Faith Challenges: It Ain't All Comfort

I keep hearing people bemoaning Trump’s cabinet picks. I hear them railing against their lack of qualifications, their criminal history, their sex crimes, that they would never pass background checks, that they know nothing of running the departments of the Federal government they are being tapped to run. What I see very little of is open recognition that these cabinet picks are not being tapped to run a government at all. We saw this in Trump’s last term, but now he has the backing to go much further. Remember Betsy DeVos tapped for Department of Education? She was named because she had a competing interest with public education in the ownership of charter schools. She was not placed there to make the Department of Education run more smoothly or improve public education. She was there to help bleed the department, making it less effective and shifting funding to cronies with profit motives. Remember Louis DeJoy elevated to the US Postal Service? He had competing pro...

America, why did you vote for a narcissistic, uncouth, white supremacist, Nazi, convicted felon for president. Was it due to one of these traits? Violent rhetoric? Pussy-grabbing? Bankruptcies? Lying? Cheating? Mocking? Insults? Boasting? Lack of filter? Immorality? Pretense? Adultery? Rape? Pedophilia? Visible anger? Nepotism? Destruction of standards? Incivility? Base instincts? Anti-social behavior? Anti-intellectualism? Crass ignorance? Distrust of government? Disregard for decency? Abuse of the system? Blatant self-promotion? Disregard for expertise? Or did the racism and misogyny outweigh all of that? — ©Copyright 2024, Christopher B. Harbin  http://www.sermonsearch.com/contributors/104427/ My latest books  can be found here on Amazon

I hear many calls for reconciliation, a la Rodney King, to just get along. Reconciliation is a bit more complicated. It requires an admission of guilt and wrong. It requires change. It cannot accept simply sweeping wrongs under the rug as though no harm has been done. We can become reconciled if I have hurt you, but only as far as I am willing to make amends and change course into the future. Anything less is a cover for more abuse. To be reconciled requires a meeting of minds and intentions, respecting and honoring each other’s human dignity. I am in control only of myself and my actions. I can only do so much toward reconciliation. It takes accepting responsibility for my own actions. It does not necessitate taking responsibility for the actions of others, nor should it. Jesus does not ignore injustice, abuse, anger, hate, and violence. Jesus addressed issues regarding abuse and oppression. It's the same with reconciliation with God. It requires ...