About four years ago I had a premonition about politics, about the election, about the powder keg of anger, resentment, tribalism, hatred that was starting to brew. Pardon the pun here, but there were some feelings in the culture, not reason, not rational thought, pure emotion.
So I began researching, visiting the Alt-Right, the manosphere, the red pills, and some pillian evangelicals, to get a feel for what was going on within the culture. It’s somewhat amusing, but the internet is like a peek into the human psyche and once seen it can never be unseen. There is just not enough eyeball bleach sometimes.
So having good instincts and a bit of a prophetic eye, my heart really sunk when I realized what was going to happen. The ‘spherians, the alt right, the “angry white men” as some media sources have called them, those I often refer to as the Lost Boys, are going to retaliate, seek revenge for perceived political slights. Cause and effect, the pendulum always swings. Those Lost Boys, forever seeking their Alpha, everybody wants to be him, are going to sink this darn election. No, not by winning any games, but by snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory, by responding to this election with emotion rather than wisdom. They’re going to look for the biggest baddest, meanest, bully, their idealistic Alpha and rally behind him.
My heart sunk because my heart is actually very conservative, as in it loves small government, individual rights, local control. Heck, my heart is actually teetering on the edge of anarchy when it comes to freedom and liberty. My heart just cries out for change. However, I’m a realist, I understood at once there was not a darn thing I could do to stop that tsunami of feelings.
Also somewhat amusing, I still felt compelled to try. I’ve been running about for four long years trying to engage the culture, trying to explain to angry people, “hey, love is a real thing, love conquers all, we walk in victory.” Love trumps hate. Yes, I coined that phrase long before we had candidates, long before the DNC snatched it up. It’s amusing in the sense that I became a bit like a fly to be swatted away. People salivating over the idea of hatred, revenge, conquest, tribalism, retaliation, isolationism, really aren’t all that interested in hearing about love.
Sigh. The problem being, love conquers all. It trumps everything, political beliefs, personalities, our hopes and dreams for the future. Hate is a deception, it makes you feel powerful, but that is a temporary and fleeting thing. Hate. Loses. Every. Single. Time. Power resides in love. Really comical, imagine me trying desperately to explain the nature of power, the keys to the kingdom, to a bunch of hotheads convinced they’re going to singlehandedly save Western civilization. Really frustrating because most of these people are Christians, or so they say.
One such hot head of the Alt-Right was Vox Day, with his million or so blog hits every month. Big Trump supporter. I’m an arm chair quarter back, I like observing the culture, I like analyzing things. Usually we wait until after an election to do this, but there are some conservatives I am rather fond of, some who have their heart set on victory…..in a political candidate. Let’s change that faulty thinking right now, let’s put our eyes where they are supposed to be as Christians, and let’s use Vox Day’s words to demonstrate.
In his post “Why Trump,” VD actually says, “You can’t trust Donald Trump’s principles, his words, or his commitment to Jesus Christ. But if you can’t trust in his vanity, if you can’t place any faith in the vanity of a egocentric man who has stamped his name in gold letters on everything he can, in what can you possibly trust?”
In what can you possibly trust? In God we trust. We place our eyes on Jesus Christ, we get into His word, we pray, and we lean into the concept of grace and mercy, into the knowledge and recognition that love wins, that love already conquered all. Love is now seated at the right hand of the Father.
God is good, God is merciful, God is steadfast, and I pray that God has an awesome sense of tolerant good humor, but I have to declare, any Christians who believe they are called to place their trust in the “vanity of a egocentric man who has stamped his name in gold letters,” deserves the royal smack down they have coming. That’s some downright biblical stupidity.
Wally Fry said:
Be encouraged, IB. God’s got this
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
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insanitybytes22 said:
Thanks, Wally! I am rather encouraged. I pray that others will be, too.
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Wally Fry said:
I’m glad and I hope so as well.
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ColorStorm said:
Royal smackdown maybe, but hope that is not her majesty there with the red hair and the queen of hearts…….. may have to apologize to the Bicycle card co, eh ms bytes. lol .
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insanitybytes22 said:
She’s a good representation of the problem isn’t she? All in good fun here, but the girl in the blue dress knows all about Wonderland, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, and how to survive the Red Queen. 🙂
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ColorStorm said:
Nice return observation, especially because it’s true. 😉
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christinewjc said:
Wow!!! This is a great post because it reveals the signs of the times that our nation is currently going through!
