November 5th, a day of shrugging?

November 5th, a day of shrugging?

I've spent a good deal of time and energy debating politics lately and I will admit I am a little tired of it. Partly, I think, because I am beginning to wonder about the time and energy ratio between that and my prayer/self-reflection time. But, besides that, I also am more and more coming to the conclusion that BOTH sides of the political fence are putting too much hope and faith into politics. I maintain the claim that the "religious left's" desire to make the wealthy feed the widows and orphans of Scripture, is really identical to the "religious right's" wanting to ban gay marriage or even the FURTHER religious right who'd like to retain or create AND enforce sodomy laws. It's just a matter of deciding WHICH Christian values you want the state to enforce. Which policy wins? The left can relish in their being accepted into the arms of the cool and nuanced - who'd otherwise hate their guts, while the right can smell their holiness via their legislation.

Don't get me wrong...I am voting and I happily offer who and why...I just won't worry so much about it. There really are far more important things to do...and if anyone disagrees with THAT point, then prepare for an argument.

Anyway, here is a post I put up at the LOG where I have done most my my political debating lately.

But honestly, if I spent 1/8 of the time praying that I currently
spend reading and writing and worrying about politics, I wonder how
different my life would be. Seriously, it's one thing to give a head
nod to how TRULY little all of this politicking means in the eternal
scheme of things, but we ought to stop and ask: if we REALLY believe
it would we be living differently? Doing things differently?

Obama will not end poverty and McCain will not snuff out evil. Why do
we put so much emotional weight into their efforts? Perhaps I am only
speaking to myself here in this context...but where's my faith when I
might actually have FEAR of an Obama or McCain presidency?

Where's the emotional weight put toward the repentance of my sins? I
wonder if Christians, whether Obamaniacs or McCainites, put too much
faith in government. Now to some degree this DOES play into my
political opinion on matters - in that I want a smaller and smaller
government. BUT, without that wish fulfilled, what then becomes of me
and my family? What's the worse that could happen? What's the worse
that could happen to others?

Anything comparable to not knowing and loving Christ? I doubt it.

Friends shared with us this weekend their conversion story.
I was particularly moved by it because it centered in large part
around the efforts of one man who I think I can fairly say evangelized
them. Now THAT'S change and hope man....beyond which anything the
government can do. What a difference this man made in their
lives...and it occurred to me: what am I doing? Besides ranting about
politics and putting far too much hope in it?

There's a world of difference I could make in my home to start with.
Instilling a bit of hope and change there would be a great start. My
neighborhood? My Parish? My work? My town? Heck...everywhere I go.
There is so much good we can be doing...without the ugly cloudiness of
politics where - as our friend and follow poster mentioned - they have Associations of Associations. Goodness...it's like asking a Bull to come in and do
repair work in a china shop. Ah...there goes my politics again.

I can do good right now. For my own soul and the souls around me.
Think about the range of presidents we have had in the last 75
years...have any of them really affected much change? Are we still
waiting for a deliverer to bring in a time of peace and well
distributed prosperity? A triumphant war hero who will save us from
the Islamists?

I know, in the small term many things were accomplished...but I don't
really see any grand hopes that tomorrow will bring us any sort of
utopia...at least until "Blessed is the Kingdom...." is announced and
we never must leave the Nave.

Perhaps when we wake on November 5th we should all wake up, check the
news and shrug. Then get on with the important things in life? Maybe?