Out of Balance

Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Syria is not a serious blow to the president. Well, perhaps it is. He has taken “turn the other cheek” to its suicidal oversimplified interpretation logical conclusion. However, that aspect of it is not the purpose of this post.

When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers, but with a discerning and knowledgeable person, it endures.

Proverbs 28:2 (HCSB)

There are a lot of people trying to be “leaders” right now. I fervently hope that most of them have the needs of those whom they purport to represent in mind, rather than their own power. The weakness of a true democracy (which the United States is NOT) is that with so many voices, the loudest and/or shrillest ones are heard over others. In this day and age, it is those that have their representation in the media. Sadly, with the current state of the media, loudness and shrillness are what seize the day.

Newt Gingrich (not the most shrill, but certainly not the least) recently had a “gentlemanly” debate with Mario Cuomo. The reason it was gentlemanly was they were discussing issues, perspectives, and solutions. A reasoned debate. Something lost on most these days. But that is yet another aside.

The 20th century saw a lot of rebellion for many good reasons: women’s suffrage, integration, racial and gender equality. However, there were bad rebellions as well: feminism (what is now feminism, not equality), the 60’s drug and sex era, the anti-Vietnam war. However, it seems to have become a state of mind for far too many. Rebelling for rebelling’s sake. That’s what this passage of Proverbs brings to mind.

Granted, this has been repeated time and again, but I believe that this upcoming presidential race will be key. Is the United States headed for oblivion, or for greater things? To be honest, the instability in both major political parties could have a significant effect upon a “third” party candidate, making it possible for one to be successful. Also, with the instability of both parties, the candidates selected could be anyone. In addition, with all the states moving their primaries to be close together, we won’t have the test of stamina (and I am not talking about money) of the candidates, which could truly be a catastrophe in the making.

I must admit that I don’t know if a republic or democracy can be without many leaders (it is the nature of the beast, after all), but there is no true leader.  Pres. G.W. Bush seems to have burned out his leadership resources, so now everyone, including him, seem to be fighting over the scraps.  The mainstream media certainly isn’t helping by their amplification of the lonely, strident voices.

In the past few months, though I still consider my self an American (and still proud of it), I’m beginning to view my nation in its proper perspective, as a nation (kingdom) that is certainly not the kingdom of God, therefore not nearly worth as much of my concern.