“My Political Journey”

I will always agree with low taxes, a friendly environment for job creation, strong military, less government intervention in our lives and freedom in general. I will always prefer a job rather than a government program, unless a government program is absolutely necessary; if it is necessary, it should be temporary.

         I will always see God as my provider and my hope will never be the government. The government is limited; God is not. Government, by nature is something that is not approved by God according to First Samuel 8. The reason I make this emphasis on jobs over government programs is because the Bible tells us in Second Thessalonians 3:10,

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. (NKJV)

         I happen to work as an Employment Specialist with disabled men and women. Many fought very hard to give the disable a chance in the work force. Many are a great inspiration for us. That leaves very little excuse for the rest of us. The principle of working is not conservative; it is a Biblical.

         Now lets get into why I am fed up with Conservatism also. Something about the reaction of the conservatives on the invasion of Russia over Ukraine and Rush Limbaugh and his constant promotion of his two best sellers books, Rush Revere and the First Patriots and Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims, did not sit well with my spirit.

         How can the United States criticize Russia in any way? Have the conservatives taken a closer look at their own history? Do the conservatives remember that the US took over half of Mexico in the Mexican – American war? A study of this war will infuriate and shame you as an American. Can you imagine if Mexico decides to take the portion of this nation that was theirs back by force? Can you imagine if Mexico was a stronger nation? Would we defend our land?

         Well, that’s what the United States did to Mexico; the United States, a stronger nation, decided that the land they had was too small, that they needed to expand to the west all the way to the Pacific Ocean. So on the spring of 1846, under the leadership of President James K. Polk, they provoked a war against Mexico. We crossed their border and the Mexican killed a few American soldiers as they were defending their country. After this event the United States declared war against Mexico. Abraham Lincoln said about this war,

“unnecessarily and unconstitutionally commenced.”

     A year later the United States took half of the Mexican nation. Have you ever wondered why this war, that gave the US more in return than any other war, is practically ignored? That is because it was shameful, it is shameful and it will be forever shameful. You will never hear a conservative speak about this war.

         America’s dealing with slavery was awful, we all know that, but it does not stop there. Do you know of the US’s treatment of the Natives in Alaska? Do you know how the United States took over Hawaii? Do you know about how the United States took over Puerto Rico? If you don’t know these stories and just listen to Rush Limbaugh, you would think that the United States has never done anything wrong. But that is not the truth.

         Rush explained in his program that he is on a mission to tell our young people the truth of our history. The patriotism of this man is a key characteristic of conservatism. They are proud to be Americans and that is good, but I have a problem with ignorance and arrogance.

         All of us, me included, have an ugly side. It is important to acknowledge that. When President Obama went on his famous “Apology Tour” I noticed that the conservatives were deeply offended.

         In the eyes of the conservatives, this nation has done nothing wrong, we are perfect. Actually, they like to use a term that deeply disturbed me, they refer to the United States as being exceptional, and they call it “American Exceptionalism”. Perhaps this is what disturbs me the most about Conservatism.

         The problem that I have with this term is that it is clearly implying that Americans are better than everyone else. That does not sit well with me because it is not Biblical. The Bible tells us in Romans 2:11

“For there is no respect of persons with God.” (KJV)

         Perhaps that is the reason why the Republicans, whom, for the most part identify themselves with the conservative ideology, have and will always have a hard time winning minority votes. Think about the T-Party, how many minorities do you see there? How can I, as a minority, march with the T-Party knowing that at the heart of their ideology they think they are better than me?

         My deepest concern with America looking at herself that way is that it leaves no room for repentance before God. Without repentance we can’t be saved. We must repent as a nation for our sins and the injustices we have committed.

         Beloved, this nation has two faces, one is the church and the other is the political America. No doubts that God gave America a special call on this earth. God poured out His Spirit in this nation in a way that, outside of Israel, no other nation could even come close. However, we as nation have moved away from God. Politically speaking, this nation stands as one of the biggest hypocrites in the history of the world.

         The United States actually saw herself as the new Israel in the world. They justified taking the land from other nations because God was telling them to do so. The problem is that God can’t lie. The battle against Spain to take Puerto Rico was a lie fabricated by Americans just like the Mexican – American war.

         I am very concerned about these things that I am discovering about conservatism because there is a tendency to believe that Conservatism is Christian; some are proud to call themselves Christian Conservative; but in their ignorance they are allying themselves with a mere imperfect man-made ideology.

         So what do I do now? Do I stop voting? Do I stop getting involved in the political process? Perhaps, but I must keep my eyes open. The Lord may give us another Josiah. In the process, I never stop praying and I must always keep the prospective that I do not belong to this kingdom, but that I belong to the Kingdom of God. I am a part of the great church; a church that will be glorious, spotless, pure and ready for the coming of our Lord. My hope is in that promise, not on our next President.