Sunday, January 8, 2012

Tim Tebow Ain’t God – Barack Ain’t Beelzebub

TebowObamaShakeHands

I realize I wouldn’t blog 95% of the time if it weren’t for other articles that hit me wrong.  And I am risking being misunderstood because I like this particular author and what he writes.  His article is entitled “Tebow-Mania Proves Americans Long for Simple Moral Leadership—Take Heed, Barack.”  He begins:

Euphoria bordering upon madness is expressed for Timothy Richard Tebow. This affection cannot merely be explained by his recent football success…So why is Tim Tebow so immensely popular? Let’s assume America’s majority Christian population is so starved for some show of principled leadership that they felt an instant affinity for the rugged, virtuous and humble evangelical.

I appreciate the sentiment for Timmy as I am big fan, but Americans aren't so simple that they think they need a Tebow to "lead" them.  In other words, “ask not what your leaders can do for you but what you can do to be a leader.”

I think Tebow-mania among Christians is simple admiration for someone who exemplifies biblical principles.  Most of us enjoy his outspoken fearlessness on faith and his football play.   At least during the last minute comebacks.

But this is a mindset clearly Newt Gringrich understands when he says, “don’t just be for me – be WITH me.”  He has said numerous times (and I agree wholeheartedly) that just one person isn’t going to turn this country around.  The old fart is at least right about this.

LittleBoyTebowing We Christian Patriots don't just want a Tebow.  No.  We want EVERYONE to be Tebow and most importantly, WE want to have the leadership of Tebow ourselves.

It is a liberal thought that we need someone else to be our surrogate virtue.  It is a conservative (and biblical) thought to understand EVERY man and woman is human and prone to frailty.  We don't look to others to do ANYTHING for us, but we appreciate those who can act as a mirror to demonstrate the standard we should have for ourselves.

Yes we humans need leaders as much as a military can’t function without authority.  And we need good ones.

But, in my opinion, there is as much of a danger of demonizing Obama as there is as lionizing Saint Timothy.  You are prone to (rightly) be dismissed as hypocritical if you denounce Obama but say – or do – nothing to those in your own party or peer group who are doing just less visible distortions of vice.  Many cheered Bill Boehner when he talked tough with Obama but didn’t fight with Jim Demint to avoid giving him the ability to cut $1 Trillion from our military.  Worse, Obama truly could care less what you think while our political leaders are VERY prone to shifting to prevailing public opinion.  This is ON US.

True, Alan West, Paul Ryan and others capitulated as well, but too many of us didn’t act as bold leaders FOR THEM.  We could even make Mitt Romney a Milton Friedman-maverick if he knew that’s who he had to mirror to get elected.

We are also prone to let ourselves and others down if we overemphasize the accomplishments of ANY man except Jesus, the only perfect one.  Trust me.  At some point Timmy will teeter.  Whether we ever hear about it or not is as irrelevant to me as finding the “perfect” conservative.

And although some would argue that Barack is a close cousin to Beelzebub, he’s just another immoral politician with a LOT more resources to do harm.  We rightfully should be outraged at the blatant designs on destroying our country.  But if outrage were enough, he already would have “taken heed” as the author of the article threatens.  And if outrage were enough, our own party would have bought a vowel and already spelled “hold the line.”  Neither did. 

Now our energy has to be focused on education and action.  Education of OURSELVES to what the REAL issues and mechanisms of government are.  Action at every level in preparation for a revolution something FAR broader than Reagan’s.  One that will take the political battle to EVERY level of government that no longer abdicates our responsibility to whomever we elect.

I will soon be posting a series of articles on a local usurpation of tax payer funds, authority and power going on here in Houston.  The malfeasance was conducted directly under the noses of anyone who cared to look.  But even the instigators commented that NO ONE showed up to one public forum in the past 3 years to see what they were doing.

Freedom isn’t primarily a benefit of being American.  It is a responsibility we must now embrace like paying our taxes, mowing our lawns or taking out the garbage.  It isn’t how I WANT to spend my time, but if I don’t, I will soon lose the comfort I thought existed.

How Do We Look At Our Leaders?

The Creation Of Eve by George Frederic Watts, 1873 We get a great lesson from God's model on the role of wives.  It is interesting that the word for the "help meet" God created for Adam is a word picture of not just support, but also opposition.  A wife who never says anything to her husband about his lying and stealing is as bad as a wife who does nothing to support the vision God gave him.  It tells a wife to RESPECT her Husband. (I can only assume He has to make this a directive precisely because it DOESN'T come naturally, otherwise why say it?)   But the man who KNOWS that his wife sees his flaws (more than anyone else) and STILL supports and cheers him? That man will slay dragons, BBQ it for dinner AND clean the dishes afterward to show his appreciation and devotion for her.

