This is not an easy topic to write about. Christians are sharply divided on this issue, and to make matters worse, our attitudes concerning the topic of Obama’s presidency have been largely shaped by the political landscape and cultural rhetoric, instead of founded first foremost on the Word of God, and secondarily on a solid understanding of history and of our constitution.
Post-Election Thoughts
Though I understand it, it’s sad to me that so many see Trump’s election as primarily being indicative of how racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, and/or islamophobic America has become (or still is). The reality is, Trump has said some despicable things. It’s truly my belief, though, that the majority of those who voted for Trump did so in SPITE of these off the cuff remarks he’s made, not because of them. I’m sure there are exceptions – there will always be spiteful people while the world is still under the sway of darkness. Yet, I think by and large, that’s not the composition of his voters. Though I can imagine what groups who feel attacked or criticized by Trump would be feeling about an America that would elect him, I feel that for most of America, this was a difficult yet calculated vote – aimed not at normalizing rude speech, but at putting the brakes on an alarming trajectory (in the realm of politics and policy).
Alton Sterling
Good morning. I’m sorry that so many are hurting right now, and I feel grieved. I know what it feels like to be crushed under a weight of grief that threatens to eat you alive, perhaps more than most. I’ve had so many thoughts running through my head in response to recent events – and because of that, I’ve felt the need to stay silent, pray, listen, and ponder. But now, I need to get some of these thoughts together. What follows is an odd assortment of reflections that have come out of my prayer and contemplation. They’re in no particular order. Some of them may be offensive to those who are unwilling to hear a perspective that differs from their own. As a last disclaimer – I really hate continually referring to people based on their skin color (i.e. African Americans, White Americans, etc.), as I think in many cases it just promotes the escalating sense of division. That said, I really don’t know how else to candidly discuss these matters, given the present situation. Without further ado, here goes.