Life Matters - February 1, 2023

“It seems his (Biden’s) positions change depending on the audience and the politics of the day.” - Joe Manchin. While I refrain from judging our President’s motives, nor do I judge whether he knows what he’s doing, I cannot help but agree with Senator Joe Manchin (Democrat - West Virginia). That is the way “it seems.” The problem, however, is much larger than our President even though, yes, he has problems. I will give my opinion for a better one but, for starters, the view from my 60-plus-year-old brain looking back in time zeroes in on the turbulent 1960s and stops there for awhile. That rock & rolling decade with its affluence shrouded in hippyism, was also the decade of massive concessions by church-going Americans to secularism. Secular notions, in many forms, were being pushed by secularists gone militant. Joe Biden is only reflecting those values, or rather, lack thereof, into this 21st century. He is not going it alone. Hitler could not do what he did alone. Nor could Lenin. Nor could Mao Tse Tung. Nor can Biden, which raises a relevant and a legitimate question. From whence comes our President’s support? While his attempted regime isn’t as bloody as the aforementioned dictators—at least not yet—he could not do what he’s doing without support.

Yes, he gets pandering support from his media operatives and party, except for Joe Manchin at times when—much to the consternation of the far left—he thinks for himself and then, horrors, dares to voice differing opinions; Tulsi Gabbard and Kyrsten Sinema, who have left and a few others who are the exception, not the rule. Do half of voting Americans support what he’s doing? I hopefully doubt it. And if they actually do, I hope it’s in ignorance. Again, I’ll give my opinion for a better one, but the fog seems to be clearing, and in the clearing I seem to see the bulk of the Democratic party scattered amongst a host of uninformed (misinformed) Americans. And as an umbrella over all of them I seem to see the World Economic Forum with its hyper-secular agenda. There really is nothing new under the sun, is there? The secularism of today was seeded in the 60s and is only now coming to full flower. Thistles are easier spotted when they have flowered, but easier brought under control when they are those pesky and painful things we may step on with bare feet. The pesky secular notions of the 60s have flowered and blown their seeds many times over. While we may be minded to fertilize pastures we also may well have those times when neglect calls for the sterner job called plowing and reseeding. Truth applied with gentle caution may have done the job in former times, but the land has been neglected for too long. While the fruits of the Spirit will always call for gentleness and meekness when interacting with the lives and souls of people, these militant lies need confronted with Truth at every turn. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12) And “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds.” (II Corinthians 10:4) Let’s be spreading Truth. At every turn. At home. In church. In school. In college. In stores, restaurants, filling stations, places of business. In the halls of government. May we promote and spread Truth wisely. God has myriad ways. “God moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform. He plants His footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm.” (Song #162, Hymns of the Church) God has not left us short on resources nor on creative minds. And He has given us many and varied gifts. Let us “be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16) The wisdom of the serpent is in knowing where and when to strike. And where and when not to. And the dove is, well, sensitive. It knows when to move on. And when to stay, ministering to a seeking and/or hurting soul. May our position be ... in Christ.

Life Matters!