Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population.
Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)
I am aching with disappointment; disappointment in my fellow man, my fellow citizen, my fellow American, and my fellow Christian. As I watch news casts and listen to radio broadcasts and even read the newspapers I see a world filled with commentaries on faith and God, and Jesus but what I do not hear or see is true understanding, and tolerance nor men living by the words they profess to believe. I hear "men of God" speak of Christianity and of being pro-life and of being anti-abortion and of a culture of life but at the same time they turn off life support for their own family members and they promote the death penalty and assassination of foreign leaders. I hear "men of God" speak of peace and understanding but at the same time they promote war. I hear "men of God" speak of truth and trust but at the same time they practice lies and deceit. I hear "men of God" speak of charity, caring, and giving but at the same time they turn their heads on genocide, pestilence, hatred, and starvation. I hear "men of God" speak of humility and profess modeling the simple life of Jesus and at the same time they live lives filled with pride and opulence.
Perhaps it sounds as though I am beginning a sermon but I'm really not. What I am doing is pointing out what I believe are the contradictions in what these men, who are our leaders and who would be our leaders and advisors to our leaders, say and what they do. I am trying to point out that it is contradictory to profess to be pro-life and anti-abortion and at the same time be pro-death penalty and promote the assassination of another person. I am trying to point out that it is contradictory to profess to believe in peace, tolerance, and understanding and at the same time promote unjust wars. I am trying to point out that it is contradictory to profess to believe in truth and honesty and at the same time practice lies and deceit. And I am trying to point out that it is contradictory to speak of being humble and at the same time to be boastful of ones accomplishments and wealth.
To me these things that I am seeing, hearing, and reading are the epitome of hypocrisy. It would appear to me that these men are as skilled at cherry picking their scriptures as they are their intelligence. I do not believe that you can be a Christian who professes to emulate Jesus' teachings and life by trying to live only part of it. I believe you accept and try to emulate all of his life and teachings or none. I do not believe you get to pick the things you like and cast off those you don't like or those that don't fit your idea of how it should be.
This president as well as the leaders of the Senate and Congress professes to be Christians and have allied themselves with those who profess to be Christian yet it appears to me and I believe that they live and breathe these very contradictions that I am addressing. It also appears to me that the Christian leaders whom this administration has aligned themselves with also personify these contradictions. I am, not by any stretch of the imagination, a scholar of the bible nor do I profess to be one but I did grow up a Southern Baptist and I was educated in a Catholic school so I do have some background in religion. It is my believe that this administration uses the most divisive issues such as abortion, the death penalty, and war to divide the nation in order to then manipulate a block of American voters to get elected to and remain in office. It is just that simple. It has little or nothing to do with faith or the issues that are important to the American people. It has to do with power and achieving and maintaining it. And it has nothing to do with tolerance or understanding.
"Whatever you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to do unto Me!"
Those Are The Sergeant Majors Thoughts On That.
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