Franciscan on Sister Water

People today think that it is passe to think much about the teaching of religions and I have to say some of the religions that have been created  can be pretty wild and crazy to my way of thinking, but there are some basic ideas that have historically been presented to us that make sense even in our times and circumstances.  The past can still speak to the present.  Recently, I came across a passage (Philippians 4: 8), which says, “brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these”.

I have been thinking about this, especially in the political arena.   What I see is hatred, prejudice, cruelty and greed for power and money.  Do voters think this is acceptable in this modern age?   We have definitely fallen from grace, seemingly having little concern about the historical virtues that have kept humanity from constant wars and finding human evil acceptable.  Maybe this is why we are having so many wars around us (I have heard there are 28 and counting).  People have fallen into the trap of thinking that these base human emotions are to be tolerated or unaddressed and we just have to live with it.

My thinking is that we all have a responsibility to be truthful, honorable, just and caring in all actions in our lives, and if so, the whole world could be a better place to live in.   Our present problems are not new.   G. K. Chesterton wrote, “When duty and religion are really destroyed, it will be by the rich”.  I see that this is still true, with big business striving for only profit at the expense of their workers, making health care near impossible to afford and cutting pay to make more profit for shareholders, owners and top executives.  This is turning people more into slaves than productive and thriving citizens.  The wages and benefits to workers have been slowly cut away from them and now people are stressed financially and this must be ended.  Americans must focus on what can enhance the nation and it’s people, not on greed and profits only.

One would think that our legislative branch of government in the U.S. would be able to function to provide for the American People, but this is not so.   For example, the Republican party wants to be the only party in the U.S. (they do not want to share governing with Democrats),  their proposed leader acts like a Nazi, they want to ban immigrants, cut taxes for the rich, restrict voting, end diplomatic ties with allies and basically see government fail.  The reason is that the government of the U.S. has historically provided for the prosperity of it’s citizens, with health programs for those in need and maintaining civil rights for it’s citizens.  In other words, the U.S. government has used taxes and revenues to aid the welfare and smooth functioning of it’s citizens with improvement of lifestyles.  However, this may come to an end.  Human greed for power and money have invaded our legislators (for some are being paid by big business to make policy) and is destroying the country and the trust of it’s people.

Some politicians are acting like puppet masters, telling people lies to get elected.  Evangelicals are being manipulated and thinking that they are voting for a candidate that represents their values.  I think Evangelicals need to look to the New Testament rather than the vengeful Old Testament.  They are either followers of Christ or something different.  For it says in Mathew 25:31-46

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, …

Do those who call themselves Christians welcome the stranger (immigrants for example, for all our origins have been from elsewhere at one time), or fair and generous in giving to those in need?  Christ loved and cared for the people around him and it is said in 1 Corinthians 17-20, “Whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with Him.”   I would rather look to this beauty, encourage it in others and see evil be rebuked for what it is.