone else to say “me too”. And, Jason Boyett’s book, O Me of Little Faith Is one great big “me too” And like most books I like he asks a whole lot more questions than he answers. Hard ones. Ones without real answers. Ones that make me wa...

Of course I did.

Today I am supposed to be doing my last installment in five for ten and write about "yes". And this is not at all the post I intended. But life sometimes doesn't take the turns we want it to. And yesterday a teacher friend of mine called and told me about a memorial service for one of my former studetns and asked if maybe I would consider saying something. And keep in mind, that as a teacher, I pretty much speak to groups of people all day for a living. But. If I have to say something serious and heartfealt, even to an audience of one, I usually get all mumbly and stare at my shoes and forget what I was going to say. Even though I love this kid....and will miss him terribly I have a hard time imaging myslef on stage talking to an auditorium filled with grief stricken friends and family. I texted another friend about my reservations. And she knows all too well my mumbly shoe staring state. And she replied, "Did you say yes?" Did which I typed back. "of cour...