Politics – No Small Talk

Political labels don’t fit me.

So some things I’ve been thinking about. Warning none of the following will have a “why” so hold your comments until I flesh out the points over the weeks to come.

Thanks!

Because of my Bible believing beliefs I have come to the following (maybe surprising) convictions about the following political and societal issues of our day.

Fair and ethical trade – I really can’t justify paying less for something knowing that the work conditions for cheap products are many times near slave standards, the basis of brutal dictatorships, or turn a blind eye towards basic needs. This is a very complicated matter, and it can change. Buying products from verified and/or certified sources is important to making change happen and education.

When possible, I prefer to buy local, this helps in so many ways, local economy, unfair/unethical trade issues, and as a bonus you get to know and support your community (Biblical? I think so).

Sustainability: this one I find very misunderstood in and out of the Church. I think from a Biblical viewpoint the Church should be at the forefront of the sustainability movement (although it shouldn’t be the forefront of the Church’s mission, that’s already clear). Things like Advent Conspiracy can be great tools for making sustainable communities (think hand wells in Africa).

Lastly public services (education, safety, transportation, and healthcare) should be priorities before other items. Each of those items I just listed, when well thought out and protected like our society depends on them, brings everyone’s living standards up, not in an attempt to “equalize” everyone, but rather by proving the “societal infrastructure”.

Like I said this is far from fleshed out, blogging from my phone doesn’t provide me access to the resources to unfold everything as I would like. But what I do want to say is that Jesus does promote many things. However, hear me loud and clear the number one mission for Christ’s followers is still the expansion of the church. I just think that through these venues we can expand the Kingdom and touch our world for Jesus at the same time!

The stuck thoughts

Sometimes it seems that my thoughts and ideas don’t really mean anything. Most of the time I figure most people probably don’t care and/or are not open minded enough to consider other ideas. Yeah, I know, jaded and cynical, honestly though within my sphere this is the general attitude. Please note I said general, I know awesome, open minded people as well.

So because of this jaded view many of my thoughts get stuck. This, my friends, is people pleasing at its best. Not able to pontificate my ideas and thoughts because I think others don’t care? Dumb.

I also sometimes can’t meet my own standards, for instance, I prefer to not get political mostly because I have strong thoughts and it seems somehow everyone else in my circle either doesn’t care or are the extream at one end or another. I prefer longer more fleshed out discussions and most of the time life doesn’t dish out the opportunity.

So all this just to say, there’s actually a lot going on in me, it’s just a matter of priming the pump and stop being so concerned about others. All while honoring my values to stay on the high road, honoring God, and respecting humanity.

Politically stupid and harsh, yet true.

From the Warsaw Voice.
PM Kaczynski says Poland would have more power in EU if Germany had not reduced the population in WWII

Warsaw, Poland
June 22, 2007

Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski said on public radio that Poland is essentially challenging the new EU voting mechanism on grounds that Poland would have a higher population if Germans had not killed so many Poles during WWII.”If Poland had not had to live through the years of 1939-45, Poland would be today looking at the demographics of a country of 66 million,” Kaczynski said. “We are only demanding one thing, that we get back what was taken from us.” While the PM’s comments have a good deal of truth to them – namely that Poland would be a very different country if not for WWII – they are very undiplomatic. The EU is considering a voting system that takes into account each country’s population – it says a majority is formed by 55% of member states accounting for 65% of the EU’s population.Poland has proposed using the square roots of national populations to narrow the voting power gap between large states like Germany and smaller ones.

Politics rant.

Should not the news be reporting things such as this? This is something that I have heard of only from other service people, friends who have been in Iraq, etc… Apparently if you are actually in the war you can see why to support it, imagine that.

Now, before you sign me off as a 100% Bush supporter, just know that I am in the middle on nearly everything regarding politics. Do I think it’s been awfully long? YES. Do I think people deserve freedom? YES. My question is where does our responsibility start and theirs begin? How much of this is a culture issue that we may not understand? Because I do not know the circumstance I will trust those that see it in first person, in 3D, and allow God the control. I wish we were not there, I wish it were over, but it isn’t, and I’m sure the families of our people and the Iraqi families all feel the same. The enemy (the spiritual enemy) obviously as a strong hold there… Danial chapter 10?