Elections and Hurricanes

I want to discuss this past election. Man o Man what a ride! Since I'm not very sophisticated when it comes to the political scene, this blog post (to the one or two people who will read it) will probably seem naive and simple or down right retarded. But it is my humble opinion that this was the coolest thing I've seen in my lifetime as far as elections go.

I'm a conservative. I did not vote for Barak Obama. However, I really didn't like McCain either. Some of the things he's done in the past few months and some of his positions seem just as socialistic as Obama (I say "some of the things" when I can only think of one, which is the bail out.) But, since I'm not a student of political philosophy, I can't even be dogmatic on that either.

I've heard arguments on both sides of the spectrum. One saying that Obama's economical policies of adding taxes to the rich and to corporations will hurt the middle class due to employer's having to lay off people due to the extra expense of more taxes. And the other end saying that McCain's policies wouldn't help the middle class or the poor, because those two classes of income wouldn't get any tax breaks at all. I'm sure there is more to the issue of economics than just tax breaks though.

And so it goes with both sides arguing on both ends of the spectrum about everything. Foreign policy/relations, defense spending, homeland security, gun control, etc., etc. It gets very confusing for me. The only thing I know in determining what a government should do is what I've found in Scripture: 1) Promote justice and 2) Defend it's people. And even in that I'm probably missing something somewhere.

So, for me, it came down to a moral issue. I cannot support anyone who is in favor of abortions. Especially partial birth abortions. I know this could offend some people and that is not my intent of this post. I can hear voices being raised, "What about cases of rape, incest, and the health of the mother?" "You're a man and have no right to tell a woman what she can do with her body." To the first question, I don't see how it's logical to justify millions of abortions per year on the basis of 1%. That's the percentage of abortions performed for the above listed reasons. To the second, if that line of reasoning holds true then I, as a man or any man for that matter, cannot be in opposition to or in favor for a woman's right to choose. In other words, only women should vote on the issue if that logic holds true. But I bet that any militant pro-abortionist would gladly take the support of any man who supports this issue. So, again, for me, this was the issue that determined my vote. Even though I was pretty sure that Obama would win.

With that being said, a person of minority has just won the presidential election! How amazing is that! I think it says a lot about our country that this has taken place. And not only that, it was feasible that a woman could have been our vice president! We're talking history here folks! And we were a part of it! Maybe I'm wrong for feeling and thinking this way, but I do.

But here's the rub. Being as I run in the circles that I do, i.e. conservative evangelicals, I think it's funny the emphasis that has been on this election. The people I know are scared (but in their "spiritual" language, they are "concerned"). As if our ultimate future rests in the hands of Barak Obama or John McCain. It doesn't! A few years ago, when a pretty big hurricane (I can't remember which one) was on it's way, my previous pastor said this in his opening prayer one Sunday morning. "Lord, let us not fear the storm that is approaching, but let us fear the one who controls the storm." Great prayer. I believe that can be applied to any 'storm' we face. Don't be afraid, oh, I mean, concerned, about the man who leads our country. Instead be afraid (and I mean the appropriate fear) of the One who turns the hearts of men like a river where He wants.

So there. I've stood on my unimportant soap box and said my peace which has no bearing on anything. And I've proven to the world how big of an idiot I am when it comes to politics. Oh well, at least it's not raining.