10-12-20
\nThere is a bit in an old Laurel and Hardy comedy where the boys are caught in a situation, Ollie impersonating a rich guy and Stan his servant. \u201cCall me a cab,\u201d Ollie commands, thinking of a way they can escape.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d asks the typically bewildered Stan.<\/p>\n
\u201cCall. Me. A. Cab,\u201d Ollie patiently orders.<\/p>\n
Stan says, \u201cAll right. You\u2019re a cab!\u201d<\/p>\n
Fast-forward 90 years or so to this election season. In fact to many aspects of life today, and politics, and in the church. Labels have become virtually meaningless. They have not become obsolete, because everybody is quick to proudly adopt a label, or to smear someone with another label. But labels are now fungible, malleable, chameleon-like.<\/p>\n
In the same way, statistics don\u2019t lie; but statisticians do.<\/p>\n
President Trump identified himself as a very stable genius, a manner of self-description people usually leave to others than themselves, and usually to posterity. Today, critics immediately challenged one, two, or all three of those words. Kamala Harris is described, by Democrat handlers, as a \u201cmoderate,\u201d but she would have considered that an insult during the primaries. We recently were told that Antifa is not an organization but an idea\u2026 the distinction holds no difference to shop owners seeing their life-dreams torched street by street, city by city by thugs in identical costumes.
\nThe irony is most bitter in religion of the 21st century. Joe Biden calls himself a \u201cman of faith\u201d (faith in what?) but bristles when priests and cardinals deny him the Eucharist because he denies Catholic Church teaching, for instance on abortion.<\/p>\n
If the church, the Bible, Jesus\u2019 teachings do not mean anything \u2013 if your opinion is superior to the Revealed Word \u2013 what is the point of adopting certain labels, claiming to be a Catholic? Some pastors deny the divinity Of Christ, and the Virgin Birth. Are their salaries the same as taking money under false pretenses?<\/p>\n
We all evolve, change opinions, and learn. President Trump used to be accepting of abortion, as was I at one point; and a lot people I know. But science, experience, and conscience \u201cspoke\u201d to us. When politicians who also are aware of science, hear of experiences, and have consciences \u2013 when they switch \u201csides\u201d or switch parties — they cannot fail to know where they fight life\u2019s battles now: Who their new friends are. And what effects their defections will have. I refer to conservatives and Catholics who support the party of abortion-on-demand.<\/p>\n
This is not in a vacuum; these new rules \u2013 or lack of rules \u2013 are a microcosm of life today. Heresy is as old as human nature; its first appearance was in the Garden.<\/p>\n
\u201cRelativism,\u201d it is called: What\u2019s OK for me is all that matters; There is no right and wrong; You are free to make up your own rules\u2026<\/p>\n
I wonder why many people today rebel against Christianity, democracy, capitalism, when the fruits of our civilization have advanced, refined, and are blessings to so many. To ignore our heritage, to decline to defend our values, and surrender to the enemies of our souls\u2026 seems like a crime in itself.<\/p>\n
If America does not undergo a spiritual awakening, it does not deserve to continue as the Republic we inherited.<\/p>\n
Returning here to the political context, and to shifting labels: Politicians and pollsters do not even know what they mean when they profile and predict about the \u201cevangelical\u201d community. Ah, the \u201cfaith-based.\u201d Yes, \u201cfamily values voters.\u201d Some \u201cevangelicals\u201d have enormous differences between them.<\/p>\n
Just as Jesus did not die for denominations or missions organizations or charities or movements or committees, but for individuals \u2013 you and me \u2013 so will the redemption of America not depend upon parties, movements, organizations.<\/p>\n
America will be redeemed, revived, and resuscitated by citizens. Individuals. You and me.<\/p>\n
If someone wants to know our label, we can use the one that was a perfect description when this noble project of a Constitutional Republic began \u2013 Citizen Patriots.
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\nClick: Who Am I<\/a><\/p>\n