Category: challenge

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Ending the Duopoly

Another election year is upon us, and we are faced once again with the lesser of two evils. Or so we are told. But is that really true? Are the only choices we have the ones the two major parties decide we will have?

I believe that we have been sold a bill of goods by the two parties that get all the attention. Both the Democrat Party and the Republican Party want us to believe that they are the only ones capable of governing. I don’t believe that either party really wants to “destroy” the other, but that they have a great deal invested in keeping the status quo, also known as the duopoly. The Freakonomics Podcast episode on September 17, 2020 gives insight into what the problem is and why the “powers that be” don’t want it solved.

If you look at the number of people who decided not to vote in 2016 because of the poor choices, along with the number of those who held their noses and voted for “the lesser of two evils,” you might find that there would be enough voters available to at least give a viable third party candidate enough votes to shake up the system. The major parties are getting farther and farther from any kind of consensus or middle ground, and American politics are becoming increasingly polarized. There are parties this year who could appeal to enough people in that mass called the middle to at least start to make a difference. These parties are not given a chance by those who have a vested interest in maintining the two party system.

The Libertarian Party would appeal to those who want less government, less regulation, and more civil liberty. There are points in their platform that would not appeal to some, but given the chance, they might be able to make some waves. Another party, which I have decided to support, is the American Solidarity Party. For those of you who are strongly pro-life, this party’s platform is pro-life from before birth all the way to death. They believe that all life is sacred, from the baby in the womb to the homeless person, to the immigrant seeking a better life. There are many other parts of their philosophy that appeal to me and would appeal to others if they were known. I believe that they are the party that I can support and vote my conscience.

Those of you that know me may be shocked that I’m actually coming out in favor of a certain party. I usually hold those cards pretty close. You may also disagree with me. Regardless, I firmly believe that the way the system is set up to keep certain folks in power is dangerous to our nation. At some point the split between the two sides could open into a yawning chasm that just might swallow us up. Some of you may say that there’s nothing that can be done this year, so we might as well continue the status quo. To you, I would ask when would be the right time to begin trying to bring about needed change if not now? The Solidarity Party is not on the ballot in South Carolina, so I can’t vote for their Presidential candidate unless I write it in or leave that blank. I could vote for one of the other alternative candidates. I don’t know exactly what I will do, but I firmly believe that it is time to end the duopoly in American politics.

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Worth Advisor

A while back, I saw a sign at a local bank advertising the services of a “Worth Advisor.” I had never seen the position of worth advisor advertised before, so I began to think about what that might involve. I came to the conclusion that the only thing a worth advisor could help me with would be my finances. Now I know that is the job of a worth advisor. I may be crazy but I’m not dumb. Folks do need help with planning for the future and so on. The only thing I would say is that a person’s worth is not in the amount of money or possessions that they have.

What is a person’s worth? Considering that we are created in the image of God, I would say that the worth of an indivdual human being is inestimable. Psalm 139 tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Think of the beauty and majesty of this world and the compexity of all that is in it. Then, think that the Creator not only made human beings complex and beautiful, but that he made them in his image. You can debate all you want about what the image of God is. but the fact is; we are a special creation. When God created man, he pronounced that this was very good.

Now, that image has been broken and marred by sin. But it is still there. When we look at another person, we are looking at someone who is a special creation of God, who is of great worth. If we truly believed that, how would we treat others? We cannot say we believe that people are God’s image bearers, and turn around and say, by our actions, that it doesn’t apply to someone from a different country or different ethnic group. When we mistreat a person becasue of the color of their skin, or their citizenship status, or their country of origin, we are attacking the image of God and are turning our words into a lie.

When we look in a mirror, we are looking at someone who is fearfully and wonderfully made. With all our physical, emotional, and spiritual flaws, we are still individuals who bear the image of the Creator. Our worth is not in how we look, how high we have climbed, or in how much money we have. It is not in position or fame. Our true worth is simply in who we are as God’s creation. Think about it. You are worth more than all the wealth of this world. You are the part of creation that God pronounced very good. Yes, that image is broken because of sin, but Jesus died on the cross for you to restore that image and reconcile you with God.

