A Liberated Mind

So as I was perusing the internet this weekend looking for some blogging inspiration, I came across of couple of items that really caught my attention…And even though I myself did not immediately find the commonality between these vastly different points of view, I eventually figured out how these train tracks eventually converged…Hopefully I can express and communicate effectively what I think about these internet finds…

To start, please keep in mind that this blog is not only about politics or OU football scores or what music I am currently listening to (Or, the Whale)…I also want to write about faith, and the role my faith plays in how I view this crazy world.  While this may scare some off, just hang with me for a few moments and hopefully no one will feel like I have bashed them over the head with a board after reading this blog entry.

So this first blog entry comes from a bumper sticker I found posted on a blog that I check about once a week…And while I frequently disagree with many of the blog entries made at this site, I do respect these folks nonetheless because of my certainty in commonality of spiritual beliefs…

The bumper sticker in question said “Jesus: Community Organizer/Pontius Pilate: Governor” which is an obvious reference to Sarah Palin’s experience as a governor and the issue the McCain/Palin Campaign is making regarding Barack Obama’s experience as a community organizer.  If you recall, last week at the Republican National Convention Rudy Giuliani made multiple comparisons to this part of Obama’s résumé when he was drawing a contrast between Obama and McCain.  This train of thought also continued with Sarah Palin in her speech that followed Giuliani…

My first thought about this bumper sticker is that it is probably never good to compare any politician to Jesus…To steal a line from Derek Webb, we’ve never had a savior on Capitol Hill…Nor will we ever have one…And to somehow insinuate that either of the presidential nominees is akin to our Messiah is, um, kind of dangerous in my book…

Secondly, I was taken aback a bit by the characterization of Jesus as a simple community organizer…To be sure, he did beckon twelve men to leave their lives to follow Him, and His brief ministry on earth did very much touch the multitudes of those around Him who were in need…

But Jesus ultimately came to sacrifice Himself as our Savior so that we could once again know His Father intimately…Though many of the Jews hoped Jesus to be their political and military voice against those ruled over them, Jesus desired His own death on a cross rather than an overthrow of the government…

And third, to make the obvious and hateful comparison of Pontius Pilate and Governor Palin is behind reproach – especially for those of us who call ourselves believers and claim to be of love and grace…

Granted, many may disagree with Palin’s views and platform, but to draw a link between she and the Roman ruler who ultimately sent Jesus to His torture and death is to me far beyond what we as believers should partake in during the political process of electing a president…Simply put, being hateful and vile beckons few to the kingdom…

But, wait…Isn’t this a part of politics?  Don’t the two campaigns constantly attack each other and snipe over rhetoric and points of view?  Isn’t this what politics has become now?  Isn’t this how the game is played?

To be sure, the answer to all of those questions is indeed and unfortunately yes…But as believers, as people who espouse love and grace, we must stay above the fray of using personal attacks to communicate our point of view…We can openly discuss our preference in candidate and why we don’t like the other guy, but we must do it in such a way as not to purposely offend or personally castigate…

In short, we need to talk to others about politics with the same goal in mind as we live our lives: solely for the Glory of God…Unfortunately, for me, this bumper sticker just doesn’t accomplish this goal…

S