Extremism

I really don’t like being labeled, but for the sake of disclosure, I guess you might say that I am a Christian Conservative.  That should be understood, however, in light of the fact that I might not fit in too well with other Christian Conservatives.  Regardless, most of my life I have been registered to vote as an Independent.

Since most elections in Idaho are decided in the Republican primary, I am now registered to vote as a Republican.  When we lived in Colorado’s San Luis Valley in the 1980’s, I was registered to vote as a Democrat, for the same reason.  My belief is that the Democratic Party has moved too far left, and now I couldn’t be registered to vote as a Democrat for any reason.  I am sure that some people would feel the same about the Republican Party moving too far right.

American politics in recent years has been like a pendulum.  It swings left for a while, and then it swings right.  The problem, as I see it, is that the swings are becoming too extreme.  I do not support either extreme, and I am pretty sure most other Americans are more comfortable with politics that are closer to the middle.

I have often regarded Democrats and Republicans as two sides of the same counterfeit coin.  That coin is a political class that is more concerned with personal and party political power, than with the best interests of our country.  They value their ability to be reelected and using public service as a means of personal enrichment; rather than acting in the best long-term public interest. I don’t like that.

I like having the ability to choose between clearly differentiated alternatives.  However, I am very concerned, as I see our people becoming more and more polarized. The 24 hour broadcast news media have been complicit in creating this oppositional political and societal atmosphere.  The ”talking heads” on television and the radio hammer away day after day with the same old divisive “talking points;” rather than reporting the facts or discussing possible solutions that, while not perfect, could be acceptable to both sides.

I have a few expectations once elections have been held.  I would like our elected officials to treat each other with respect; if not for the person, then for the office.  When Rep. Nancy Pelosi withdraws the invitation for President Trump to deliver the state of the union address at the capitol building, she is not just showing disrespect for Donald Trump, she is showing disrespect for the Office of the President.  It poisons the political atmosphere, polarizes the opposing parties, makes coming to agreement more difficult, and sets a terrible example.  When President Trump gets up and walks out of a meeting with congressional leaders, all of the foregoing applies to him.

I seem to recall promises to temper the dialogue, to show mutual respect, and to work together following the tragic shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.  What are the American people getting instead?  Our elected representatives hold stubbornly to untenable, extreme positions, refusing to give even the slightest accommodation.  They attack the character of good people to deny them appointments to high office or contest the suitability of duly elected persons to hold office.  They abuse the criminal justice system for political advantage.  Everyone knows politics is a dirty business at best, but today’s politicians are giving a dirty business a bad name.  In doing these things, they show disrespect for the American people.

We all have memories of our antics in school, and there are some stories we could tell. However, we were kids and not holders of high office in the greatest nation on earth.  I call for the president and all senators and congressmen to stop acting like school children and to get the peoples’ business done.  I expect you to work together to find mutually acceptable solutions to contested matters.  Presently, in your extremism and bitter antagonism you are offering lose - lose alternatives.  Then you remain deadlocked until the fight leads to a win - lose outcome.  After that you gloat, smirk, and crow about it, creating more hard feeling.  It is expected that you do your job, which is to find enough common ground to craft win - win outcomes.  In short, GET THE PEOPLES’ BUSINESS DONE.

Extremism on either the left or the right in the United States of America will wreak the county.  Our Lord said:

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. (Mk 3:24 NKJV)

https://www.biblestudytools.com/nkjv/mark/3.html

Relationships

In my experience of life, I have learned that relationships can be likened to bank accounts.  If you draw out more than you put in, the bank will close your account.  With relationships, the other party may tolerate it, or end it, but in either case the relationship will sour.

Marriage

You may have heard that for a marriage to be successful, each partner must meet the other half-way.  If you do that, you will have a half-way marriage.  It may continue on, but it will become lukewarm.  Little surplus accumulates from 50/50 contributions, and the time will come when either partner may need to draw out of the account more than is being put in.  When that happens, the 50/50 account will rapidly become depleted.  For a marriage to thrive, each partner (according to their ability) needs to give 75 or 100 percent all the time.  Then, something will be there when the rainy days come; and believe me they will.

Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

           (Eph 5:33 NASB)*

Friendship

Friendships are subject to definition.  Some are very inclusive in their use of the term.  Friendly acquaintances, friends of friends, amicable coworkers, and occasional companions are often called friends.  Others require a certain level of emotional security, dependability, reliability, and trust to call someone a friend; or a “close friend.”  In any case, for friendships to grow and last over time all parties need to invest in the relationship in order to value it.  People need to have a sense of “give and take,” and to feel that things are “not just one-way.”

In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matt 7:12 NASB)*

Family

Relationships between adults and their children and grandchildren change over time.  In the beginning, parents and grandparents put far more into the bank account than the child does.  Their role is nurturing and custodial, whereas the child is dependent on their parents and grandparents for almost everything.  If parents expect cooperation from their children, they must invest time and love in them; so that the children do not develop feelings of exasperation and poor self-worth when guidance, correction and humane discipline must be given.

Fathers do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.
(Col. 3:21 NASB)*

Fathers do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.  (Eph 6:4 NASB)*

However, as parents and grandparents become infirm due to old age, roles reverse.  The nurtured become the nurturers.  Throughout history, when that happens the primary responsibility for the care of the elderly has fallen to the family.  To make this reversal of dependency work, the relationship account needs to be full.  In recent years, the state has stepped in to make institutional care for the elderly financially viable.  The end result is that, as longevity increases, the “nanny state” will not be able to afford to continue it.  Further, it undermines the family’s need to maintain cohesiveness.  Please listen.  This is important.  Parents, children, and grandparents need to keep that relationship account full.

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you. (Ex 20:12 NASB)*

Closing

There are many other kinds of relationships that could be listed, but I do not want to belabor the point.  Of course, the bank account analogy is not the only way of building and maintaining relationships.  My own relationships are not perfect, but I believe they are better than they otherwise might have been because I tried to apply this simple idea to them.  Hopefully, it may help someone else.

* https://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/