A Blog Post from 2011 Post-Election

Thursday, 08 November 2012

Just Some Thoughts....

I have spent the day reading email, message board posts and facebook and twitter postings commenting on the election results....

 First of all, I am so glad this whole process is over...now maybe people can be nicer to each other again.

Now...it really upsets me to read all the negative and nasty comments that I have on President Obama being re-elected. I think what bothers me most is 99% of them are "Christians"....as Christians we are called to pray for our leaders I thought....I thought we were also supposed to be loving and respectful.

Nasty things are being said...people say they are "in mourning" for our country...some have even chosen to hang their flags at half-mast. What is up with this kind of behavior? Is this the message that Christians want to send to non-Christians ? That this is what Christianity is all about?

Before the election, the nastiest and meanest comments and "funny" (term used sarcastically) posts were from the Conservative Republicans that also claim to be so moral and Christian...

It makes me so sad....

This is precisely why so many people turn their backs on Christianity and God altogether....and I completely understand how this happens, I myself do not attend church very often and choose to distances myself with people that outwardly and vocally tout the tern "Christian"... It seems so hypocritical. I don't like hypocrisy...and that is what a lot of what I see, hear and read appears to me to be when someone says they are Christian and then says vile and horrible things about others, especially people they do not even personally know.

I was criticized for voting for Obama because he is Pro-Choice. I have been told that I am not really a Christian because a real Christian wouldn't support a candidate that does not value human life and that there is never an OK reason to commit murder.....

Well, first off, if South Carolina allowed write ins for President, I would have voted for Roseanne Barr, second, I am not completely Pro-choice but I am not completely pro-life either. I think abortion should be legal in the 1st trimester if the woman has been a victim of rape/incest. As someone that understands the emotional and mental distress that rape causes and also someone that suffers from chronic major depression and suicidal thoughts and has made multiple attempts, I totally understand how a woman (especially a very young one) could be pushed over the edge if forced to carry and deliver a pregnancy that resulted from rape. I believe that in this day and age with all the various and different types of contraceptives that are available, (contraceptives, by the way, are something Mitt Romney wanted to ban) there is no excuse outside of rape for an unplanned pregnancy. Abortion should *NEVER* be allowed to be used as birth control.

What I really want to know though is.....since when is it a "Christian" act to judge the Christianity of another, I always thought God was the only judge and a persons walk is between them and the Lord....and, why is it the same people that support pro-life only because they "value the life of a human" are also in favor of the war (gee, those people are human aren't they?) and support the death penalty (again human, right?).....now, don't get my wrong, I also support the TROOPS (not the war) and I am pro-death penalty in some cases...but I also am not 100% pro-life as I explained above. I don't get the thinking of so many of these people...if some one dies, if a child is born handicapped, if someone is raped (especially if a pregnancy occurs) it is "God's will"...but, if someone is born gay, it's their choice to be a sinner..... People a sin is a sin is a sin. There are no "pet sins".

I think differently than many people....I believe that to be a Christian you accept Jesus Christ into your heart as your Lord and Savior, and then you try hard to be a good person. Good people make mistakes and they still sin...no human currently on this Earth is without sin...the only human that has in fact ever been without sin is Jesus himself. I truly believe that God doesn't care about what music you listen too, what you watch on TV, what your political party is or who you voted for.

I have seen postings that lament that our young people no longer have morals and that they are "OK with sin" because they are growing up in a moral-less world.....I don't see this at all (I am the mother of a 31, 27 and 17 yr old each who have very strong morals and differing beliefs on subjects up and down the spectrum). I think what is different now is that kids are taught to think for themselves and research and define their beliefs and opinions not just believe something is so because that's what their parents taught them. Believe me, from someone that grew up in a very messed up, dysfunctional family that had a parent that tried to instill the beliefs of bigotry and refused to allow anyone to think for themselves...I have always encouraged my kids to be free thinkers.

Kids today are exposed to much more of life...both the good and bad...than past generations due to the advancement in technology. Something that I see as a gift from God.

I also have a hard time with all the moaning that our country is going down the toilet because of health care or finances.....many of those (not all but many) that say these things are on public aid or unemployment, or are not able to find a job for themselves/spouse....yet they don't want to do anything about it for themselves....

they always complain and then make statements like, "But God will provide" ....maybe God wants you to make changes in your life and get out there and do something you may not fancy or enjoy doing but it will provide wages/health insurance, etc for your families. There is a saying, "You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink"....something I truly feel is that God is tired of leading people to water and watching them just stand there and not enjoy the refreshing taste of it....he gave us technology (i.e. the internet/news papers/telephones) he has given us automobiles/public transit....he has given us so much advancement in knowledge that has created jobs that were not even thought of when our parents and grandparents were raising families. All of the advancement IS from God...he created everyone and their brains....he gives them the gifts they use to come up with new ideas. He can only provide so much, i.e...lead to that proverbial water, the drinking of it is up to the individual.

I have seen people request prayer for things like making a burned out stove work again....when it doesn't happen they say things like, "Well, I know God has a plan and it's all in His hands....He will provide." I just want to scream, 'Ummmm, hello? He wants you to get off your butt and take control of your life and quit expecting Him to drop everything you need on your doorstep. He wants you to work for it, apply yourself and investigate a way to make it happen for yourself!!' Your situation has nothing to do with the President, nothing to do with Congress, nothing to do with society, it has EVERYTHING to do with YOU. It may mean you have to relocate, it may mean you have to cut down your expenses, it may mean changing jobs and taking one you don't really want or enjoy....but, life is full of things we don't really want to do, but unless we do we and our families will suffer the consequences. It doesn't matter what political party you belong too, it doesn't matter what your age/race/orientation/religious beliefs....this is life. To me is seems too many people that are "Christians" expect God to part the Red Sea in their lives for them daily. It doesn't happen that way. if it did there wouldn't be illnesses like Cancer, things like neonatal deaths wouldn't occur, tornadoes/hurricanes/earthquakes wouldn't happen and any little bumps in life would be cushioned by giant fluffy marshmallows that followed us everywhere to prevent bruises.

I have been told many, many times I am not a "Good Christian" do to my beliefs, but I am comfortable with the opinions of others, I just say, "OK whatever" because I am also comfortable with my relationship with God....I just choose to usually keep that relationship private because I feel your relationship with God is a personal thing and shouldn't be forced on others and is not up for judgement or discussion by others. I know I will hear it after this is read, and probably a few thousand more times before I leave this earth and I am comfortable with that too. I am tired of hearing that we are in the "End Times" now for sure because Obama won last-night. My question is this...if you are really a Christian, then why are you upset or worried about it? 

I am not, if it happens I know I will be OK. Why should I worry about the "When"  or anything else about it? I am good...

It's sad that so much is blamed on a president....so much is blamed on technology....so much is blamed on this or that when the only real blame usually can be found in the mirror.

Stepping off my soapbox now. Feel free to comment, criticize, blast away...what ever you choose to do. I am a big girl and strong in my beliefs so I can take it.

~~Shea Clarke