I wrote a post Sunday that I intended to publish this morning, but I thought I’d run it by my husband first before I hit the publish button. I usually don’t do that, but because this one was political in nature, I wanted to get my husband’s opinion. He said it was right on. He agreed with everything I wrote. Then he advised me not to post it. I reluctantly hit the trash button.
The fact that I even asked my husband’s advice means I already had doubts about the post. My husband said maybe I could rewrite it and leave out the politician’s name I was railing against. If I did that, the post would have been meaningless because it was the message of this particular candidate that made me so angry. I had to include his quotes, and then you would know who I was writing about. My blog posts have mostly been non-partisan, and changing now might alienate some of my readers and change the nature of my blog. So I chose to delete the post.
I don’t want to leave it alone until I at least say this: People can always find ammunition to support their beliefs, even using the Bible. What makes me very uneasy is when the person promoting those beliefs tries to make me think that his beliefs trump my beliefs because he operates on a morally superior plane. Beware of candidates who claim that their faith is the one sanctioned by God, and anyone who disagrees with them is not practicing the right brand of religion.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” How sad is that? And also how true. This is not a government for Christians only. Even if we are a country of mostly Christian people, the tyranny of the majority is not what we are about. Sadly, even some Christians want to promote their brand of religion over other Christians, as if they have an “in” with God that those of us who disagree with them obviously don’t have. Good, moral people exist who practice many brands of faith or no faith at all except their faith in their fellow man, and they are fully capable of leading our nation. So when I hear a sanctimonious candidate promote his religious beliefs as what is best for everybody in our nation, that’s one person I will be steering clear of.
Coming East 
Ah, “Do unto others… ”
Such a simple phrase (but SO darned hard to follow; )
Yes, especially for some people, Deb.
“Christ is irresistible…Christians are not. Its Jesus love that people crave not my well intentioned agenda,” This was tweeted a few weeks ago and I thought it was so right on. I agree with everyone else you are an intelligent, well informed woman and I value your insight. Thanks
Thanks, Julie. Sadly, many Christians give Christ a bad name. Why would anyone want to be a Christian when they see how unloving and critical so many are? It hurts me because I love Christ. Ghandi’s quote is poignant.
I so agree with you on that point. I believe we need to spread the word of His love.
Just found your comment in the spam pile, Julie. Don’t know why it ended up there, but thank you for it. Yes, so many of these candidates are making God unattractive. His draw is love, and I’m not hearing any of that in these candidates. I’m tired of them thinking they speak for Him!
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Thanks for linking to my blog.
If the candidate does not know what it takes to become a world leader, let’s hope voters will know better in November. Thank you, Susan!
One would hope the voters will know. But then why is this guy doing so well in the polls?
‘What makes me very uneasy is when the person promoting those beliefs tries to make me think that his beliefs trump my beliefs because he operates on a morally superior plane’ – it’s not just politicians though, there’s plenty of misguided people out there who think that there is only one ‘right’, ie theirs, and live in a very black and white world where they are always far superior than everyone else. So sad. 🙂
I agree, Eye. But the frightening thing would be for those people to get into high office…oops! Too late.
I agree. I agree. I agree. Hopefully, the wiser minds in this country will prevail when we all get to the voting booths in November.
I hope so, Dor, but I’m worried. The Religious Right are such bullies.
Oh, I know exactly who you’re talking about… and as you well know, I don’t shy away from writing political posts! I’ve been brewing one about that person but haven’t quite gotten it to percolate yet. Anyway… I understand and respect your feeling about not wanting to post what you wrote, but if it comes from a place of not wanting to offend a whole group of people you haven’t even met… publish the thing. We advance as a civilization when we discuss that which we favor or oppose, and why. It’s how the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence came to be. There are ways to approach it which will keep your views from being perceived as arrogant or above others, and I’m confident you would strike that balance. You are a writer of great reputation and your readers respect you; they’ll know they don’t have to agree with your politics to consider your position intellectually.
Thanks, Single Cell. I guess I shouldn’t have trashed it, but I’m sure that candidate will say something else that I’ll have a strong reaction to, and then maybe I’ll let go. It will be interesting to see what transpires on Super Tuesday in a couple of weeks. I’m going to watch the debates this week, if I can remember what night they are on.
Enjoy your post and love all the comments that your post generated. Stay with me for a moment:
Sunday morning I heard a sermon about Jesus healing a cripple. “Stand up and walk, your sins are forgiven.” Wait a minute, didn’t I just hear, in this same place, a sermon about how sins and leprosy are unrelated? Isn’t that a contradiction? Just what sins cause what afflictions? I pondered. My mind wandered deep. So deep, hubby thought maybe I had a stroke or something. (He has a bewildering fear of strokes and heart attacks.)
