AMEND CORNER: God and Politics

Posted 9/7/10

It seems like only yesterday that I heard my minister declare one Sunday that America had elected “the man God wants” to be president of the United States.

I probably would have been offended, since I voted for the other guy, but, as …

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AMEND CORNER: God and Politics

Posted

It seems like only yesterday that I heard my minister declare one Sunday that America had elected “the man God wants” to be president of the United States. I probably would have been offended, since I voted for the other guy, but, as a lifelong Baptist, I'm used to hearing preachers say things that I disagree with, so I let it pass. While it's acceptable among Baptists to call out an “Amen” when you agree with the pastor, it's considered unseemly to yell “Oh, baloney” when you don't, although, I must admit, I've been tempted to do that a few times.That Sunday, of course, was 10 years ago, when the “values” people had taken credit for electing George Bush II. I doubt that same minister is singing the same tune since the last election, although I haven't talked to her since then. She's probably of the opinion that the same electoral process that gave us the “right” candidate back then has given us the “wrong” guy today, i.e. the somewhat more liberal Barack Obama. And she's not alone. The latest right-wing radio heartthrob, Glenn Beck, called a big rally last week to proclaim that it's time for America to “turn back to God.” The implication is that we all disobeyed God if we voted for President Obama, and it's a belief I don't buy. This rally, as you probably heard, was “not about politics,” according to Mr. Beck, but that assertion really does rate an “Oh, Baloney.” You don't call a rally in Washington two months before an election to proclaim that America is going in the wrong direction for any other reason than to influence the election. This is especially true since Mr. Beck and his sidekick at the rally, Sarah Palin, have spent the last couple of years blaming the current president for taking America in the wrong direction, presumably, away from God. The right guy, of course would be a “real conservative” as defined by Mr. Beck and Mrs. Palin. Personally, I think these two are radicals, not conservatives, but that's a semantic discussion for another time. One of the big messages at the rally, set forth, I believe, by Mrs. Palin, was that we need to reject the “fundamental change” President Obama is always talking about. Instead, she believes we should return to “traditional American values,” which, in conservative circles, are perfectly in line with God. There's quite an irony in that position in Mrs. Palin's case, since she is the product of fundamental changes in American society, not traditional values. It wasn't too long ago that one of the unofficial qualifications for president was being a white male. Without the fundamental changes that America has undergone since the 1960s, those “traditional American values” would have meant Mrs. Palin would likely have reached her highest elective office when she was president of the PTA. Being elected governor would have been unlikely, and running for vice president would have been a pipe dream. In that regard, Mrs. Palin has a lot more in common with President Obama than she does with, say, Mr. Beck, who fits nicely into the white male demographic.And that's just one problem with leaning on traditional American values. Our rose-colored view of our national history has to ignore quite a bit of violence and injustice, a lot of which was aimed at protecting “traditional American values.” That often meant persecuting Catholic immigrants and other religious minorities, lynching African-Americans and taking Native American children from their parents to drive the Indian out of them. None of that seems very Godly to me.Mr. Beck, for example, might reflect on a certain mob in Carthage, Ill., whose members almost certainly thought they were defending traditional American values when they shot Joseph Smith, the founder of Mr. Beck's religious faith, in the Carthage jail.Now I'm firmly in favor of the nation turning to God. I think everybody should consult God prior to making decisions about politics or anything else, and I did so when I cast my ballot for president two years ago. I didn't turn away from God to do so, and I didn't make a mistake.All I did was reject the philosophy of Mr. Beck and Mrs. Palin, and I did so because, from my perspective as a born-again Christian, there is nothing Godly about it.

It seems like only yesterday that I heard my minister declare one Sunday that America had elected “the man God wants” to be president of the United States.

I probably would have been offended, since I voted for the other guy, but, as a lifelong Baptist, I'm used to hearing preachers say things that I disagree with, so I let it pass. While it's acceptable among Baptists to call out an “Amen” when you agree with the pastor, it's considered unseemly to yell “Oh, baloney” when you don't, although, I must admit, I've been tempted to do that a few times.

That Sunday, of course, was 10 years ago, when the “values” people had taken credit for electing George Bush II. I doubt that same minister is singing the same tune since the last election, although I haven't talked to her since then. She's probably of the opinion that the same electoral process that gave us the “right” candidate back then has given us the “wrong” guy today, i.e. the somewhat more liberal Barack Obama.

And she's not alone. The latest right-wing radio heartthrob, Glenn Beck, called a big rally last week to proclaim that it's time for America to “turn back to God.” The implication is that we all disobeyed God if we voted for President Obama, and it's a belief I don't buy.

This rally, as you probably heard, was “not about politics,” according to Mr. Beck, but that assertion really does rate an “Oh, Baloney.” You don't call a rally in Washington two months before an election to proclaim that America is going in the wrong direction for any other reason than to influence the election.

This is especially true since Mr. Beck and his sidekick at the rally, Sarah Palin, have spent the last couple of years blaming the current president for taking America in the wrong direction, presumably, away from God.

The right guy, of course would be a “real conservative” as defined by Mr. Beck and Mrs. Palin. Personally, I think these two are radicals, not conservatives, but that's a semantic discussion for another time.

One of the big messages at the rally, set forth, I believe, by Mrs. Palin, was that we need to reject the “fundamental change” President Obama is always talking about. Instead, she believes we should return to “traditional American values,” which, in conservative circles, are perfectly in line with God.

There's quite an irony in that position in Mrs. Palin's case, since she is the product of fundamental changes in American society, not traditional values.

It wasn't too long ago that one of the unofficial qualifications for president was being a white male. Without the fundamental changes that America has undergone since the 1960s, those “traditional American values” would have meant Mrs. Palin would likely have reached her highest elective office when she was president of the PTA. Being elected governor would have been unlikely, and running for vice president would have been a pipe dream.

In that regard, Mrs. Palin has a lot more in common with President Obama than she does with, say, Mr. Beck, who fits nicely into the white male demographic.

And that's just one problem with leaning on traditional American values. Our rose-colored view of our national history has to ignore quite a bit of violence and injustice, a lot of which was aimed at protecting “traditional American values.” That often meant persecuting Catholic immigrants and other religious minorities, lynching African-Americans and taking Native American children from their parents to drive the Indian out of them. None of that seems very Godly to me.

Mr. Beck, for example, might reflect on a certain mob in Carthage, Ill., whose members almost certainly thought they were defending traditional American values when they shot Joseph Smith, the founder of Mr. Beck's religious faith, in the Carthage jail.

Now I'm firmly in favor of the nation turning to God. I think everybody should consult God prior to making decisions about politics or anything else, and I did so when I cast my ballot for president two years ago. I didn't turn away from God to do so, and I didn't make a mistake.

All I did was reject the philosophy of Mr. Beck and Mrs. Palin, and I did so because, from my perspective as a born-again Christian, there is nothing Godly about it.

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