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clowns in the asylum, faith, hope, humor, insanitybytes22, life, opinion, politics, the 9th circuit of hell
I totally repent of my despair over local politics, (and national ones) my complete lack of faith in people, and my propensity to assume the worse is yet coming down the tracks, once again.
The worse did not come down the tracks and I am sitting here rather pleasantly surprised, quite grateful for a resounding “no” that was like a shot heard all across the cow pasture here in Hicksville.
In my defense, I do live in the 9th circuit of hell, so failure is not an option, it is actually a way of life. Yep, pile more taxes on my head, yep erect more impenetrable walls, yep throw multiple barriers in my path. Why settle for a bad situation, when you can always just make a bad situation so much worse?
I’m an ex-political junkie with a heaping dish of cynicism on the side. A while back the Lord said, we need change all this, the attitude, the despair, the learned helplessness, the frustration, the unforgiveness towards the sheer number of complete morons in charge….
As you can see, the Lord has had His work cut out for Him, as in I was not the most cheerful or enthusiastic about this whole idea. I have however, been doing my best to be cooperative, to focus on the positive, to perceive politics with some mercy and grace, and to glean whatever good may be lurking beneath the swamp rocks. Crawdads are good, right? Frog legs perhaps? Deep fried with butter and garlic….
This morning in prayer it occured to me that this may actually be one of the most subversive acts I’ve ever tried to engage in. Can you be cheerful about politics, positive, encouraging, can you actually say, it is well with my soul and I have no complaints?
Bahahahaha! I am definitely a work in progress.
I tried this out on my husband this morning and I’m pretty sure he just hissed at me. Yep, definitely a hiss. Apparently there is some legal requirement that one be perpetually disgrunted about some political issue at all times. To be socially acceptable, one must moan and lament the horror of it all, commiserate with whatever unpleasantness is being inflicted upon us.
Pretty subversive to even attempt to suggest that politically things are coming along quite nicely, everything is right on schedule, couldn’t ask for better. Yikes, pretty sure I’ll be sitting all alone at dinner with no one to talk too. Nothing seems to annoy people more than someone cheerful about politics.
Hat tip to a few heroes of mine, those who stand out in the cold and warm my heart, and those who say sensible things that catch me by surprise and take my breath away. Common sense, it’s a rare gem and to see it displayed anywhere these days is enough to just make my bitter little heart sing.
See, there's this thing called biology... 
I never came out first in comments before. Someone always gets here before I do. So since you at that table all alone, may I join you? 😀
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It’s fun to be first once in a while, isn’t it? 🙂
I’d love to sit at the table with you. That would be an honor, Oneta.
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I’ll take a chair also, if you don’t mind. I’ve been like this he proverbial ostrich trying to bury my head in the sand, but you simply can’t hide from it. It’s everywhere.
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I hear what you’re saying, IB, but I’m not sure how that works out in practice. I mean, how do we react to a $.12 tax raise on each gallon of gas here in good ol Cali, knowing that the raise in the price of gas will also mean a raise in any goods, like food, that must be trucked in. Or what about the bill that allows public school teachers to read stories about transgender to pre-schoolers, without their parents’ knowledge or consent? There are so, so many others.
The bottom line, I think, is not closing a blind eye to the evils that go on in politics, but it’s to embrace these bad decisions as signposts that call us to prayer. The answer is not ever going to be in better politics, or even in accepting the politics we have. It’s only going to be in changed hearts.
Becky
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@Rebecca LuElla Miller
My guess is that IB is thinking of this verse.
We don’t have much control over what the majority will do to our government. All we know is that if those in control are unwilling to exercise wisdom and self-restraint, we will all suffer the consequences of their actions. Nevertheless, we can still pray, and we can ask for our Lord’s help. We can request that He may teach us to control our attitude and still find contentment even when what He has called us to do becomes difficult and unpleasant.
