“….(He) needs only this ring to cover all the lands in a second darkness”
-J.R. Tolkien
“There's got to be a morning after
If we can hold on through the night
We have a chance to find the sunshine
Let's keep on looking for the light”
-Maureen McGovern
It’s still dark outside. The sun has not yet come up. Like many in this country, it has been a sleepless night.
How can this happen? How, in a country of over 300 million people, can a race be so close? How can anyone with a straight face actually look at this iniquitous orange man and plant your hopes with him?
I appear to be a victim of cognitive bias. I so opposed his rule that I would eagerly read stories about his shortcomings and eventual failure. I wrote some 14 critiques in this blog about his many flaws. As the sun set last night I was more than a little hopeful that many in the country would also see through his many lies then would rise up and say, “Enough”!
But that did not happen.
Instead, we are locked in a bar brawl that will not resolve for a long time no matter who ultimately is declared the winner. Even if Biden prevails, half of this country will think he cheated and will retreat further into entrenched tribalism.
I don’t understand. What am I not seeing?
And why? Fear of socialism? Are we really persuaded by such a tired argument? Apparently this is so.
It is important to look at history. Republicans staunchly opposed Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment insurance, Medicaid, bank insurance, the affordable care act, and farm price subsidies all in the name of opposition to perceived “Socialism”. Any attempt to try to use the power of government to help people is viewed as a threat to freedom by the right.
When people are arming themselves and crying ‘tyranny’ over the need to wear a mask to help prevent a deadly disease we have a problem. Dr Francis Collins, the head of the National Institute of Health, wrote recently that we are on track for a million deaths in the U.S. by Spring.
To the freedom loving non mask wearers I say this, “Is that ok with you?” Is that acceptable collateral damage for you not not wear a mask in Target?
And when they make such arguments in the name of Christianity….it’s a savage distortion of the gospel.
Pastor Jen Hatmaker writes, “I am not sure I will ever be able to articulate the betrayal these last few years have felt like watching the church that raised me fall into lockstep with Trump. It is actually shocking. The white supremacy, the brutal anti-immigrant policies, the immorality, the absolute depravity. Every value supposedly held dear - purity, lovingkindness, integrity, humility - turned out to be meaningless when they interfered with a proximity to power.
So many of us feel like spiritual orphans, abandoned by our spiritual leaders and disassociated from the church that once taught us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.
It was and remains one of the great sorrows of my adult life.
If Biden is elected, the Christian leaders who threw themselves at Trump & defended his indefensible words & deeds will now be left empty handed. They got their 30 pieces of silver, but they lost their witness, their integrity, & the next generation of the church.
And as I said below to a commenter: This is not a tacit endorsement of Biden. It is grief over the Christian defense and rabid support of Trump. I will never get over it. My kids will never get over it.”
After Pastor Hatmaker wrote the above lines, she received death threats. Mind you, death threats that came from Christians. WWJD indeed.
I have received entreaties saying, we all should just get along. I agree to a point.
But, people are dying.
- Pastor John Pavlovitz
No matter what happens I will not be silent. In this late stage of my life I will be an activist. I will compromise where I can, but where I cannot, I will rise up.
The sun is coming up.
Here, in the shadows of the gates to Mordor, a knife fight is about to begin.
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