Scripture tells us to not think of ourselves too highly. That is a result of the Fall. When we truly realize whose image we bear, we give glory to the Creator for what he has done. We have the ability to look at ourselves with clear eyes. We recognize that we are not perfect, but that we are being remade into something that will fully reflect God;s glory. When we truly realize whose image is borne by others, we give God glory for his wonderful work, and we are led to treat others with dignity. We realize that they are flawed, as we are, but we see the potential in them.

Look in the mirror. See yourself as in God’s image. See your worth. If you want to go to a financial advisor for advice on money, feel free. Just remember that those things are not where your true worth lies. Try to see others as people of great worth, as indivuals created in God’s image. I am convinced that if we did that, a lot of our problems would be solved.

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1 Corinthians 13 for the Election

I first posted this in 2008, and unfortunately it is relevant just as much this year. We who call ourselves Christians don’t seem to have learned the lessons of the past.

If I speak with a silver tongue and can sway hundreds, but have not love,
I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all polls,
and if I have a faith that can move political mountains, but have not love,
I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the national committee
and surrender my time to run a phone bank, but have not love,
I gain nothing.

Love is patient with those of the other party.
It is not jealous of opponent’s fund raising,
it does not boast of its candidate, it is not proud.

It does not rudely argue political points, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered when others disagree, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in negative campaigns
but rejoices in the truth.

It always protects the reputation of Christ, always trusts God is in control,
always hopes for the best, always perseveres in living as a disciple of Jesus.

Love never fails. But where there are campaign promises,
they will be broken;
where there are silver tongued orators,
they will be stilled;
where there is knowledge of how to govern,
it will pass away.

For we have partial knowledge and we govern with that knowledge,
but when the True King comes, imperfect government will disappear.

When I was a partisan, I talked like a partisan,
I thought like a partisan,I reasoned like a partisan.

When I recognized who the True King is,
I put partisan ways behind me.

Now we see but a poor reflection;
then we shall see face to face.

Now I know in part;
then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain:
faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

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Little Bit of an Update

This past week, Jan and I had the opportunity to take part in the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) national convention. Because of the pandemic, it was a virtual gathering. It was both informative and inspiring. There were sessions on what to expect, advances in research, and how others were coping. Due to our schedule, there were many things we couldn’t get to, but it was all recorded and will be on the HDSA website.

As Jan’s HD progresses, it was good to be given a sense of what lay ahead. Even though it will get more difficult, it is comforting to be armed with the knowledge of what is going on and some ways we can cope. It was also good to see how different people were dealing with the disease. There was not a sense of despair or sadness. There was more of a feeling that this is the way it is and right now we have to deal with it and live our lives as best we can.

There is also good news for the future. There is promising research that may lead to making HD a disease that we used to talk about. It’s possible that some day the faulty part of the gene will be tweaked and will not be an issue. While we don’t know if it will happen soon enough to help Jan, there is hope for our children and grandchildren.

Please continue to pray for us as we navigate the changes that will happen and learn to deal with each new normal as it comes up.

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On Protesting

Turn on the news today, and you are likely to see a group of people protesting at a state capitol. These protests are, at this time, against the stay at home or shelter in place rules that have been imposed during the pandemic. There are many who are in favor of the protests, and there are many who are against them. America has a long history of protesting, going all the way back to when we were still under the British throne. The freedom to assemble and to let the government know what we like or don’t like is in the Bill of Rights. Over the years, some of the protests have been very effective in bringing about needed change.

As an individual and as a citizen, I am in favor of the right to protest. I have taken part in a couple of protest actions myself. Having said that, I do have a problem with the protests that have happened recently. You may or may not have seen the pictures and video of heavily armed people dressed in combat gear crowding into the Michigan state house and even in front of the governor’s office. I would not call that a protest. I would call that an act of intimidation. Along with the weapons, there were statements made that it was too late for voting and was time for force. Another statement mused about the governor being hit by a shotgun blast.