Unfolding mysteries to wrap around a particular way of thinking can lead any of us wildly astray. When we listen to all these politicians, let’s ask at least 10 questions before swallowing the rhetoric as gospel. Now someone, please, ‘drag me into shallow water, before I get too deep.’
Thanks, Margie. It just scares me, though, how many people don’t really think about what these politicians are really saying. Worse yet, they do think about it and totally agree.
Philosophy, is the talk on a cereal box
Religion, is a smile on a dog
I’m not aware of too many things
i know what I know if you know what I mean…
Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians
Love Edie Brickell.
Thanks for completing the words, Deb. Yep, that’s about sums it up.
Happy for the support, Adela.
I think you got your message across without the tirade part, but I don’t think you should worry about alienating your readers. I believe what your country needs is for the silent majority to get up on a soapbox and declare, “This just isn’t right, and I’m not going to stand by and watch it happen!”
Thanks, Margie. At the very least, I needed to sit on my original post before I posted it. I think it might still have been okay, but this one said enough. I think.
You have my sincere sympathy for the death of what I’m sure was a superb blog!! What I’ve learned about you is that: you are intelligent and thoughtful; you research and ponder your position from all angles prior to recording your thoughts or picking a menu for dinner. I too have written words that are so full of passion that they needed to be trashed. The grief at the loss of those words is painful.
These words are also full of passion. I can predict the quotes and names that wound up in the trash… and I agree. I love your Gandhi quote… how true and (you are right) how sad.
My favorite allegorical study of those in power, or those who perceive themselves in power, or those who are possessed with the “need” for power is to watch “A Bug’s Life.” While you are rolling on the floor laughing you are putting new names on those little buggers…
Thanks for those kind words, Carol. I think I did see A Bug’s Life years ago when it first came out, but I don’t remember it. Maybe I need to watch it again in light of what you just wrote.
I am a New Yorker who has lived in Britain for most of the past 30 years and every time I go home to visit family and friends I am more and more overwhelmed by the feeling that the land of my birth no longer exists. When Hillary Clinton was going against Obama for the nomination, I asked a 23 year old ‘committed Christian’ whom he would support if he were a Democrat. The result was a half hour of pure hatred. His face twisted, his body language got aggressive, he leaned in and pointed his finger at me and told me in great detail why Hillary Clinton should burn in hell. Seriously, it was like something out of The Exorcist. How can that possibly be part of a political discussion, or any discussion for that matter? The thing that was so depressing, other than the fact that he obviously meant it and wasn’t just sounding off, was that everyone else in the room nodded their heads in total agreement. No one but me (and my equally horrified husband and children) thought that there was anything wrong with this scene. The intolerance, the hatred, the unbearable smugness was unbelievable. Well, I suppose that’s the worst part, it’s probably not unbelievable at all.
Great comment, Eileen. I was a Christian who thought Hilary would have made a good president, but I, too, heard the terrible rantings of the religious right about her. Appalling! Gives Ghandi’s comment so much weight.
It’s obvious that you put so much thought into what you write. It must have been hard to delete a well-researched post, but this one was smartly written, too and makes an important point, that we are not about “the tyranny of the majority.” As you say, we must beware.
Thanks, Shary. It was hard to trash that post, but it was the right thing to do. I was really on a tirade when I wrote it.
I enjoy your political posts, because your views are well-studied. Whether we agree doesn’t matter… I simply enjoy reading an intelligent woman’s views!
Wow, Country Wife! I appreciate that. Haven’t been called intelligent in awhile. LOL!
I grew up in Canada and moved to the US in 1989. Most other Western democracies are not poisoned by the BS and Superpacs of the religious right. I plan to blog this week about the new laws in Virginia that make access to abortion even more difficult.
Americans love to tell other Americans how much closer to God they are. Seriously?
I will look for your post, Broadside. Thanks for your comment.
Anyone who follows politics knows whom you are talking about and you expressed my feelings about this candidate beautifully. Thank you for posting this.
The thing that scares me, though, Maire, is that he’s currently ahead in the poles. Obviously, a lot of people agree with him.
I agree completely.
Thanks, Darla.
Very wise as always. It seems you politics is exactly the same as it is here in OZ. If you ever get a chance watch The Amazing Mrs Pritchard. It’s what happens when a bunch of women have had enough and run for parliament (uk) and win. It’s a jolly good wheeze.
I’ve never heard of The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard. I’ll have to look it up. I would love it if the right woman would become president. It’s long overdue.