Dear America,
"A tyrant must
put on the appearance
of uncommon devotion to religion.
Subjects are less
apprehensive of
illegal treatment from a ruler
whom they consider
God-fearing and pious."
Aristotle
let's start with a big bang from Beck, shall we?
“...if the country is lost, it will be lost because of the Christians...There will be no one else to blame...You can’t blame the progressives. You can’t blame the left. You can’t blame Hillary Clinton. You can’t blame anyone else but the Christians who are not living and voting their principles."
[for the full story on Glenn Beck, host of the Christian skewering of the day, go to Breitbart]
Oh, and just before serving up this sweet and tangy self-righteous sentiment -- Desperado made a special request for all of us true believers: to join Beck and his family in a mission for Monday... fasting for Cruz.
Can I get a Hallelujah?! Just look at how the Lord works! If we hadn't all watched it with our own two eyes....Taking the boy out of New York City...divining a road that leads to Dallas...and now look at this dude, digging deep, so deep he might have struck some oil, getting to the very core of it, and talkin' straight up (of course, without the whiskey chaser). Praise the Lord, for judgement day came a whole lot sooner than expected. and if you said all that sounding like your very own poor rendition of Francis Underwood the better for all of us; we're in this together, and a little whup-ass while undergoing a harmless character assassination is just one more way we can all contribute. can I get an amen?
my apologies for that. (no, not really)makes me wonder if some time over the last 48 hours my soul get-got herself possessed, or something. (wrong again)
But first things first, even if it comes second --
This girl happens to LOVE Jesus. Little g gives thanks to the big guy, the BIG G, every single day -- on my knees usually -- and always in prayerful thanksgiving.
And here's another truth be told -- this girl happens to like Beck vewy vewy much...that silly rascal.
So it's crazy with what comes next...
Beck
sounds
like
a kook.
SO -- if we can just nit pick for a sec --
are you simply acknowledging that all Christians should see the same thing in Cruz that you see? and to that end, vote accordingly....as a block....because Ted, in all your fine judgement, is the good Christian in the bunch, the one with principles? IS that correct?
You believe that the rest may be Christian, but, perchance, not the most principled of Christians -- and therefore, a vote to anyone else but Ted would prove to be an allegiance of some kind of sacrilegious fate -- a blasphemy of something dreadful -- a day of reckoning in lock step with Revelations?
For the sake of argument, let's agree to disagree and then disagree some more...and let's begin by leaving The Donald out of it; but what of the rest? Let's go to the guys who have joined Ted in self-promoting a religious backbone in the campaign, however, taking a far more humble approach.
Is TED really better, more principled, than John Kasich...or Marco Rubio...or Dr. Ben Carson -- who, as you must know by now -- experienced a personal turning point to the way of the Lord that changed him forever, and happens to read and know the Bible with a photographic memory and can recite a verse of worth on a moments notice and leads a campaign with the motto -- HEAL INSPIRE REVIVE? And -- come to think of it, for the record, Ben's tax plan in simple terms goes something like this: "Follow the Biblical example and make it flat and make sure everyone has skin in the game. Everybody pays something." [Reprinted from a place in the heart of America, quite possibly within the Bible Belt itself, and called www.runbenrun.org}
But all that is neither here nor there really. It's just this indignation pouring out from every pore...this highfalutin impulse to lambaste the very people who have supported you for all of your days, from CNN to Fox to The Blaze. We are your people, Beck, and you just struck us with an arrow, splitting our hearts in two.
For this is news to me, Beck -- this whole thing about casting the entire lot of Christians as not only having in common a belief system, joined at the rib in being followers of Christ, indeed, but with that peace that passes all understanding, we should somehow, by some miracle of Lourdes, happen to all want the same thing, the same candidate -- and moreover, take your word for it, as if by decree or homily?
Oh the irony. You know you are beginning to sound a lot like Pope Francis telling Trump how good Christians are to behave, and how building bridges between Mexico is better than a wall...just sayin' partner.
