Shrill Voice of Politics

Everywhere I go these days, I am assaulted by the shrill voice of politics. Some days, I just don't know if I can endure another four years of the toxic comments that pepper every means of social interaction that I employ from church to Facebook.

While I have heard some reasonable arguments against various administrative decisions - at this moment all of 103 days old - most of these voices are fueled by speculation, misinformation, and even outright lies. Fear is clearly the primary factor in the resulting decibel level.

Almost daily during the campaign for president, I received a different email stating a new way in which the sky would fall if Barack Obama won. Or a new effort to impugn his religion, his family, his reputation, his citizenship. All were easily debunked with a quick google search. I was continually surprised that so few made the effort to do so before making their personal contribution to the "viral status" of these emails. I found it equally alarming that these email rumors and lies came to me exclusively from frightened, well-meaning Christian friends who normally wouldn't touch gossip and rumors with a ten-foot pole. It seems there is an entirely different standard of behavior to be applied by Christians to those we can label a "Liberal."

I hoped all this would end after the election was over and the dust settled. But alas, now I know it hadn't even started in earnest. I also know now that the respect for the office of president is limited to Republican presidents. It seems we only support the ideals of a Representative Republic when the representative is the one that WE personally chose.

Majority rule seems a terrible idea when we personally fall within the minority.

But how we manage this disappointment will go far toward shaping our future relevance as a body of believers in America. From how we manage to raise children who are respectful of those in authority and of our great nation in general, to how the Christian community positions itself to take a more effective role in guiding public policy.

As citizens can we move ahead, and with God's help, learn to not only cope, but to contribute in these circumstances?


Here is an article with a viewpoint I respect. Perhaps you will enjoy it, too:
Christian Standard - This Is the Church’s Moment