politicizing my christianity?

There is the saying going around 'God is not a republican or a democrat.'   I look at front runners for the upcoming presidential election Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and I go YUP, you nailed that one on the head.  Trump, I don't like. Hillary, I don't trust. 

No offense intended for those of you who like either of these frontrunners but just 'blurting' my opinion.

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The real issue of the day is there are too many issues.  So many news headlines with more opinions regarding these headlines.  THEN the politicians weigh in, and since there is an election coming up, their political views are loud and bold and often extremely partisan.  In my opinion Politicians are like tax laws there are too many, they don't make sense, they are not fair, and they never go away.
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Then turn on your TV to catch up on the current events by watching the evening news.  Bad idea :(  In reality the evening news is the evening news SHOW where ratings are king and serious topics of the day are reduced to video clips and news bites.  Like a bad appetizer that leaves you bloated and not a bit hungry for the main course.  These evening news appetizers are a high calorie with little nutritional value bites seasoned with a strong political bias.  AND the only positive note in the evening news SHOW is after 27 minutes of gloom and doom there is a 3 minute segment inserted about a lost dog who came home.  Oh gee, I feel so much better now.. NOT!
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So what's a sincere believer to do?  Turn to a 58 year old cartoonist for advice?  I would be flattered, but probably not such a great idea.  

But if you want snarky answers to complex problems I am available.    :)  note: I am NOT Archie Bunker reincarnated.

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The good news is .. the answers we are looking for our found in our bibles.  Even simplify it more, Love God and care for others... the rest is details. (my paraphrase of Matthew 22:36-40). I know, I know these details are so very important, but not so important that we lose sight of these two greatest commandments.

• LOVE GOD: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30.  
• LOVE GOD: Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.  Psalm 33:12 This needs to be spoken loud and believed and honored in Washington.
• LOVE GOD: But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we live for him. 1 Corinthians 8:6 We don't need to apologize for believing this, we need to share it.  There is only one way to Heaven.
• LOVE OTHERS: Love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:31
• LOVE OTHERS: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27. 

These scriptures are not broad-brush answers for our hurting world.  Seriously, what chance does our nation have if we cannot even obey God's two greatest commandments?  What real chance does the world have in addressing the Syrian Refugee crisis, terrorism, racism, hunger, sickness, and war if you don't truly love God and care for others in the moments of our days, and maybe next year with our vote.

I pray that these words encourage each of you to love God, and others like never before. Be true to God and His word in all that you do.

Jeff (politicizing in the Back Pew) Larson

MY POLITICAL PROFILE EXPOSED:  (Read at your own risk)
1.    Gun Control - I don't own a gun, but believe in the right to bear arms.
2.    I believe Black lives Matter - but also believe blue (the police) lives matter. And let's all try something novel .. Obey the Laws, and Show Respect.  Assuming guilt is poison.
3.    Planned Parenthood is federally funded abortion clinic, nothing more, nothing less.  I am tired about hearing about the mother's right to choose OVER the mother's responsibility to her unborn child.
4.    Syrian Refugees need compassion and a home, but logistics need to be discussed in this climate of terror. I am not in favor of bringing in 10,000 refugees to the US, but this neither makes me uncaring, or paranoid.
5.    I believe the government should enable the church to care of the poor, hungry, and in need.  I do not believe in the government should provide this care as anything the government touches becomes a bureaucratic inefficient nightmare.  Kind of a Reverse Midas Touch :(
6.    I believe Gay Marriage and the gay lifestyle is wrong.  This does not mean I hate because I don't hate. I have family and friends that are gay. But, I believe the words of our bibles and common sense are clear the gay lifestyle is wrong.  I believe we should be able to discuss this topic rationally without being labeled a bigot.
7.    I am not sorry I was born white.  BUT, if I was black I would not be sorry for being black. We need less talk about how we are different and more discussion about how we are all God's children.
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