I wasn’t going to talk about it because I didn’t think it was worth discussing anymore. But, after sitting on it for a number of days, I decided I needed to talk about it, that being the capitol riots.
I’m truly ashamed at what so much of our country has become lately. But I’m even more ashamed about how tarnished Christianity has become due to the actions of countless people who say they’re doing what they’re doing because they’re being guided by God and Christ.
Let me be 100% clear on this. Storming the capitol, defacing property, injuring and allowing needless deaths to occur in the process is not living anywhere close to the teachings I came to love and appreciate when I speak of Christ.
There were only two incidents I was taught where Christ showed anger. One was with money changers who were selling stuff in a sacred temple area. And the other was with a fig tree that didn’t produce fruit that frustrated Christ when he was really hungry. Two incidents amongst thousands of others where Christ showed nothing but kindness, compassion, sincerity, humbleness, generosity, and unconditional love. Storming the capitol and even angrily shouting at the masses with guns ablaze before that happened wasn’t offering any of those things.
It just appalls me when anyone believes that any political party or any specific leader can guide our nation to a closer relationship with God and Christ. Beyond the fact of whatever happened to the separation of church and state, the only way any of us will ever get closer to God and Christ or whatever our Higher Power is, is through a journey within each of us, not outside of us.
But, angrily tearing apart others, saying things like the Democratic party is the Mark of the Beast returned, or saying that Donald Trump is Satan himself, denouncing each other on social media in one argument after another about conspiracy theories and unfair elections accomplishes none of the goals of Christ. NONE!
I’m baffled at how people can label themselves a Christian and be doing the things they’re doing with one judgment after another lately. That’s pretty much what these capitol riots were all about. One massive judgment that went astray and led to serious mayhem and unnecessary loss of property and life.
People who label themselves as Christians often feel they need to carry the torch for Christ by doing actions they feel are justified under their Biblical understanding, but really are doing nothing but promoting their own egotistical beliefs.
Do you know what I think Christ would have done with this election? I think he would have embraced whomever won and in the same breath claimed the leader of the world was far beyond this world. He wouldn’t have stormed a capitol to prove any point. He wouldn’t have carried guns into Washington D.C. threatening for change. And I honestly don’t believe he would ever berate anyone for their personal choices of political party or their stances in them.
I have heard so much in recent times that the republican party is the only one that’s going to protect the Biblical ideals of Christ. I have also heard things like needless babies are going to be killed under the new democratic regime. Enough! This is why I abhor politics and honestly wish now that I hadn’t even voted in this past election, because none of this is showing the true teachings and love of Christ.
What matters is how we treat each other. That’s the Christ part I came to appreciate. And storming the capitol is not treating each other with the love and kindness that Christ brought. Neither is yelling at someone on Facebook in a comments area because they believe differently then you.
Our country is stuck because people are stuck on themselves and their selfish and self-centered beliefs. They think the solution they have is the only solution to fixing all this brokenness. To those rioters, their selfish belief was that our country will only be ok when Trump remains in office and to prove the illegitimacy of this past election.
You know what the flaw is in that?
Even if somehow proof of an illegitimate election had been made and Trump remained in office, there’s still half of our country mad because they didn’t get their way. Because everyone keeps placing their view of a better Christian world, or even a better spiritual world, on things like politics, political leaders, and the policies they’re going to make. When the only way a better world filled with the ideals of Christ is only going to come when each and every one of us STOPS JUDGING each other and STOPS BELIEVING the answer is a change out there in the government or anywhere for that matter, when it’s a change in our own very hearts.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
