That title should sufficiently rankle enough people that there may only be two or three left to read this article.  However, God made some things clear in His word.  Things that impact every dimension of life including interpersonal relationships and politics.  Yes, politics because politics affects life and God is all about life.

There are some basic guidelines taught in the Bible regarding Life and how to deal with each other.  If those are followed, 99.9% of the manufactured and exaggerated problems we are now focusing on would dissipate and over a very short period of time become non-existent.  You may vehemently disagree and believe that if we use the biblical directive to deal with people and the problems facing each of us and this nation, we would. become doormats. You may believe that we must fight fire with fire and push back harder than we are pushed.  If you do, what I am going to say will not be palatable in your world and you will deem me a weak-willed pacifist.  Think what you will, but I will go with God’s Word.

Jesus instructed in John 13:34-45 – “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.  Just as I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.”  We DO NOT love one another in today’s world.  That is a fact! 

Paul informed us of how problems arise and the fruit of the lack of love in Galatians 5:13-15 – “For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through love serve and seek the best for one another. 14 For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].” 15But if you bite and devour one another [in bickering and strife], watch out that you [along with your entire fellowship] are not consumed by one another.”

Then James gave his powerful insight in James 3:16-18 – “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder [unrest, rebellion] and every evil thing and morally degrading practice. 17But the wisdom from above is first pure [morally and spiritually undefiled], then peace-loving [courteous, considerate], gentle, reasonable [and willing to listen], full of compassion and good fruits. It is unwavering, without [self-righteous] hypocrisy [and self-serving guile]. 18And the seed whose fruit is righteousness (spiritual maturity) is sown in peace by those who make peace [by actively encouraging goodwill between individuals].”

My purpose is not to make this a sermon but to highlight that we are focused on the wrong issues and the root source for the problems that exist in today’s world.  The interpersonal issues are not racial issues but heart issues.  Whether we are talking about same-sex marriages, genders, abortion, adultery, fornication, murder, rape, theft, violence, and scores of other issues, the source of the problem is in the heart.  Not the physical organ that pumps blood to the other organs but the heart of the soul.  It is that place where the seed of who we are is birthed.  If that is brought into alignment with God’s moral and spiritual principles and precepts, we will find peaceful coexistence, if not we will have every kind of chaos and disruption known to man.

Make no mistake, I view the situation in American politics as terminal and worth every ounce of energy we can expend to correct our wrong direction.  However, fighting with political weapons, hurling insult for insult, and seeking to destroy those in opposition will exasperate the problem not, rectify it. 

I refuse to allow hate to dominate my life and skew my worldview.  I am a Christian and I believe the Bible.  In America’s formation, our founders and the framer of our constitution recognized the value of God’s precepts being known by all citizens.  They acknowledged the divine providence and help of God in our successes.  They included the Bible as part of the curriculum in public education and printed a Bible to be distributed to American citizens.  You may find that repulsive, but history backs up what I just asserted.

I have determined to make it my life’s objective to see people as God sees them and view them through the lens of heaven, not my ideology, preference, or any animus or bias I might be tempted to allow.  There is much to dislike and even abhor in the lives and political activities of numerous people in government today.  The corruption is visible and documented in some who hold or have held the highest of offices in America.  But, If I fight them on their level, they may not win but neither will I.  Evil will prevail and the hatred and division will be perpetuated.

When we endured the horrific events of September 11, 2001, America was briefly drawn together in a unity that transcended ideological and political lines. We stood hand in hand as a united people.  After the attack by the Japanese Empire on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, America largely threw aside ideological differences and united to preserve the republic.  We have done that numerous times in our history.  The Spirit of 1776 has been resurrected from time to time and the value of freedom became the driving force that allowed alliances otherwise impossible.

Had we remained in the death grip of the division created by jealousy, envy, distrust, misunderstanding, and hate we would have lost WWII, been overrun after 9/11 and America would now be something other than the great nation she has been and still is. 

God warned time and again, in the Bible, regarding those who turn a blind eye to evil and embrace false gods and engage in the debauchery of depravity.  America is on the brink of becoming so fragmented and divided that nothing short of a miracle of God could bring it together.  We have allowed politics to dominate our world and have divided into camps. Many are seeking to eliminate all who are not of their tribe.  If they don’t look, act, talk, walk, work, or believe as we do, they are deemed worthy of annihilation, in the minds of many today.  That is a recipe for destruction, not restoration.

The politics of Big Government is ripping us to shreds.  The war on our inalienable rights including the freedom of speech, religion, and the right to personal property including self-defense embodied in the 2^nd Amendment is making us easy targets for evil to prevail.  The fanning of the flames of racial discord attempting to make one sector the sole villain and culprit while ignoring the inconsistencies of others is destructive.  The adoption of idolatry in the form of abortion, gender, and denying the source of our creation is deadly.  There is much to hate, but hating people is not the answer.

It is my view that if we, as individuals, regardless of what is done nationally or internationally, would commit to following the biblical precepts I mentioned at the outset, we could and would see healing begin.  Am I being Utopian in my view?  Yes, if you believe it can be done without God.  No, if you understand that with men it is impossible.  It is impossible for us to love everyone in our own strength.  It is only possible by the ministry and the work of God’s Love, Mercy, Grace, and the Power of the Holy Spirit. 

I love America and will expend every ounce of breath and strength I have to preserve her as the Free Constitutional Republic we were found to be.  I am a Vietnam Veteran, a Patriot, a Family man, a Lover of Freedom, and most importantly a Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.  I believe that the Bible is alive, active, and able to expose the depths of our souls to God and us.  If we will heed the precepts of God’s Word and, as much as possible, live peaceable with all men, demonstrating God’s love to everyone, we will overcome! 

Think of me whatever you please and wonder why I am not vilifying the Left, over the many atrocious policies and actions being put forth today but know that my heart is to please God and to save America.  I believe that this pathway is the only legitimate pathway to peace.

I am going to address, in the next blog post, the issue of “The Silence of the Lambs.”

God bless you and God bless America!