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Well said, Tom. Good verse, too! I often think of Paul chained to the wall and singing in prison. Our circumstances should not define how we’re going to feel about things, even politics. Some days I’m not too sure, but I think the politics Paul had to deal with were probably far worse than mine. 🙂
Becky is right too, it is exceedingly hard to watch people in leadership make decisions that are going to actually be harmful and make things worse for the poor, the working class, people on fixed incomes. Than there’s the moral issues that just leave you scratching your head.I think she’s right about the need for changed hearts, too.
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Changed hearts? Yep!
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This showed up on my FB today. How apropos:
My dear wormwood,
Be sure that the patient remains completely fixated on politics. Arguments, political gossip and obsessing on the faults of people they have never met serves as an excellent distraction from advancing in personal virtue,character and the things the patient can control. Make sure to keep the patient in a constant state of angst, frustration and general disdain towards the rest of the human race in order to avoid any kind of charity or inner peace from further developing. Ensure the patient continues to believe that the problem is “out there” in the “broken system” rather than recognizing there is a problem with himself.
Keep up the good work,
Uncle Screwtape
“Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis – 1942
Kind of scary how insightful it is. Seems the world hasn’t changed as much as we think it has. Rather, it’s the way we get our information that’s changed. This 24-7 news feed is unhealthy for everyone.
More power to you IB! I’ll join you too!
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Ha! What perfect timing. CS Lewis always nails it. This cracked me up,
“Make sure to keep the patient in a constant state of angst, frustration and general disdain towards the rest of the human race in order to avoid any kind of charity or inner peace from further developing.”
Ooops, I forgot to repent of my “general disdain towards the human race,” but that’s in there somewhere too 🙂
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Crazy that it was written in the 40’s, and it seems we still haven’t learned a thing, right? I need to pick that book up again soon. I’m sure it would have a completely different context than when I read it 20 years ago.
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In which state do you reside, IB? Just curious. I know where Citizen Tom is, and I appreciate His posts about politics here in good ole Virginia. 🙂 Like what he said in his comment above as well!
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I’m on the other side, in Washington. 🙂
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Don’t get mad, bro 🤙😂
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You wrote an 11 letter nasty word…. common sense.
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Good Morning IB:
I am joining your round table, if you can make room for a Canuck 🇨🇦. I don’t know why I keep following politics, it just keeps getting more frustrating. And then, in our Bible Study group we are studying Titus, and of course this past Wednesday we read:
“Titus 3:1
Remind people to respect their governmental leaders on every level as law-abiding citizens and to be ready to fulfill their civic duty.”
I have come to the conclusion that I respect “the Office” of our leadership, even though I cannot respect the persons.
I am still learning though, even when Scripture says to pray for those in authority, it takes work to overlook the persons in power.
I have probably wandered off topic, but I thank you IB for this forum and opportunity to air my thoughts and struggles.
George
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Love your comment, George. We really are called to pray for our leaders.
As frustrated as I get sometimes, I try to remember we voted them in, the collective “we.” So it calls for a bit of humility, but when we are the ones who hire our own leaders, we can’t very well place ALL the blame on their shoulders.
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“This morning in prayer it occured to me that this may actually be one of the most subversive acts I’ve ever tried to engage in. Can you be cheerful about politics, positive, encouraging, can you actually say, it is well with my soul and I have no complaints?”
You are such a rebel! 🙂
Good word.
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Well IB, in them there parts where we are, frog legs and gator jerky are considered something worth dining upon.(I have only tried the gator jerky)
As for being of good cheer with what is poured forth from most sources of media 24/7, finding that to “seek first the kingdom of God” and keeping my aim on Christ and His eternal perspective, means I am spending only enough time to gather enough of what information is needed in order to pray with wisdom. My husband reminded me that historically, people not having the global information we do now, folks simply were “salt and light” to those in their immediate community. I’m torn between the benefits with all the information accessible with what we have now, to wondering how much damage has been done because it takes us away from those we may be able to have the greatest impact with? Thanks again IB
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The problem is that common sense is not so common, nor does it contain much sense. It varies within all of us… yet we all profess to have it.
The envy I have toward those who have no interest.
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