I'm Angry and I'm Sad

I'm angry and sad---because I love this nation. And in case you're not paying attention, there is a groundswell of hedonism, addictions of all sorts, greed, hatred and violence in this nation. Harmonious and compassionate relationships are scarce as hen's teeth. Meanwhile we are entertaining ourselves to the grave, and teaching our children to do the same. We ignore Jesus and try to bolster our freedom with education, political power, social programs, and military might--none of which are working to hold back the flood of pathology that causes us to distrust each other, use each other or ignore each other--except for the relentless pursuit of romantic "love", which we sing endless songs and make endless movies about. We fight for our right to have sex the way we want it--which may have little to do with Love.We gather in the bars and commiserate about broken relationships or try to bolster the vain hope that a human relationship or some political figure will ultimately fulfill us. Or try not to think about it while we watch our games or wait for the next season.  Underneath, we are scared because we don't trust our leaders any more than we do our national enemies. That fear manifests as anger which fuels a desire to accumulate power with the idea that that power will set things straight and alleviate our fear. So someone who speaks with a loud and charismatic voice against what we perceive to be our "enemy" gets our vote; and we shout down anyone who speaks against him without listening for any truth that might be in their viewpoint. We demonize the other side--because of fear! Or the desire for power. *
All this happens because we do not understand the Truth of Jesus Christ. (And that statement will cause many readers to turn off their computers or go to another site--which is the problem). But if you are still reading at this point, I want you to know that, underneath my sadness and anger, at a deeper, core level in my soul, I have peace and joy. I am thankful! It is this peace, joy and gratitude that I desire for all humankind. And until we get there, I have work to do--the work of the Kingdom that Jesus Christ instituted, informs and sustains.  My deepest hope--the reason I am writing this--is that someone, hopefully many, will be motivated to go to the most influential and liberating Book that has ever graced the human family; and that they will study it long enough to discover that it points to (in the Old Testament) and reveals (in the New Testament) a Messiah--a Savior Who brings salvation, peace and joy to the soul through the revelation of the one and only God of this universe Who is Love!  I'm sixty-nine years old now, and I've been paying attention, studying some, and listening for over thirty years, as a counselor and minister, to the ails of the human soul. And I am more convinced than I have ever been that Jesus is our only hope. Anyone who fails to look deeply into His Life and Teachings is either a coward or a fool. I say this with no desire to offend or look down upon anyone. I know that God loves everyone as much as me. But how can one say that he is a truth-seeker if he ignores or brushes off the One Who said "I am the Truth..."  And if one is not a truth-seeker, then he is a fool, rushing along with societal trends without looking to see where they are going; like a lemming rushing toward the sea, or a lamb to be slaughtered; like the Dr. Seuss character following the stranger to Solla Sollew.
I'm angry because so many people seem to have no idea who Jesus is, and yet they discount Him as if they had gotten to the bottom of His teachings and found them to be inadequate, or only a small and insignificant piece of the universal puzzle--one of the many pathways to God (none of which they are actually traversing). I'm angry because of the many intelligent and compassionate people who unconsciously raise themselves above Jesus and try to find solutions in the upper regions of the atmosphere, as they would imagine. But there is no oxygen there! Here's an example: I heard a woman being interviewed on National Public Radio who was an unbeliever. She was in a relationship with a Christian man. She was confessing that she had been supportive of his ministries [I think he was a pastor] but that she really believed, as she said "It's bigger than Jesus."  This woman was apparently intelligent and compassionate. I liked her, just from hearing her thoughtfulness and deep concern for her husband. I suspect that out of the many listeners to that broadcast, many others did also; and nodded in agreement with her without realizing the incredible and profound error of that statement, based upon what the New Testament says about Christ as reliably recorded by those who walked with Him. As recorded in the First Chapter of the Gospel of John [for those fools and cowards who have not read it (I'm sorry. Don't mean to offend, but, as I said, I'm angry)] : "In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God. And everything that has come into existence came through that Word...And the Word became flesh [Jesus] and dwelt with us...full of grace and truth." In the first Chapter of Ephesians Paul writes that Jesus has been seated at the right hand of God "far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age, but in the one to come." Now, either the Bible is accurate about who Jesus is or that woman has the right idea; but they can not both be accurate. I suspect that the "It" that she alluded to is bigger than her conception of Jesus.  She just doesn't have the correct conception of Him--that is, the conception of those who lived with Him and wrote about Him. And also the conception of the billions of people whose lives have been radically transformed by Him since His incarnation. For these happy folks, Jesus is the biggest thing. But I suspect that many more people will hear that broadcast, nodding in agreement with that woman, than will read this blog, or, more importantly, the New Testament, to make their own judgments of Jesus, which is what God would clearly have them do. After all, He spoke audibly from heaven saying, "This my beloved son. Listen to what He has to say," Then He [God] raised Him from the grave to seal the deal. But we are free, of course, to carry on in our efforts to find the answer in education**, politics, government, laws, and military**, resting in our smug belief that there are many ways to God and "I'm bound to be on one of them", while we watch ourselves go down the drain, along with the many other spiritually blind nations in the annals  of history.


* Years ago I asked a lady who had grown up in Nazi Germany, married an American soldier and come to the U.S., "How could someone like Hitler gain power?" She answered quickly, "Oh, the people loved him. He made the streets safe to walk again." Rampant incivility paves the way for power. But leaders who covet power may bring along some bad ideas about how to wield it; and they are reluctant to share it or to allow it to be taken away from them.
** The Bible says "Add to faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge..." [2Pet. 1:5] Notice, education is third on the list. And Hosea 10:13 states: You have eaten the fruit of lies—trusting in your military might,believing that great armies could make your nation safe..