Posts Tagged: politics

“Fasting from Politics”

On November 9, 2022 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

I am resisting the urge (temptation?) to look at online news or listen to NPR in order to find out if “my” candidates won. I’m pretty sure they didn’t. I can get myself all worked up about politics these days, but is that really a good use of my time?

How should I be using my time? Writing, loving my wife, taking care of our little dog, cleaning, yard work, preparing to teach and teaching, taking good care of my body, helping others—these are the things that deserve my time and attention. I spend entirely too much time editing my fellow citizens. Of course, I don’t like it when they try to edit me.

I was at a dinner where one of the guys at my table launched into an impassioned rant (is there any other kind?) about politics. He ended with, “And anybody who voted for ___________ is either sick or on welfare!”

I had had enough, and responded, “Well, I’m neither sick nor on welfare, but I voted for __________.” I fear that the gentleman at my table still suspects that I am either sick or on welfare. Perhaps both.

So, today is a politics fasting day. I am focusing on what I can do, as I am and where I am. I’ll let God and the politicians take care of the big stuff. God can and ultimately will take care of the truly big stuff. Politicians of either party? Not so sure.

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ABSOLUTE MONARCHY

On October 28, 2016 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.. . . .” (The quote is from Winston Churchill, but note the words “it has been said,” which are in bold print. This seems to indicate that he was quoting an as yet unknown source.)

Some friends and I were talking politics over breakfast. We don’t usually do that. We find that it can compromise both our friendships and our digestion.

After several people had made comments on our two major party candidates there was a lull in the conversation. Of course, I couldn’t allow that!

So, I piped up and said, “I think we’re missing the main point: Our whole way of being governed is wrong.”

Fortunately, we had a fairly new guy in our circle of friends, and he unwisely asked me, “What do you mean?”

Ignoring the rolling eyeballs and raised eyebrows around the table, I continued.

“Our problem is that what we have a representative democracy. What we need is an absolute monarchy.”

Dead silence.

More dead silence.

Finally, someone said, “With you as king, I suppose?”

“No!” I replied with some force. “Most definitely not me!” I felt like a poker player who had already wagered more than he could afford to lose, so I plowed ahead. Go for broke, I said to myself.

“No, we would need a very special kind of person to be king. He would have to have all power and authority. He would also have to be absolutely humble. He would have to really and truly love his subjects, always having their best interests in mind. He would have to know everything.  He would also have to live forever, since another king would not be able to do as well.”
“You do have someone in mind, don’t you?” said another friend, with a wry smile.

“Yes—yes I do,” I said.

We finished our breakfast, and left to live in the next best form of government, until our true King returns from the exile we imposed by our sinfulness.

(More about the true King’s first visit in my next blog.)

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