This Is to All You Christians Out There - as posted Nov. 8, 2008

WARNING!
This is long. No really, it's long.

This is to all of you who have called for unity, who have given a call to “rise above partisanship”, who have written notes about this “historical” election (as if all presidential elections aren’t historical), have written notes about your disgust with “divisive” or “hateful” Christians and last and certainly least have personally (directly or indirectly) called me a hatemonger, divisive or some other name.

This note is for those of you Christians who have been posting scripture about being unified, or respecting your authority, or equality of all beings or other topics (obviously, there is nothing inherently wrong with that unless you take the scripture out of context which I don’t think anyone has).

I have one question for you: Where have you been for the past 8 years?

While Bush, the Iraq war, Sarah Palin, John McCain, Inhofe, and other leaders have been brutalized by other Christians or people in general, where have you been? Where are the notes, the tags, the posts, the comments, the name calling, where has this been? Where were the notes posting of the historical nature of Clarence Thomas, Condeleeza Rice, J. C. Watts or Colin Powell entering office? Where were the comments about the race barrier being broken then? Where was the excitement from you then?

Where has been the disgust with Christians who go and protest Bush for the Iraq war, or who say hateful things about Bush, or any leader (like Sally Kern)? Where has been the call for “unity” to everyone for the past 8 years? Where have you been, fellow Christians? Obviously, I know the answer to this question. What’s worse is that I know that you know the answer to this question. You could say that this makes the question somewhat rhetorical. Regardless, the answer is simple:

Silent.

You have been utterly, completely, deafeningly silent.

While Bush has been thrown under the bus, while Chaney has been dragged through the mud, while Inhofe, Sally Kern, and other leaders have been completely and utterly destroyed by other Christians or just people in general not ONE NOTE was written, not ONE COMMENT was made by you Christians about “unifying under our appointed leaders by God” or “rising above partisan ship” or “unifying to work for the future.” (note: caps meant for emphasis, not anger)

Nothing.

While you all were sitting on your religious butts either because you were apathetic, unknowledgeable or simply didn’t care, some of us were out there putting ourselves on the line and getting slaughtered because NO ONE had our back. And now, when those of us who have been up for long hours fliering, calling, knocking on doors, contributing actual money (*gasp* you mean, you give money to the candidates? As a college student?), when we rise up and say “This choice is wrong!” who do we get stabbed by? The very people we were fighting for. Who are the ones attacking us on forums? The Christians (or liberals who don’t know us and I take their comments with a grain of salt because they don’t know me, but I expect more out of Christians who actually do). Might I also point out that it is really easy to type things at an avatar, many of you have said things that you would never say to my face (and if you think I’ve done the same, think, it’s me you’re talking about /moderate sarc).

A.D.D. moment: To all you libs out who actually know me (like Jon, Jeff, and others), thank you for being civil. You’ve never personally attacked me or called me a hatemonger. It’s nice to have your comments. I know you don’t agree with me, think I’m too assuming, and that I probably make your eyes bleed by some of the things I say. During this you know exactly how I feel because you dislike Bush so much, so it doesn’t surprise you to see my disdain for Obama. You haven’t been calling for “unity” or trying any “holier than thou” tactics. I feel like we’ve always had great forums, especially during this. I hope you feel the same about me.

Okay, back to you Christians: If my comments to you, suddenly interested Christians, on notes, comments or anywhere else seem short or frustrated please take a moment and contemplate why this might be:

For those of us who have been working for the past 2, 4, 8, 10, or 15+ years (like myself) having Christians who have been interested in this election and politics in general for the past 3 months comment and tell you how to be after an election is a little frustrating. Having Christians who have never delivered a flier, contribute to a campaign, made calls, knocked doors, researched candidates, been to a party meeting or even had a political conversation (outside of the last 3 months) attack you is a little annoying. Hopefully, you can see why this might be.

So, before you start calling me and others names, calling us divisive, call us to unity, post scripture at us, or whatever you have been doing, try getting an election under your belt. Try actually DOING something in an election before you start lecturing us on political Godly unity. I hear you in church talk about the tenants of the Christian faith, talk about how much you love our country and yet you have done physically NOTHING, absolutely nothing, to make sure those Christian ideals are kept in government (prior to this election or probably even in this election).

Do I blame you totally for this? No. Because our church and just about every other church I have ever heard of sucks on educating its people on issues. When was the last time you heard about why abortion is wrong preached from our pulpit? When was the last time you actually heard an argument from scripture about homosexuality, about the need for war, about any mainstream political issue taught from our pulpit or heard it from any other? I don’t ever remember hearing a message from Tom over those topics or a Sunday School lesson over this. I don’t recall Tony tackling these issues although he has acknowledged them. I never heard a sermon over any of these issues on a Wednesday night while in youth with any of the 4 youth pastors I had. Needless to say, I believe the church has failed over issue education for its people. So keeping this in mind, I realized you haven’t been fully equipped by our church about these things.

This is my prediction for those of you Christians who just decided to tune in the fourth quarter (heck, we are in 3OT). You know, those you who only came along for the finish, to pretend you’ve experienced it or helped in some way: Two months after the inauguration your excitement will fizzle out. After Obama signs a few unscriptural bills into law or vetoes a few partial birth abortion bans or gay marriage bans your calls for unity will fade away. I suspect by summer you will have no interest or idea on what he’s doing, you’ll probably stop watching his speeches and go back to trying to stay as far away from politics and issues as possible. If Christian’s are anything, they are inconsistent. That’s what you have done before this (been uninterested or ignored politics) and so you have no past behavior to prove that you would do otherwise. Know this, I will be ecstatic to see you prove me wrong. I would be so happy to see you Christians come alongside and ferociously fight the good fight, but I highly doubt it will happen. Please, prove me wrong. I will close with this thought (and I stole it from an “unnamed source”):

Take heed when people start preaching unity, it means they want you to not question something (or stop thinking). When someone starts preaching “go along” for whatever reason, that’s the time to question the most. If you’re a Christian and this made you mad, good, then maybe you’ll get up and do something to prove me wrong. If you’re a Christian and this didn’t make you mad, excellent, it wasn’t meant to and that means you took this correctly (or this wasn’t talking about you). Everyone is entitled to an opinion, of course (and in our country they are allowed to post it! Thank God!). So please, respond with your thoughts and questions. I would love to read them.

Grace and peace,

-Meredith