Of course, if we are to be drifters along those lines, believing in the premise that WE are ALL God's children, that we are all citizens under one heaven -- then why any border -- why any red lines in-between us, why any separation of church and state, country or language, why any separation between us at all -- not even oceans should come between us. More to the point, this might be the perfect principled hour to call for Pope Francis to tear down his wall at the Vatican, for Saint Peter's sake. How about we start there, while reciting the Hail Mary and asking for forgiveness as we go along brick by brick...But I .....digress.
And I suppose, Beck, heading this exhibition out west, setting sites on the LEFT coast and probably going straight to hell in the here-and-after, but if we are to be rest assured upon your logic -- are you gonna tell me now that all African-Americans should vote the same way, think the same way, want the same things, too? If little g were a betting girl, my six pence would be on Dr. Carson who just might take issue with this all or nothing, downright robbery, of independent thought! For surely, there are times when common sense can only come when it decidedly, forthrightly, goes against the grain, and with great courage -- in spite of the amber waves of resistance circling the wagons, and in this day and age, coming complete with hashtag slogans and a facebook page.
It's just wrong; we get annoyed with the Left for this very thing! Breaking people down by demographics, hurling propaganda at them with break-neck speed, and then expecting a return on the investment at the polls. We the people get used and spit back out with no apologies.
Oh my, this girl is 'a rambling on and on...
It's just disturbing, this thing with Beck and Cruz, aligned to make their mark in history from probably the right place, with good intentions, and clearly a solid, godly foundation for all the right reasons --- but somehow this platform suddenly, and feeling somewhat shameful to admit, feels dirty. [and speaking of dirty...]
And mind you, this is a response coming from a believer -- a true believer in all of the above....God being first and foremost, but an honorable mention surely goes to Cruz and Beck!
It's crazy; it's like, what is happening to me? Or is the better question, what happened to Beck?
Should I stop and question this thing called my faith if my attractions go another way, opposite Cruz?
Is Beck's high and mighty passing of judgement against the entire nation of Christians of sound mind, or is he the wacko-bird about to start his third or fourth career selling snake oil at the county fair?
And yet...
If I dare keep going -- about that "if the country is lost" bit...
It must be said, that a fair portion of this good, godly country -- the Judeo-Christian roots -- have already been torn asunder! Much to my regret to disagree with Beck's opinion -- the truth is, the progressives of yesteryear and all the way through today ARE to BLAME for America's fall from grace, from God, from a foundation that painstakingly laid the groundwork to grow the most prosperous, faithful, hard-working, educated, enterprising, independent people for all time.
It is done and it is not good.
Right now - - this country IS lost; it's no longer a question as to If or When.
There is neither a North or Morning Star to be seen.
We are in the wilderness, fasting, and, coincidentally, well timed for being right in the middle of Lent.
We are lost.
We know we are lost.
And we are begging for directions from the likes of all kinds of passersby, searching desperately for someone to lead us out of the valley, over the mountain, to find happiness and restore us.
And it's a funny thing, but just yesterday, Sunday, I received word from God, himself: there is not one man (or one woman) on the planet who can fix what is broken -- you know, as president -- without the good favor of each and every single man and woman and child doing their fair share, and duty, to God and to country. [Including congress!]
Our downfall IS believing government can replace God, can replace good citizenship, can make up for our teeny tiny transgressions here and there. Our downfall is putting our faith into mankind and dismissing the essential elements of living soundly, morally, rightly under God and believing in something greater than ourselves. Our downfall is letting go of the the word of God in our every day.
Beck. Beck. Beck Beck Beck....This thing called "not living or voting" by principle isn't about to happen; it's been a century in the making. Nice try, though; nothing like a little religious tyranny roasted over an open fire.
.....Whoa, Nelly.....
Perhaps, a more reasonable explanation is simply recognizing that we the people haven't really changed; government, itself, is to blame, having grown so big, so thoroughly corrupted, to the point of no return.
