Manifest Destiny

"Manifest Destiny," eh? 

The GOP has clearly lost its marbles, and though 5 senators are now begging off of the Convention, they and their colleagues have failed the nation. Whatever "protest" they're mounting, it's too late! They might have given this a little more thought when the McConnell Senate failed to affirm the impeachment-vote of the House.

The GOP IS the problem; it embraced the worst in America's story, believing that white supremacy, evangelicalism, and greed would win the day. 

But history makes clear: sooner or later, in spite of some initial success, the "values" embraced and proclaimed by the GOP rot the soul of a nation, and it doesn't make any difference whatever the nation or empire may be. 

All the cheering of the evangelicals and the hideous Epstein-Money Gang can't prevent the collapse.

Will it get worse before the skies clear?

The GOP is crazy, just plain crazy. Within its ranks are some decent folk, no doubt, but they're as rare as hen's teeth. The truth be told, the GOP is run by a desperate cartel of greedy men and besotted women who long ago sold their souls for power.

Thank God, I say, that God's Manifest Destiny for humankind more than trumps the small and narrow versions trumped by the GOP's lost cause.

The Young Who Support Bernie

Why are young voters inclined toward Bernie?

Because they're already on the downhill side of Capitalism and all its promises.

Their future is not as bright as it was for their parents and grandparents. They see a bit more clearly the charade of Capitalism, and they're ready for something better.

They're not afraid of Socialism, either.

They're not fooled by the Capitalist equation of Socialism with Communism. They're not afraid of a government that works for all the people, a government that stands firm for social supports, infrastructure, national parks, education, civil rights, women's rights and universal health care.

Younger evangelicals have also seen the emptiness of their megachurches and froufrou preaching filled with promises that simply can't be realized.

The young see that America cannot remain engaged in constant warfare, but they're not afraid of the need for America to play a major role in peace, environment and immigration issues.

The young live in a multi-cultural, multi-racial, world, and have friends who are LGBTQ.

The young are compassionate and eager to make a difference.

The young are ready for another vision of a far healthier America.

All We have to Fear is Freedom

As best as I can tell, evangelicals fear freedom:

Their opposition to abortion is less a care for the fetus than a fear of a woman's freedom to choose. They can't really say that, so they dress it all up in a pretended care for the unborn.

Their opposition to euthanasia is less a care for life than a fear of someone's freedom to choose.

Their support of the death penalty, a tit for tat response, requires no thought, and no care for justice, because justice demands thought, and thought requires freedom. The criminal violated the law, as they see it, and while that's true, the evangelical is content to see the death penalty as th final elimination of freedom - theirs in the deliberative process and that of the criminal.

Their labeling of climate change as a hoax is less a regard for truth, or God's purposes, or whatever, as it is a fear of responsibility, which is an element of freedom.

Their love of the military stems from their fear of the other's freedom, and the need to build a wall against the other's freedom, whether that freedom be a mother and a child crossing the border or Iran building its own nuclear weapons. The evangelical cannot allow that kind of freedom, so they join the military and learn how to kill freedom for others, even as they salute and march in lockstep with one another, having long ago surrendered their freedom to half-wit preachers, narcissistic politicians and their "almighty" gawd.

Their approval of fascism is linked to their need for order, complete order, an order that no longer needs thinking, because thinking requires freedom, the freedom to consider choices and options, and that's deeply disturbing to the evangelical mind. There is only one way to interpret the Bible, only one way to worship, only one way to live. In that kind of mindset, freedom is a bother, a threat.

Their need for a "sovereign" god who approves of rape is driven by their fear of freedom ... there has to be plan for all of this suffering, so rather than challenging the nature of suffering, which requires their responsibility, and likely requires regard for the woman/girl and her life, and her right to choose, they lay it all at the feet of god, walk away, as Pilate did, washing their hands of responsibility, care, concern and love, and then sanctimoniously tell the girl that her pregnancy is of god, and she darn well better carry that fetus to term.

And with that, not even their god has any more freedom. And without freedom, there is no love; only rules and regulations, guns and violence, enforced by fear, the fear of freedom.

The Republican Mind and the Heart of God

The Republican mind was tried and tested with Nixon, and though the GOP lost that battle, and though many a Republican realized that Nixon was doomed, and finally knew that resignation was the only answer, a collective vow was likely made, a never-again pledge.

No matter what!

Now, faced with a monster in the WH, a man of limited intelligence, with an immoral character, surrounded by sleaze and influenced by his own brooding greed for power and for "love," a love never received within his family, and a love that he cannot ever give, because he doesn't have it within him, the GOP and those who've profited from this current administration, will, in their own mindless way, stand by this man, though all of them are neck-deep in filth.

