Monday morning: It was a calming feeling of sorts having Lindsey Graham....and other experienced people such as he is....at least present with foreign policy decisions on those days when Donald Trump was forced to give up golf for a few hours to discuss some pressing issue that could effect the entire world. Mitch McConnell gave his....'this guy's nuts.....I give up on him'....statement over the weekend. Graham gave his a few weeks ago after the capitol riot....but yesterday he said....I would say 'with a straight face'....but you would have to see Graham speak for yourself....for it wasn't exactly a straight face....it was more like a bank clerk's face as he put money into a sack at the threatening direction of a bank robber....he said that Lara Trump represents the future of the Republican Party. Maybe I should view it again and see if he was blinking out some Morse Code?
It has been part of the conservative's argument for at least the past thirty-five years....when a young person matriculates to just about any college or university in America....he or she will upon graduation have changed....the values having been instilled in them by their parents....and often even their nascent faith in God....relentlessly and in some cases savagely attacked....and ultimately jettisoned in favor of a modern liberal mindset. Well here's the kicker....a most disturbing irony....most conservatives have just spent four years under the total tutelage of Trumpian talk radio....(with Fox primetime cable television for extra credit)....but whereas its former strength was in that it initiated many listeners to conservative values....and educated as to the Republican form of government that our constitution lays out....it has for four tormented years....done away with the classroom discussion....and replaced it with an indoctrinating curriculum of monologues.....followed by guest speakers....all part of a Trump Party cadre of experts....who also no longer seek to educate....or strengthen the mind....but to train the listener to be useful....the listener whose values having been similarly changed as that of the college student of today....where with us human life has been devalued during the pandemic....as we are more Darwinian 'survival of the fittest' today....and evangelical faith politicized....can be part of a new patriotic religion....and consequently excommunicated if they so much as question....or even read unauthorized literature that criticizes the movement and its leader.
Saturday...4:15 in the afternoon: I didn't watch a single minute of the impeachment proceedings although I followed it in the news....and just received a news bulletin on my phone....as you probably have....that the trial if you can call it that was another acquittal. Folks....I voted for this man four years ago....and celebrated....but after eighty books on Donald Trump....including some from every decade of his life....and reading these books since it became apparent in early 2017 that the man who ritualized the use of the words fake and hoax....was and is the biggest fake and hoax of them all...after seeing clearly now who he is....severely psychologically disturbed....and having watched his full four years in office.....it is also clear that he could have been removed from office because of his obstruction of justice in the Mueller probe....and his perfect call on the Ukraine....and now also as he for four years straight....along with his talk radio generals....incited this very sizable fringe element on January 6th....(I'm referring to the ones at the front....not the multitude of moms and dads who were doing their best with the knowledge that they have)....they have to summoned them to the capitol....reveled in it as it was taking place....and relied on a Republican Party that is now worthless as to integrity for failing to defend the American public against this happening again sometime. Ben Sasse of Nebraska was one of the honest Senators who voted to convict....along with our own Pat Toomey here in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump is a destroyer....and has been every bit the judgment upon America and upon evangelicalism....as the other party that had long since abandoned America's God-fearing heritage....has been a continuing judgment on us from the other side of the aisle.
I posted the following paragraph on Wednesday morning....January 6....and as you can see noted it as such:
"Wednesday morning at 11:30....The melody is beautiful.....there's no denying that....and it gives me chills....but the wrong kind of chills. I'm talking about Leonard Cohen's....Hallelujah. The word 'hallelujah' is special......for in essence it means....'praise Yahweh'.....or....'praise Yah.' I cringe when I hear in used other than where it should be used....and that includes Neil Diamond's.....Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show. So I booted up the computer a few minutes ago to hear what President Trump was going to say in his appearance at the Washington protest/rally.....and Cohen's song was playing. The chills were there.....and I didn't like it....but to make matters worse.....as the video feed showed from the rear of the first twenty or so rows of people....I saw a few raised hands....swaying back and forth to the song.....as if in a charismatic church. What were they praising...for it's hopefully not the object of the Cohen song? Trump eventually came on.....he is speaking now....and I had to turn him off....because folks it is unnerving....the sway he has....as this very large crowd chanted.....fight for Trump....fight for Trump....fight for Trump!"
I visited a friend yesterday who I had not seen in a while....who has had some lingering health issues for years....I didn't even go close to the screen door as I only wanted to see how he was doing....just hellos and a little bit of information sharing....and he told me to call sometime. I asked for his email....it was obviously cold....and later in the day explained in the email that I'm just not a telephone person. A month ago or so ago a different friend visited me....and we sat at opposite ends of the small room for a few hours....we do this about once every six weeks or so....and used to do it much more frequently....and I remember early on in the conversation.....during a pause....telling him how much I appreciated that he knew how 'pauses' were important to me....that he or I did not have to just keep on immediately responding....as so many conversations go....for I like to ponder what is being said....and think before answering. So I explained this yesterday to my friend in the email. This may be why I do not call in often to radio talk shows....for that option is not available. You might read one of my posts in two or three minutes.....but it may have taken me two or three hours to compose. I love conversation....and miss it terribly during this pandemic....but so often in the past have felt depleted after a conversation....because that pause was not available....and we in essence just played a game.
The twelve books of the Old Testament labeled....'minor prophets'....Hosea to Malachi....minor in their length only....were often in the past and in Jewish history considered but one book....'the book of the prophets." Whether they be one book or twelve individual books....they should be read by Christians on an almost daily basis....along with the 'major prophets'....major in length only....and our pulpits should not have ignored them....as they have....except to pull out one verse here or there to bolster a political or theological opinion. Why not try giving yourself a day to read each of the minor prophet books....and use an online commentary....meditating on what you read....and rereading a few times. I rely often on John Gill's commentary. He was an 18th century London baptist preacher. There is just something about his scholarship that over the years has sat very well with me. I like the way that he gives various opinions....rather than being too authoritative....except on those doctrines where we are absolutely sure of the meaning....for the perspicuity is amazingly and wonderfully evident