The 1st Amendment to the Constitution provides the right to peaceably assemble. I didn’t see anything peaceable in a group of people storming into the halls of government with military type weapons, screaming in the faces of the law enforcement officers. I don’t believe that is the type of protest that the founders wanted to protect. It’s interesting that many of those folks would be the quickest to denounce the protests of blacks marching against police brutality, Latinos marching against the conditions in the camps along the border, over even NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem. In fact, I seriously doubt that a group of armed people of color would have been allowed anywhere near the capitol.

You may be saying, “Well, all of those Vietnam protests and civil rights protests weren’t all peaceful either.” You would be correct. Not everyone who protested did so in a peaceful manner. There was violence. In any large group there will be some who are trying to use the protest as a cover for harming others. The difference I see is that during the recent protests, the biggest majority of the group seems to have been the ones who were using intimidation tactics and implicitly threatening violence. There seems to be a fair number of people in this country who feel that it is their God-given right to force their way of thinking on others, with violence if necessary.

I don’t pretend to know what the answer is to all the problems that this pandemic is causing. People are getting desperately sick and many are dying. That doesn’t look like it’s going to get better any time soon. Millions of people are out of work, and know one is able to say definitively when the economy will be back to some sense of normal. Those who say that people need to be able to work are right. People need to be able to provide for themselves and their families. Those who say that we need to try and keep more from getting sick are also correct. The most vulnerable especially need to be protected.

I do believe that there needs to be something that seems to have left public life in America. There needs to be a civility in discourse that accepts what the other is saying and works to find solutions that benefit the whole. We need to respect and empathize with both those who are worried about their livelihood and those that are worried about their health or the health of loved ones. For those of us who claim to be followers of Jesus, Scripture gives us the way to approach things. Philippians 2 tells us that we are to “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

What would it look like if Christians began to think first of the good of others?

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February

This is the month we hear a lot about love. Most of what we hear is not an accurate picture of what love really is. Especially for those who follow Jesus, love has more to do with action than with feeling, although feeling can sometimes be involved. Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God with every fiber of our being, and that along with that we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Those two commandments cover it all. Jesus then says that we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ as Jesus loved us. So, how do we love others, particularly fellow believers? The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13 tells us what that kind of self sacrificing love looks like.

Love is patient. It doesn’t give up. It keeps on seeking the flourishing of the other. Love is kind. It is compassionate and gentle. Love is not envious, does not boast, and is not proud. Love doesn’t try to build itself up at the expense of others, but puts them first. It rejoices with those who rejoice and weeps with those who weep. Love does not dishonor others, but instead, builds them up.  Love isn’t self-seeking, but rather has the mind of Christ in Philippians 2.

Love is not easily angered and doesn’t keep a record of wrongs. It doesn’t blow up at the slightest provocation. It doesn’t keep track of how many times it has been hurt or how many times it has done good to the other. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It doesn’t rejoice when bad things happen to others, but it takes pleasure in the flowering of truth in others. 

Love always protects, hopes, trusts, and perseveres. Love is strong. It surrounds the other and shields them. It never loses hope in the other, because it trusts in the grace of the Father. Love doesn’t look for hidden agendas or motives, but trusts the other. It also trusts the Father to do his work in them. Love always stays strong. No matter how tough it gets, or how long it takes, love sticks around.

Love never fails. When prophecies cease, tongues are stilled. and knowledge passes away, there will still be love. Love is the greatest thing, ahead of even faith and hope. When it all boils down to the basics of living as a follower of Jesus, what is left is love.

Sounds impossible doesn’t it? It is impossible, if we try to do it in our own power. I mean, how do we love our enemies when we have a hard enough time loving those who are our friends? We do it because the Father has first loved us and put his Spirit in us to empower us to love as we are loved. Will we love perfectly? You know as well as I that the answer is no. That is one reason why love has to be patient, kind, trusting, and so on. It has to be that way to be able to continue to love those who imperfectly try to love us, even as they try to love us who imperfectly try to love them.

Let us seek to love others as Jesus has loved us, and trust the Father to shine his love through us onto others.