‘Where is the love?’
I’ve never had a problem with the separation of church and state because each is so fluid that the wingnuts of one (church) could have entirely too much effect on what should be evolving yet dependable (state). But these days, I wouldn’t be opposed to a little bit of the former bringing some heart and help to the latter.
I just found a Christian Left group on Facebook that pointed me to a Salon article: Are the American people obsolete? And the answer is yes. The wealthy have long predicted the end of Social Security. And their wish will be granted with the bonus of losing Medicare. The Bush tax cuts funded many a month-long exotic vacation for the whole clan, provided the full-cash purchase of thousands of second or third mansions, and afforded the meager salaries of undocumented or overseas labor.
I don’t begrudge because I don’t have. I’m sure you will hear me bitching at tax time since I make so little that I can’t save any of it, but as a lower-middle-class person, I will be paying a disproportionate percentage of the pathetic excuse for “income” that I have. But I know I have to pay it because I don’t want to be sharing a cell with Casey Anthony. I know — I HOPE — that my tax dollars will feed the hungry and keep running homes for adults with mental and physical disabilities. I just don’t see why anyone else gets to opt out because they can afford to pay off politicians — WHY NOT PAY YOUR FUCKING TAXES?!?!
Plus, I spent enough years in non-profits to know that the bulk of people don’t donate willingly — you HAVE to mandate it through taxes because otherwise the unfortunate many will not otherwise be able to achieve even something halfway resembling a life without the money afforded the fortunate few whose ideas/skills/abilities may or may not warrant the extraordinary compensation.
Anyway, my Web surfing this morning also landed me at The Christian Left Blog. And I’m ashamed to admit my faith has been shaken a bit lately. (See above.)
Don’t get me wrong — I’ve been seeing some good guys finally winning, but not enough, unfortunately. And I’m tired of struggling, too. I see why people give up. I’m ready to. I have one last shot at making it, and so help me if I blow it. I don’t think I will. But fear isn’t even motivating me anymore, and THAT scares me.
If you’re a lovable Leftie (and not in the handwriting sense) like me, you may appreciate this entry: Let us all be broken together.
I dare ask the same thing they do:
“Where is the Christlike love? It is a very lonely time for us. We need to get together in spirit and encourage one another that the love and sacrificial motives of Christianity are still alive. That cheap grace will not reign. That Christ still wants us to reconcile and work for social justice. That sometimes, a lot of times, we can use government and social institutions to help those who are hurting precisely because the love of Christ overcomes the cold bureaucracy that Conservatives seem to be so paranoid about.”
Maybe the liberal Christians are the future of the country. I just don’t see the conservative crackpots stepping aside — especially when they can buy their own earthly salvation. But when we all get to Heaven’s gate, the rest of us who managed to hang on to our spiritual currency will cut to the front of the line. And I’m sure we will all be nice enough to share it with the people who didn’t give a fuck about us in this world, just because that’s who we are and will always be.