It's a first class mess we have on our hands, but we've been here before, with one exception: the WH has a base of anger and bigotry throughout the nation, fueled by talk radio, the crooks at FOX, and the evangelical church for which power, at any cost, is to be courted for the sake of its theocratic dream - to rid this nation of the godless liberals, and so to "restore" morality, a "morality" in which there is no room for the LGBTQ Community, no room for workers' rights, no room for women, no room for people of color, no room for collaboration with the world, but only dominance by brute military force.

History, or as my Christian high school history teacher put it many years ago, in large scrawl on the blackboard - His Story.

Yes, I know all the linguistic and gender-issues related to that descriptor, but what my teacher meant then, and what I hear today, is this: the moral arc of the universe is always bent toward justice and truth. The love of the Creator will prevail, though beaten and battle-worn (which is why the resurrected body of the Christ was full of scars - no one, not even God, can escape the sweat and toil of seeking justice), and though raised to new life, that new life gives evidence of the costs involved, and when the Doubting Thomas saw the scars, he knew this was a God worthy of his life, and Thomas said, "My LORD and my God."

In his own way, Thomas knew, I believe, that a god without scars, a god without hurt and heartache, was no god at all, and for the times then, and surely for the times now, a scarred god is the only god worth following. Not a god of Rome or Temple, but a god of the people, a god of the creation and a god of all its creatures, great and small, a god who takes up the human cause and pays the price of love.

Sooner or later the truth will out, and justice will be done.

Never to create a perfect world, but at least a more perfect union ... on our way, with plenty of baggage, but on our way, headed toward the sunlight of faith, hope and love.

Hiding in the Church

"Hiding in the church" he said.
A reminder of how the biggest
Opioid in America
Is its religion.

Especially evangelicalism.

All talk and hymns and praise music.
Me and Jesus.
Jesus and Me.
Jesus forgives.
I'm saved.
When I die.
I go to heaven.
Or, with a little luck (Ha),
Jesus comes before I die.
And wipes out the bad guys.
With his guns blazing.
Muscles flexing.
What a Jesus, white and beautiful.
Beautiful and mighty.
My Jesus ... mine, mine, mine.
All mine.
And then I go to heaven.
*Fold hands now, sing piously, eyes closed, sway gently*
Let the world know how much you love Jesus.

And the opioid does its work.
Hiding in the church.
Woo hoo ...

A Friend's Faith

A journey of faith through the valleys and mountains of a husband's stroke. Every day, signs of hope, and then signs of setback, too.

What has touched me so deeply is her easy integration of faith and church into the ordeal. Faith soars and plummets, like a swift in flight. Church and prayers and friends and concerts hold her soul together, and often bring tears. There's a level of comfort here that speaks of a mature faith nurtured over the years, with good theology and Bible and steady patterns of worship.

She's what some would call a "mainline" Christian.

As I write and think about her faith, I reflect upon something that has bothered me for years - the need of so many "evangelicals" to prove the "power" of their god and the "miracle-working wonders" of their faith. Frankly, it's all talk, and mutual hype - a lot of fury to keep the illusions going.

No wonder evangelicals are up tight. It's tough to maintain a false front of hope and victory and courage and smiles and Jesus talk. Anyone who raises a question is shouted down. Those who express doubt are labeled "backsliders." Writers and preachers who question the standard lines of thought are treated as "heretics."

How much better when nothing needs proving, because of Christ Jesus.

The cross and the tomb, his wisdom and his love, and the mystery of the resurrection - what else is there to prove?

Why must Christians always be proving their faith? Is this some kind of competitive one-upsmanship? What's the point?

For my friend, the journey through these demanding days is as natural as breathing - in and out, up and down, good and bad, fear and faith, hope and sorrow, friends and family and church and sacred concerts and hymns and sermons.

I'm grateful to share a bit in my friend's journey, through her postings, and the musings of her children. They hope for the best; fear for the worst. They're flesh and blood, as we all are. And mortal, too. Dadgum it all!

Faith, if it's faith at all, is not some cosmetic heavily layered on to hide wrinkles and blemishes. Faith is something deep within, something that understands and welcomes the foibles and failings of mortal flesh, even as we rejoice in the wonder and glory of God's love for us.

We have nothing to prove to the world, because God has already done that, and continues to prove to the world through sunrise and sunset and pot luck dinners and preachers struggling to proclaim the word and little old ladies with blue hair and children and grandchildren singing hymns and organs and pianos and love divine and folks who strive for justice and folks who dream big dreams for a better world.

Nothing to prove, so that we can be at peace with who we are and the way life is.

Nothing to prove, so that we can live amidst the hopes and tears of real life.

Nothing to prove, so that we can love fiercely and deeply and powerfully, and cry, as well, when the darker moments come to us.

Nothing to prove.

And everything to live.

And to God be the glory.