[And this alone should immediately negate the worthiness of any candidate who has been on the inside, no matter if only a couple years or three decades; thereby, after taking account of what's to the left and who's to the right, swing your partner and doesy doe, only two candidates remain out of the whole kit and caboodle to choose from -- Trump and Carson. Boom. Perhaps we should pony express a decision for P and VP right here and now.]
And finally, if for no other reason than ending on a high note --
...perhaps a better way to look at our culture, our faithful roots and the rewards that come with lock, stock and barrel begins and ends and begins again with realizing the scope and breadth of our charitable giving. This is where we come alive as a people who truly live by our faith and hope and good will. And it is quite puzzling, really, because I'm pretty sure Beck is well aware of these things, and a wee bit of restraint before his reckless damnation questioning every Christians values and principles would have suited him in the moment just fine.
And we need to look no further then this month's Imprimis from Hillsdale College.
Karl Zinsmeister, focuses on the subject of Charitable Giving and the Fabric of America, and begins getting right to an astounding stat:
Private philanthropy is crucial in making America the unusual country that it is. Let’s start with some numbers. Our nonprofit sector now comprises eleven percent of the total United States workforce. It will contribute around six percent of gross domestic product this year. To put this in perspective, the charitable sector passed the national defense sector in size in 1993, and it continues to grow.
Now my wish is for you to read the entire piece, for the stories of bits and pieces of history speak volumes of not only our hearts and generosity, but of the way America truly works. We work hard. We make money. And we give much of ourselves and our wealth away.
Here's some more:
Still, partly because so much of private charity takes place out of the public eye—on the local level, private, often anonymous—many grossly underestimate its power and insist that major concerns can only be addressed through government action. They seem to have three major criticisms of private philanthropy: one, it’s a drop in the bucket; two, it’s amateurish, chaotic, and lacks expert coordination; and three, private donors act from impure motives.
Drop in the bucket? The Gates Foundation alone distributes more overseas assistance than the entire Italian government. Over its first two decades, its overseas vaccine program is projected to save the lives of almost eight million children. And the Gates Foundation represents only a tiny sliver of American philanthropy directed overseas. Members of American churches and synagogues send four-and-a-half times as much to foreigners in need each year as Gates does, and total private American philanthropic aid sent overseas substantially exceeds the foreign aid budget of the U.S. government. The latest totals are about $39 billion and $31 billion, respectively
Did you get that?
Private American philanthropic aid totals 39 BILLION dollars and exceeds the foreign aid budget in the U.S. government!
Members of American churches and synagogues send four and a half times as much to foreigners in need each year as Gates!
Yes. I am repeating myself. And with good reason! This is good stuff!
Karl also informs us that we actually live in a polyarchy society -- a society that enjoys many independent sources of power -- and of course, it's the opposite of monarchy. Adding to the nature of who we are, Karl notes:
But philanthropy in the United States is not just a story—or even primarily a story—about wealthy people or big foundations. Only 14 percent of charitable giving in our country comes from foundations, and only five percent from corporations. The rest comes from individuals, and the bulk of it comes from small givers at an average rate of about $2,500 per household per year.
This IS who we are.
We are, generally speaking, enterprising church goers, tithers, givers, healers, And while we're at it, let's stop the billionaire bashing, too.
And I believe, we, Americans, Christian or not, like to do the right thing, too.
And it just makes me ill to bicker over whose Christian heart is bigger, purer, faster, better -- but more than that, this coercing, manipulative, campaign strategy to coalesce behind Ted Cruz is a shame. A real shame. It's an unbridled, un-principled tack that hits Christians, pitting Christians against Christians! We might as well send in the clowns and the lions all at the same time.
okay G,
bring it on back,
c'mon girl,
yes!
indeed!
Oh my -- to God be the Glory!
We are, generally speaking, enterprising church goers, tithers, givers, healers -- and fiercely, fearlessly independent!
This is who we were...yesterday.
And this is who we will be -- with great, unwavering faith -- tomorrow.
and as always,
Make it a GOOD Day, G
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