It’s Wednesday, time for random thoughts.
- I’m writing this Tuesday night and finding myself hoping there is no violence tomorrow after the election closes. This is not the way things should be.
- I turned on news coverage just after eight and NJ had already been called for Joe Biden. I often say, “Since I’m not in a ‘battleground state’ my vote for president doesn’t count.” This was pretty much all the proof I needed.
- I think I’m going to get a cheesesteak this week.
- If all goes well, I’m going to be dong some serious writing Thursday and Friday. I am so looking forward to this.
- My dream is for the GOP and DNC to both implode and be replaced with five or six viable parties.
- I often wish I had the manual dexterity necessary to paint.
- Can we make SuperPACs illegal again, please? Their ads make SNL faux-mercials look sane.
- If you think point two indicates who I voted for, I assure you are wrong.
- Does wearing socks make anyone else freak out?
- What is the meaning of life, the universe, and everything?
- Last week I had a friend tell me I was “the weirdest Pastor I’ve ever had.” I was almost insulted when they felt the need to explain they meant it as a compliment.
Painfully Hopeful 
How are you doing with all of the election chaos going on? Do you think whoever wins will solve any of the problems we are experiencing (healthcare, inequality, unemployment, etc.)?
Honestly, there really isn’t “election chaos” going on. There’s counting going on, and attempts at manufactured anxiety that’s having some success, but not a lot of chaos. As for the other questions, I think if there is a chief executive who seems interested in the job maybe the country can find space to solve these problems together. My long-term hope is part of this solution will be to dump these two entrenched parties who assume the exclusive right to fight over power.
I have very little faith in man to solve any of the big problems. It feels like a hamster wheel that keeps turning but going nowhere.
Solve? No. Carve out spaces where life has a chance to thrive? Sure.
So as a pastor do you think only God is the solution or will human governments make some progress? The Bible mentions God’s Kingdom will bring about change which is why I don’t believe man has the ability to make progress.
You’re communicating on the internet, have probably been immunized from diseases which have ravaged humanity for centuries, and during a global pandemic the entire world didn’t starve. I call those things actual progress. Looking for the ultimate resolution of Kingdom and working for life to thrive in this world is not an either/or prospect.
So are you saying the Kingdom and all of the promises outlined in the Bible that are included in that Kingdom will come through human means or are you saying God will help humans accomplish these things? As I read Daniel 2:44 and other scriptures in Revelation it seems that God’s Kingdom is in opposition to human governments. The progress that has been made is very small compared to the suffering we see in the world. True, I have access to modern medicine but I can drive a few miles from my house to neighborhoods of people that can’t afford it. And millions of people suffer from and die from starvation every year.
No. I’m saying that human beings are able to progress. I don’t think that negates the need for the Kingdom to come, and the examples to which you point out are why the Kingdom needs to come.
But that doesn’t negate that human beings progress.