An Oddly Hopeful Sign For Me

Last updated on: December 30, 2014 at 11:01 am by Mark Shea

An Oddly Hopeful Sign For Me 2014-12-30T11:01:34-07:00 Mark Shea

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is that two readers, one of them quite conservative, the other, I think, probably a self-identified progressive could write the following (‘sup to you to tell me which wrote which):

For forty years, the Republican Party’s been saying that Christians must support GOP nominees because the alternative is abortion, gay marriage, and socialism. But in that forty years, we’ve seen abortion, gay marriage, and socialism become accepted parts of America’s identity. In fact, it’s impossible to imagine America without abortion, gay marriage, and socialism.

Since the GOP line is getting a bit threadbare, I’m wondering if we can’t help the GOP by coming up with new tropes, new threats to distract Christians from the GOP’s priorities for another forty years. Care to run a contest?

I’m thinking we should now vote for the GOP because the alternatives are . . . . .

mandatory euthenasia
procreation licenses
school-sponsored sexual experimentation
government assignment of jobs and residences

I figure that by 2062, when we’ve all been settled into our assigned jobs and housing units, and our grandchildren are mindlessly shouting government slogans in order to have a chance at a procreation license, the four sextillionaires who run the GOP will have to come up with new slogans. Or maybe not . . . forty more years of Democrat and GOP rule will pretty much do away with the need for campaining.

and

Aborted children…unemployed workers…innocents killed in “precision” bomb strikes…it’s doesn’t matter, Mark. The only thing that matters these days is that someone gets to make political points with them. For the Republicans, every aborted child is yet another log on the fire of the “anti-abortion movement”, which conveniently has been brainwashed into voting for a political party that won’t do jack to help the children who are dying, but will do everything in their power to attain political power using the blood of these pour souls. The Democrats are baby-killers, undeniably. But the GOP turns them into vampires to suck votes from trusting, decent people.

And the unemployed, the victims of our compassionate capitalist system. The GOP, the “pro-life” party, cares less for these hard working folk. “They’re lazy!” “They’re greedy!” “They want something for nothing!” The party of Lincoln has turned the middle class into wage slaves and doesn’t give a rip.

Ah, but then there’s the Democrats…riding in on their white horse with all the relief programs you could want. Just like the doctor who keeps the patient alive…alive enough to experiment experiment with, write up wonderful reports, publish books, and raise up whole political movements dedicated to keeping the poor alive, just barely. Yes, the GOP co-opts the middle class, pulls away the safety net, and kills the middle class on the altar of profits. Then along comes the Democrats and raises the zombies with just enough life support to become dependent, but not enough to become independent.

Both sides, dedicated to keep the people at war with each other. All the while laying waste to our economy as sure as any locust. Both sides, with their infomercials, political action committees, non-government organizations. Joe Goebbels is no doubt proud of this as he looks on from his special place in hell. Our rulers have learned his lesson well. Repeat the lie often enough and the people will believe it.

Meanwhile human children die. Human families lose homes. Human families go hungry. Human workers lose what little dignity they can find in this world. Human fathers go to bed wondering how they are going to give their child just a little better life than they have. Remember the American Dream? It’s now a nightmare, playing out daily in the living rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms of middle America.

So go ahead. Argue over your political parties. Make your points for your puppet-masters while they pull the last few pennies out of your pocket. Democrat…Republican…what difference is there between the two? One robs you blind and makes you feel good about it, the other robs you blind and makes you feel it’s your fault. But have at it…enjoy the bread and circuses that you have been given.

Sure their assessment of the future is bleak. The future has always been bleak in this world, except when we are living in complete illusion. The future is that time when you and all you love will be dead. Get over it. We’re not made for the future. We’re made for eternity. We are to care for our children as best we can and entrust them to God that he, not we, will see to it that the Faith survives and they have such gifts of Providence as are necessary to do his will. Meanwhile, in the here and now, decoupling the Faith from tribal political allegiances and learning to judge the parties in light of Church teaching instead of cannibalize Church teaching to suit the parties is a good first step toward prudence and, in the long run, helping our children immeasurably more than political power will do. I am heartened to see people on both sides of the aisle realizing that. I can’t help but think these two guys would enjoy each other’s company over a beer.

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