My Issue with Beck.
Glenn Beck is the most astute and powerful political commentator of our time. His words have illuminated the darkness that surrounds the American political establishment, and he has a tremendous knack for finding and drawing the lines between corrupt figures. Whether you are a fan or not, only a fool--or someone who has not listened to him--would question his obvious intelligence and preternatural ability to sniff out lies. He is instrumental in the current political awakening.
That said, the man is driving me totally batty.
The current conservative movement has this asinine notion that God has chosen America for excellence. America, historically, is exceptional; it is the one time in human history when the form of government was devised by wise men in a time of peace. The American people are those who were willing to risk everything for the opportunity to live a better life and worship in accordance with their consciences.
The fact that much of our population came here because of religious persecution is part of what made us excellent; they had beliefs that they held firmly enough that they would sooner cross the ocean on a cholera infested boat, only to make a life in a harsh wilderness, so that they could worship in, what they thought was, truth and purity.
There is a moral excellence in such a people. Do you think, however, that God was impressed by such a show and decided to give them favours? Poppycock. Early America was a land of pietists and heretics...we still are, at that. Pietists might make good citizens, but if you look at precedent, God was not exactly impressed by the pharisees.
God has no special interest in America. Indeed, if increase in faith is your measurement, than I think God is showing a lot more interest in Africa right now. America is excellent because the people who founded it were excellent and the regime was excellent.
I'll tell you a secret; the story of humanity is not progress. Human history is as imperfect as each individual within it. Societies are born, grow, become strong, age, and ultimately die. This world and the things in it will not last; American will fall, as have all the great countries and empires before. We will go the way of Rome, England, and France; a slow, petty, decay. God will not save America from this fate because the American government is not where God has promised to be for us. God's covenant is with all his children, and He has promised to be in his Church, in the preaching of the Word, in his sacraments, in his Holy Body and Precious Blood.
I am wearied by Glenn's mantra that good men will prevail because God is on their side. I believe the English believed the same thing going into WWI. Men have freewill and often use it in terrible ways. Even with constant vigilance, the bad men will win eventually, and you will end up with a people whose spirits are crushed along with the things they put their faith in. Do not go looking for God in politics; you will not find him.
I will fight like hell to uphold our constitution and regime. America must be maintained, if for no other reason than to provide something for the downtrodden and oppressed of the world to dream of obtaining. I will do all in my power to maintain what I believe is the last, greatest, hope for freedom amongst men. I am not such a fool, however, to place my hope in this regime. I love it, but I understand that it is separate from those things that actually matter in the end.
When I fold my hands I place the right thumb over the left; the Kingdom of God over the kingdom of the body.
I will pray for good government, but I understand that God is not going to force our leaders to do what is right, nor will he select and elect our leaders, which is, I think, one of the places where Beck is fuzzy. Thomas Jefferson was not a man of faith; he was a deist, as were many of our founders. They believed that God created a world, natural rights, and then went on a permanent vacation. These men were not apostles, prophets, or saints; they were wise pagans.
What Glenn really needs to remember, is that God's Kingdom is not of this world. Do not look for it here, do not try to create it here; you will fail. Live in the life of the church, love God, love your fellow men, and serve your vocation as a good citizen. Seek God where he has told us to seek him, which is definitely not the sphere of American politics.
That said, the man is driving me totally batty.
The current conservative movement has this asinine notion that God has chosen America for excellence. America, historically, is exceptional; it is the one time in human history when the form of government was devised by wise men in a time of peace. The American people are those who were willing to risk everything for the opportunity to live a better life and worship in accordance with their consciences.
The fact that much of our population came here because of religious persecution is part of what made us excellent; they had beliefs that they held firmly enough that they would sooner cross the ocean on a cholera infested boat, only to make a life in a harsh wilderness, so that they could worship in, what they thought was, truth and purity.
There is a moral excellence in such a people. Do you think, however, that God was impressed by such a show and decided to give them favours? Poppycock. Early America was a land of pietists and heretics...we still are, at that. Pietists might make good citizens, but if you look at precedent, God was not exactly impressed by the pharisees.
God has no special interest in America. Indeed, if increase in faith is your measurement, than I think God is showing a lot more interest in Africa right now. America is excellent because the people who founded it were excellent and the regime was excellent.
I'll tell you a secret; the story of humanity is not progress. Human history is as imperfect as each individual within it. Societies are born, grow, become strong, age, and ultimately die. This world and the things in it will not last; American will fall, as have all the great countries and empires before. We will go the way of Rome, England, and France; a slow, petty, decay. God will not save America from this fate because the American government is not where God has promised to be for us. God's covenant is with all his children, and He has promised to be in his Church, in the preaching of the Word, in his sacraments, in his Holy Body and Precious Blood.
I am wearied by Glenn's mantra that good men will prevail because God is on their side. I believe the English believed the same thing going into WWI. Men have freewill and often use it in terrible ways. Even with constant vigilance, the bad men will win eventually, and you will end up with a people whose spirits are crushed along with the things they put their faith in. Do not go looking for God in politics; you will not find him.
I will fight like hell to uphold our constitution and regime. America must be maintained, if for no other reason than to provide something for the downtrodden and oppressed of the world to dream of obtaining. I will do all in my power to maintain what I believe is the last, greatest, hope for freedom amongst men. I am not such a fool, however, to place my hope in this regime. I love it, but I understand that it is separate from those things that actually matter in the end.
When I fold my hands I place the right thumb over the left; the Kingdom of God over the kingdom of the body.
I will pray for good government, but I understand that God is not going to force our leaders to do what is right, nor will he select and elect our leaders, which is, I think, one of the places where Beck is fuzzy. Thomas Jefferson was not a man of faith; he was a deist, as were many of our founders. They believed that God created a world, natural rights, and then went on a permanent vacation. These men were not apostles, prophets, or saints; they were wise pagans.
What Glenn really needs to remember, is that God's Kingdom is not of this world. Do not look for it here, do not try to create it here; you will fail. Live in the life of the church, love God, love your fellow men, and serve your vocation as a good citizen. Seek God where he has told us to seek him, which is definitely not the sphere of American politics.
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