Everyone's sharing their opinions on the election and the economy.
And if you know me, you know I have opinions about everything.
But in the grand scheme of things, I have very little to offer to a conversation on such topics. Even if I did possess a great intelligence on political issues, my opinion matters no more than anyone else's.
So I'm not going to publish who I'm voting for or what I think we should do in Iraq or which candidate has the better tax plan. However, I would like to address the growing popularity of two types of statements I have heard among Christians that are ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. I don't like to use my blog to call people out very often, but this NEEDS to be addressed. Why? Because both thoughts are saturated with pride, which is the very reason we're in a desperate state in the first place. So let's stop adding to the problem.
1. To suppose that a United States presidential candidate is the antichrist has no purpose. In fact, it makes American Christians seem rather self-centered, to think that the antichrist will come out of American politics. It seems to be used as a scare tactic, as well as an excuse not to love an individual who may not hold the same opinions on where moral truth is to be found. I'll be the first to disagree with someone if they don't hold true to the biblical model of government and right vs. wrong (which is usually every candidate), but to put an antichrist label on them is extreme.
2. The economy's current downhill pattern isn't a sign that we are approaching the end times. To suggest so is a slap in the face to everyone facing much more difficult hardships in other areas of our world, and again, is developed out of a self-centered attitude. Are we getting closer to the "end times" (whatever that means)? Yes. And we always have been regardless of whether we've been prosperous or in despair. So we feel like our world is crashing because we're losing money. Guess what? There are much more important things than money.
About Me
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- Amy
- i value words. that may be all you need to know about me to understand me, but i'll keep going...truth, humility, purity, and wisdom are all things in which i continue to strive after, while knowing that God is the only one who can refine me. and i might be the most analytical person you have ever met.
7 comments:
thank you so much for your words, Amy.
it's all so overtalked anyway.
Great points AW! While I don't mind mild-mannered political discussions, it seems people nowadays are one extreme or the other (or the other- totally apathetic). While reading your post, I felt as though I was reading the front page of a newspaper, and I wanted to flip to B3 to read the rest of your article. I recommend expanding on these (if you have the time and desire) from The Word. Such as any references (probably in Revelation mostly, though a bit in Daniel and Isaiah I'd guess) to the End Times and the anti-Christ. And don't worry about publishing your candidly choice, we know you're all about Optimus Prime '08.
Yeah, I agree with your points about the economy / "end times" / and losing money. Even after the DOW lost 733 points today!! God continues to be in control. In our current Bible study, we are studying Moses, the Israelites and the Pharaoh. The Israelites had lots of discouragement (much more than just losing money in the Stock Market!!) With God's plans, we need to look "LONG-TERM". Well maybe a parallel to today and the stock market, but any Financial Advisor will say that money tied to the stock market has to be considered a LONG-TERM investment. So like God's plans, there will be ups, downs and discouragements, but his plan is still intact!! And, God's provision will often come in different forms than we expect.
You state that these two statements are filled with pride, but aren't your declarations also filled with pride? Do you know that the economy's current condition isn't a sign that we are approaching the "end times" or are you so prideful that you believe your opinion to be fact? Isn't God the only one who can know that for sure?
To the anonymous poster, I believe the point being made was that it seems a bit ridiculous to think that the downfall of the American economy would equal the return of Christ. That's overestimating the importance of America, and forgetting that the world is a bigger place than the USA. Even if this means the end of America (which I doubt), that hardly means that the world is over and God's hand is forced. That's just a misunderstanding of the "end times," in my opinion.
And yes, only God knows absolutely, but that doesn't mean we can't make assertions based on reasonable evidence, or else truth itself is unknowable, and we slide into relativism.
Wow, I'm getting way too philosophical for a blog comment. I will stop now.
Thanks Chris...you responded before I had time to defend myself, but I would have said the exact same thing.
Nowhere in my entry does it state that I know that someone ISN'T the antichrist or that we AREN'T approaching the "end times". In fact, I think I made it clear that we are, and always will be, approaching the end times (the "" are getting redundant).
In that case, my entry is less of an opinion that I hold to be absolute truth about the antichrist or the end times; and more about the blinding nature of pride.
Thanks for the discussion.
i thought i had commented on this.
...
jm
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