Politix

You know what makes me want to slap a puppy? This time of year. I don't mean February, winter, or the time before Dec. 21, 2012 when the apocalypse hits or - worse - cell towers go down. I mean the time of year right before an election. Ew. I hate it. Politics make me angry, and being angry makes me mean, and Christians shouldn't be mean. But, look, it's not even spring yet and I'm already talking about assaulting pets.

I don't know who I support yet. Seriously? I'm a little worried I'll never figure it out, and then where does my vote go? I've always believed that 'real Americans' vote. This time around I'm feeling more and more like a foreigner. I know who I DON'T like but I want to vote in favor of someone and not against them. (Ooooh, I think I just gave my affiliation away!) It doesn't matter to me what party a candidate belongs to - if I believe in their ideas, I'll give them my vote.... and that's exactly the problem right now.

Over time, I've arrived at the conclusion that nobody is right anyway. The left, the right, whatever - nobody knows. It's all relative. By today's standards, it's all relative and based on whose followers annoy you the most. You can look at either side and say, "Those people are morons!" You can look at any candidate and call them worse. But I think, maybe, we're all morons and worse and we just like fighting about it.

Ever wonder what the Civil War might have looked like with modern technology and social networking? Take away the physical war part and that's pretty much what you've got today. Brother against brother, father against son... brothers against sisters, if you're in my family.

I was gonna jump on the Santorum/Obama/theology thing here but then I thought about those poor droopy-eyed puppy dogs and decided to just end it here.

That's my rant. Let's all give up politics for Lent, shall we?

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Political Ramblings

Please forgive me, and give me some credit.
I've gone an awfully long time without blogging about politics. There have been times when I wanted to blog about it so badly, I thought my whole head would explode, but I didn't give in. I deserve a pat on the back.

Eeeeeeesh, but I just can't do it anymore. I surrender. I have to blog about politics. For my inaugural post, let me start by saying that I have no idea what to think anymore. That seems like a good place to start.

I used to have very firm political views, but Republicans and Democrats murdered them. I got sick of people bossing me around. I got sick of Republicans hinting that they were the only ones with any morals, and I got sick of Democrats insinuating that anyone who wasn't a Dem was a backwoods moron with only 2 teeth. Right now, I think both sides are comprised of morons. Prove me wrong. (Good luck.) Give me a good argument. By argument, I mean an argument. I can cross my arms, roll my eyes, and make fun of people, too. I want AN ARGUMENT. A lot of people dismiss Christianity based on the behavior of Christians. It's not any different with political parties, you know, although everyone is a hypocrite to some extent.

I've got a jumbled mess of a belief system right now.
Ten years ago, I believed that abortion was murder but the death penalty was justified, and now I'm not so sure I buy that. What does "pro-life" really mean? I used to think it meant I was in favor of life for the innocent. Aren't babies innocent? But, wait. How does that work if you're a Christian? It's not that simple, because as a Christian, you supposedly believe:

-in turning the other cheek
-"vengeance is the Lord's"
-mankind is sinful by nature, we're the result of the fall of man, only Jesus can make us whole again
-"Those who live by the sword, die by the sword"

So am I really "pro-life," or just in favor in killing guilty people? And if I'm in favor of killing guilty people, how do I reconcile that with Jesus forgiving the thief on the cross? Is the death penalty justice, or revenge? Does the death penalty really reflect Christ's teachings? If it does, then why didn't Jesus have everyone associated with his crucifixion murdered?

But let's face it - that's not what Americans are really asking themselves right now. Americans are pissed off about high gas prices and how difficult, if not impossible, it is for many people to get decent health insurance. Until very recently, I was against the idea of universal healthcare.
That's right - against universal healthcare...the Obama-flavored kind.
No, genius, I'm not against providing quality healthcare to the poor. I don't shake my fist at the idea of everyone in this country having access to qualified physicians and life-saving prescription medications. Save it.

I don't see universal healthcare as socialism. I see it as a human right. Everyone should be able to obtain care regardless of their position or income. I challenge the Religious Right to justify withholding the most basic of needs from the rest of humanity, and then tout Jesus as Savior. How do we send people to foreign countries on missions trips but tell our fellow citizens they don't qualify for help because they don't earn enough? Tell me how that makes any sense.