Of those God puts over us in authority, we should take a cue from a godly wife.  There is a point when a leader is not only totally undeserving of respect, but needs to be disobeyed.  Daniel respectfully appealed to his jailer who wanted he and his friends to disregard their Hebrew laws.  He didn’t just flip him the bird and rebel.  That jailer relented when Daniel showed him how God’s way would bring the jailer MORE honor.  But in the case of Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego (or as my black Christian brothers call him "ABadNegro," they refused to obey 'wrong' authority even at risk of getting burned alive in a hot furnace.  They said: "Our God is able to save us and He will.  But even if He doesn't, we still won't bow to another." THIS is faith with conviction within the guidelines of godly respect.  Don’t forget that with Pharaoh, Moses didn’t just lead the Jews in revolt.  He kept ASKING him to release the people in PROPER authority.  Then BAM! Plague. 

In our case we HAVE authority not just over our leaders and government, but also the RIGHT to disband it. The U.S. Declaration of Independence states that "when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government."  We’ve actually been AUTHORIZED by the overriding law of the land to “throw it off” if it continues a long series of ABUSES and WRONGFUL GRABS of AUTHORITY.

AmRevolution Our own Founders exemplified such virtue of patience and respect for authority in appealing their case to King George repetitively to do what is right.  Revolution was a very last, methodical redress to their God given right to be free.  They agonizingly gave every chance for the king to relent, much to the dismay of the John Adamses who were built for a fight from the first infraction.

Those men knew revolution would be necessary, but the motivation was not rooted in anger, revenge or unrestrained emotions.  Their approach to enter war was more like a disciplined father who reluctantly had to spank their child to teach them a lesson.  But once they had given them every chance, they committed fully to their mission without wavering.  They then saw a “higher law” that governed all men, regardless of man made law.

Obama has demonstrated he cares nothing for the principles of our Constitution much less godly virtue.  And from this we can take a cue from Mr. Tebow.  It is the 4th quarter for freedom in America.  We are at least a few touchdowns behind and our team has proven we don't have the skill on our own to overturn the tide of socialistic forces opposed against us.  Worse, our team keep turning the ball over.

But we keep believing, and keep fighting.  WE DON’T START ATTACKING our own team mates who are truly committed to the same cause we are. 

Now God likely doesn't care much about football games.  The bible says nations are "lifted up and brought down."  In the perspective of eternity, they are less than a bad sitcom that is destined for cancellation.

Jesus Centurian But He does care about people.  And He responds not just to prayer, but our faith.  Jesus himself praised only two people in the bible and it was for their "great faith."  One humble Roman soldier and another every-woman, neither of who understood anything about "religion."

This is a reason not to character-assassinate President Obama or adulate a statistically average quarterback.  But we ALL should be leaders in our own spheres of influence - wherever God calls us - to demonstrate faith in God to turn this country around.  I can explain the Marxist designs of a likely unethical and possibly illegitimate President without being angry or hateful.  It is what it is.

Sure, a few may be called to argue these points in a political office as dog catcher or state comptroller.  But the rest of us can pray BOLD prayers to our God to put men and women of virtue and faith in office RIGHT where we are at.  We can patiently hear out those who (mindlessly) still think their children will be better off with socialism or communism and ASK QUESTIONS to get them to think. Preaching AT THEM (as we've so often been guilty) isn’t cutting it.  And if they don’t listen to reason, we shake off the dust and go to the next tirelessly.

We can volunteer at Tea Party and political functions to comb voter rolls combating the coming unsurpassed plans for voter fraud which are plotting to steal this election.  We can volunteer to knock on doors for local school board candidates who want to bring back community values and control of those schools.  The mayor of today could be governor, or President, tomorrow.

And most of all we can make sure we truly understand these values, how they work, WHY they work and then teach them to our children.

It no longer is sufficient to tell others WHAT we think is right and wrong.  We now need to explain HOW and WHY.  Telling your children that drugs are “wrong” won’t prepare them against a more influential voice that will tell tem what they are missing just as the serpent did Eve.  But if you explain to them the chemical reactions in the brain damage their long term cognitive abilities, show them the statistical quality of life for those that are casual drug users versus responsible Americans and, admit, - yes, there is a momentary pleasure that is very compelling - they will then have POWER to argue against these thoughts themselves.  It’s called, “self-governing.”  But it can not be done without knowledge.

Tebow is great and I support his virtues of faith on the field and off.  But Tim Tebow could run for President and he still would only be one flawed human being with no experience in that role.  His own virtue and relationship with God doesn’t save him in every football game and there is no “magic” to make Christians consistently successful.    Even Tebow had the experience of outstanding skills and college accomplishments that could be used in these last minute comebacks.  In fact, he is one of the most extreme-workout and homework athletes that there are.

constitution quill Our founders had two clear understandings of how to make a government not just functional, but to release the freedom to prosper.

First, put power in no single man or entity making EVERYONE accountable because they recognized people are flawed.

Second, this form of government ONLY works for those who hold Judeo/Christian virtues as their standard.  In fact, John Adams himself said, "Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

So, first lets make sure we are all desiring to exemplify not just Tebow-like perseverance and faith, but Jesus-like understanding and trust.

And second, let's quit looking for saviors other than the One we already have, and Who is in each one of us.

Whoever is nominated to battle Obama won’t have a red carpet rolled out for them to reverse the decay of fifty plus years.  Every single one of us will have to persevere one skirmish, one battle and one campaign at a time.  And by the grace of God, we will do it.

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