I have a best friend who is adamantly pro-Trump. I have another friend who is profoundly anti-Trump (also anti-Hillary) so she is compelled to “write someone in” on her ballot come November.
My dear daughter finally had a long conversation about politics with me. This is often avoided because we agree on some issues, but disagree on others. She and her husband (registered Independents) may stay home election day.
I just can’t bring myself to “pull the lever” for Trump in November. However, since the land of many “fruits and nuts” CA is a huge blue state… 75% Democrat, my little ole’ vote most likely wouldn’t count anyway.
My husband is leaning towards voting for Trump to counter the awfulness of HiLIARy…as we accurately call her in our home.
This is why I try not to talk directly about the election anymore. There is no “savior” to be had in any presidential election! There is ONLY ONE Savior – and His name is Jesus Christ our Lord. In Him alone, I place my everlasting trust!
You wrote:
Beautifully and wonderfully said!
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christinewjc said:
P.S. I forgot to mention that a long-time Christian blogging friend of mine (who gave me a little “award” in the past for my Christian-based blogging efforts) is VERY pro-Trump, and he has, in fact, deleted my Talk Wisdom blog from his blog roll! This is a very trivial matter, of course, but it is an example of how satan’s (refuse to capitalize the devil’s name!) ploys to divide us often works and unfortunately, can temporarily succeed in this fallen world.
We are forewarned to beware the devil’s devices!
But we can all be encouraged with the following verses!
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insanitybytes22 said:
Amen!
Sorry about the friend who unfriended you. It is a small matter, but still I’m always like, seriously? You’re kicking me out of the cool kids club again? People, I’m telling ya. 🙂
It occurs to me that we’re called to preserve the unity, too. Not to create it or build it, it’s already there, but to preserve it. “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” -Ephesians 4:2-3 So of course the enemy steps right in there and always tries to create division and strife.
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christinewjc said:
Ahh…I’m actually already over it. Thought I would mention it because a disagreement about Trump doesn’t seem important enough to destroy several years worth of an online friendship as brothers and sisters in Christ!
Great comfort from that verse in Ephesians…thanks!
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Rebecca LuElla Miller said:
I wish we had more than one like button we could push.
My heart breaks to think people are trusting in such an ephemeral thing as a man’s ego. Yes, God is giving us what we deserve in this election, and no matter who wins, it isn’t pretty.
Becky
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PARTNERING WITH EAGLES said:
As an infrequent visitor, I have commented on this Vox Day character; having him and Trump in the same sentence makes me queasy…
Trump is not a professed Christian. He is the Doberman Pincher when we need one. However, all else aside check this out:
Go to 1:06:55 in his speech – Promises to restore Churches 1st amendment rights
Published on Jul 21, 2016
FULL SPEECH: Donald Trump – Republican National Convention
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Paul said:
i’m with Wally – be encouraged IB. You are blessed.
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fromscratchmom said:
Hurts my heart to see this happening even thought I understand how the GOP created this angry mob thing, hurts nonetheless. I cannot vote for Trump or Hillary. For those who are staying home or doing a write in vote, I know I’ve said it before but I beg you to reconsider when the backroom politicos and string pullers and power players analyze this election cycle to death they will be swayed zero by a million write-ins and a 10 million new abstainers. Please consider voting for Johnson, even if you believe he has no chance of winning. It is the most influential vote you can make to stand against the current two party corruption paradigm.
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calledtopursue said:
Awesome entry! God is seated on majesty and He will win the victory at the end of the day. These are the signs of the end times therefore we have to put on the armor of God and prepare for war!
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Citizen Tom said:
Good post!
It is sad. Not many voters actually participated in the nomination process. The percentage of the electorate that actually voted for Trump or H. Clinton was about 9%.
We need to scrap the primary process and just go back to the old convention process. Only a plurality of Republican voters wanted Trump. So what is the point? Other than greater opportunities for mischief and manipulation by the news media, what do the primaries add?
Unfortunately, what is done is done. Trump is not a great candidate, but he is it, and the alternative, H. Clinton, would probably be far worse.
Anyway, we can still be thankful our Lord is in charge. Thanks for the reminder.
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