But the kind of universal healthcare that Obama proposes is garbage (that's a separate post.) We're not really human beings if we prevent other human beings from receiving essential care. We're also not really human beings if we allow that essential care to become so chaotic and muddled that people wind up waiting years to have surgery, and doctor's offices turn into DMV's. We DON'T WANT conveyor belt healthcare. We don't want to compromise INDIVIDUAL care. And don't offer the poor free healthcare while taxing everyone else into poverty. It doesn't work that way, Obama. (One thing I am sure of - I'm not an Obama supporter.)

I also think, however, that it's ridiculous to be angry with wealthy people for being wealthy, and just plain stupid to think that wealthy people owe you something because you have less. Again - that's another post. 

My friend used to say, in reference to her children, "If something seems like it should be simple, that means it's not." It's not as simple as saying "Here you go! Here's your free heart transplant!" If only, dude.

It's going to take some fine-tuning...not unlike my political views.

 

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Column Clarification, T-Shirt Design, and the 2 Friends Tour Comes to Town

I'm a Christian. Seriously.

After being sick for what seemed like an eternity I finally began feeling like a living, breathing human being at the end of last week. I had been working on a big article for the May issue of  Fine Living Lancaster and I was so stinkin' proud of myself because I jumped right in and got a lot of stuff done right off the bat, but then I kept hitting road blocks, and then I got sick. I was incredibly frustrated but I got it done and that's all that matters.

The February issue of FLL came out last week and I was eager to see my column which was about politics. It's funny how this column started out as a humor column and has sort of turned into an anything column. Anyway, I was in a McDonald's reading my column when I came across this line and almost had a stroke:

Don't ascribe to any theology or political system that believes only one side can be right because once you start believing that, you have become the butt of the joke.      

 It was the first time in my writing career that I ever thought, "Oh no!" It sounds like I'm saying you shouldn't believe Jesus is the only way to Heaven, but that wasn't what I was saying. I was TRYING to say that Christians shouldn't believe that Conservatives OR Democrats own Christianity, because nobody really knows exactly how Jesus would have voted. People think they do, but the fact that we fight over it shows that it's open to interpretation.

For the record, I believe John 3:16:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

I believe that Jesus is the ONLY way to Heaven. The column wasn't about that... but in case anyone out there read my column and scratched their head in confusion, I want you to know exactly where I stand.

Sunday is coming. Act casual!

Onto other news!
I am hoping this week goes by quickly because I can't wait to get to next Sunday. Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith are coming to town on their 2 Friends tour. I have tickets and backstage passes, and my husband and I are having dinner with Amy, Smitty, and the band before the show. I can't tell you how many times I've filled out those goofy surveys that included the question "who would you love to have dinner with and why?" I've always answered Amy Grant, and now I'm going to get to live out my little daydream. I got to spend a Saturday afternoon with her when I was 17 which was wonderful, but unfortunately I was so scared that I didn't say anything intelligible. I'm hoping things go better this time... and that I don't wind up wearing dinner on my shirt - you know, like I usually do.

I'm also really excited about getting to talk to MWS. I've met him a few times before, but only for about 30 seconds at a time. His 1993 "Change Your World" tour was my first real concert when I was 13. I also had a mad crush on him. MAD crush. I once bought a slice of pizza from his wife at a Christian school fundraiser when I was in college and thought I had arrived.

"Um, Mrs. Smith? Will you sign my pizza?"

I've also been asked by Michael W. Smith's marketing people to design a shirt for him, as well. Actually, I'm discussing this with them tomorrow. (I'm guessing they are going to want less flowers.) This is another huge dream come true for me. 

I keep trying to picture this dinner in my head. I'm sure everyone is very nice, but I keep thinking they will all be sitting around talking to each other about stuff I know nothing about while I pick at my food. That's almost as scary as me dumping a beverage on my lap. Or tripping over something. In middle school chorus, I tripped over a power chord and unplugged everything. It comes to mind whenever I do anything that requires me to seem especially intelligent.

I want to take pictures at this dinner... but I don't. I don't want to be the weird starstruck chick with the camera who keeps asking everyone to put down their chicken and pose with me. But I wanna take pictures at this dinner. I'm a little torn.

To sum all of this up... someone please pinch me.

I have a very specific goal for this week and that is to have plenty of stuff to think about until Sunday gets here. I'm sure I'll have quite the blog for you on March 7. Pin It