The following is something I've composed as a response to those great politically forwarded e-mails I receive...
Dear Forwarder -
Dear Forwarder -
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It is election season, and for perhaps this reason I’ve been getting a number of e-mails concerning politics, political candidates, current presidents, etc. I am writing this because I feel the need to respond in a blanket way to the political e-mails I’ve been receiving. This e-mail, because it will be sent as a response to any forwards I receive, etc, is not personal whatsoever. It is instead an attempt to explain my position and wariness of such e-mails, as well as (a small) part of my view of politics. It is also my hope that people will look beyond politics to the greater Kingdom of God, which is not of this world, and thus not of a political party either.
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First, while I do not vote, I certainly encourage you to vote your conscience. Why don’t I vote? These may be over generalizations, but here are a few reasons (and again, these are just personal convictions).
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1. I find it hard to vote for a party that largely supports the killing of infants or a party that supports big business and globalization that leads to world poverty and consumerism. How can you rate one worse by killing by starvation/slave labor or with a surgery? In regard to this concern I feel it more helpful to work for and articulate issues and causes rather than parties. It’s doesn’t work to encapsulate my worldview in that of a political party – democrat or republican.
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2. I wrestle with voting for someone who has the ability to lead to war, which to me means unnecessary death to innocent people, as well as our enemies which Jesus commands us to love and pray for (Matt. 5:44).
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Second, much of what I receive I find (after research) to be very uninformed, a half-truth, or taken completely out of context to make a point…not to mention an attack on someone’s character or the deification of another. Such is the trouble of media…they can make someone to say what they have not said. I find it to be more mis-informative than helpful, and I hope that those who forward things that have been forwarded to them do the research themselves. Just because you are a Republican or a Democrat doesn’t mean you have to forward everything positive of your party or negative of the other. The more important thing is to work to forward truth and good information as much as possible.
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Lastly, I feel as if what people send me I am to agree with. It’s as if saying, “Here’s something…like it!” There is no commentary on it, rather than a few words affirming it. There is no struggle with its meaning or implication and no dialogue with the content or the people it’s forwarded to. Therefore I feel I have to swallow it like a jagged little pill, whether I like it or not.
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All that being said, this is my response to ANYONE, friend, stranger, or congregant, that forwards me things of political nature. I do not mind receiving them, as long as you know where I’m coming from and are willing to dialogue, disagree, and love me in spite of the disagreement. Please know I am more concerned about the bigger agenda of the Kingdom of God than that of politics, and there is a great deal of difference and methodology between the two. Politics will never save us. Jesus has.
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With that, thank you for reading and feel free to forward me what you want inasmuch as you understand where I’m coming from. Please feel free to dialogue with me on the above.
Peace,
Josh
Peace,
Josh
