Yeses and Nos

So, I promised myself I would not join the fray of the "Bush/Cheney, who's more Christian " discussion going on all over the web and the blogs I frequent. But...the most recent barrage of reminder phone calls from both campaigns autodialers has changed my mind. So here goes.

It seems that every recorded message I have received over the past week reminds me of all the votes or non-votes or changed votes or "while he was Governor"s or "it's all his fault"s that likely voters are supposed to weigh in the scales before deciding who makes the least evil choice for US President over the next four years. Unfortunately, not one message I have received from either side has bothered to tell the simple truth about any of the accusations. It's as if likely voters in this country haven't the intelligence to handle the simple truth. The simple truth on both sides is likely much less pure than the campaigners would have us believe.

All four of the major federal candidates profess to be practicing Christians. Unfortunately, it seems that the conduct of their campaigns and mountains of their rhetoric in such a way as to deliberately turn their backs on the Sermon on the Mount. The logic seems to be that since God forgives sinners who repent, they'll get around to the repenting after they falsely accuse, covet power, make false promises, and hopefully get elected.

For example, Jesus said:

"Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.' But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one."
(Matt. 5:33-37)

The author of the letter of James to believers makes the same admonition:

Do not complain, brothers, about one another, that you may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates. Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Indeed we call blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of the perseverance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, because "the Lord is compassionate and merciful." But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath, but let your "Yes" mean "Yes" and your "No" mean "No," that you may not incur condemnation.(James 5:9+)

Jesus doesn't seem to allow here for mental reservations or spinning. And neither should the candidates for any elected office. Time to confess, fellas.

This should get you thinking; it did me. And praying, lots, for forgiveness and wisdom, for myself as well as the nation ...

Here is today's Daily Dig from the Bruderhof. It is a quote from Emanuel Charles McCarthy about Abortion and War Your Daily Dig from Bruderhof.com . The Bruderhof web site (http://www.bruderhof.com/articles/Abortion-and-War.htm) includes an expanded piece on the same subject. Here is another quote from Fr. McCarthy, on the subject of Just War:

The most curious thing about this myth and its acceptance is that nonviolence, which is the one political philosophy today that appeals directly to the gospel, should be regarded as unchristian while reliance on force and cooperation with massive programs of violence is sometimes seen as an obvious and elementary Christian duty.

(from http://www.geocities.com/lgbwmas/PracticalFaith.html)

What strikes me after a brief prayerful reflection on both readings is the searing truth of St. Paul's basic treatise on the human condition, which is:

But if our wickedness provides proof of God's righteousness, what can we say? Is God unjust, humanly speaking, to inflict his wrath? Of course not! For how else is God to judge the world? But if God's truth redounds to his glory through my falsehood, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not say--as we are accused and as some claim we say--that we should do evil that good may come of it? Their penalty is what they deserve. Well, then, are we better off? Not entirely, for we have already brought the charge against Jews and Greeks alike that they are all
under the domination of sin, as it is written: "There is no one just, not one, there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have gone astray; all alike are worthless; there is not one who does good, (there is not) even one. Their throats are open graves; they deceive with their tongues; the venom of asps is on their lips; their mouths are full of bitter cursing. Their feet are quick to shed blood; ruin and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace they know not. There is no fear of God before their eyes." Now we know that what the law says is
addressed to those under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the
whole world stand accountable to God, since no human being will be justified in his sight by observing the law; for through the law comes consciousness of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed, through the forbearance of God--to prove his righteousness in the present time, that he might be righteous and justify the one who has faith in Jesus. What occasion is there then for boasting? It is ruled out. On what principle, that of works? No, rather on the principle of faith. For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from
works of the law.

(Paul's Letter to the Community at Rome 3:5-28)

Thomas Merton: the danger arising from the fact that some of the most belligerent people in this country are Christians

Here are some eerily appropriate thoughts from Thomas Merton --> Bruderhof Peacemakers Guide - Thomas Merton. All the more surprising, considering his own journey to the Lord.

Why You Must Vote (Benjamin Wiker in "Crisis Magazine", October 6, 2004)

Because of His Tender Mercy

For me, Life is the Tender mercy of God in Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God. In fact, this Truth is simply All there is. Everything else in all creation, it seems to me, is ordered from this simple Truth. The Christian Apostle Paul kind of sums this all up in his inspired hymn to Christ and His Work in his letter to the believers in Collosae (Col. 1:15-20):

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together ... He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross (through him), whether those on earth or those in heaven.

(NAB, Copyright © by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)