EPIPHANY OF THE DAY

 POLICIES

Time was when political elections featured well-formulated policy statements, called platforms, from which voters were to choose. For example, look at the 1952 election, a time seemingly proposed as worth returning to by many Americans (of specific race and gender.)

Both political parties spelled out their aims clearly.

The Republican platform pledged to end the unpopular war in Korea, supported the development of nuclear weapons as a deterrence strategy, to fire all "the loafers, incompetents and unnecessary employees" at the State Department, condemned the Roosevelt and Truman administrations' economic policies, supported retention of the Taft–Hartley Act, opposed "discrimination against race, religion or national origin", supported "Federal action toward the elimination of lynching", and pledged to bring an end to communist subversion in the United States.

The Democrats favored a strong national defense, collective security against the Soviet Union, multilateral disarmament, repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act, equal employment opportunities for minorities and public assistance for the aged, children, blind, and the disabled, expansion of the school lunch program, and continued efforts to fight racial discrimination.

Americans chose the Republican candidate, Dwight D. Eisenhower, who claimed victory graciously, over the Democratic candidate Adlai E. Stevenson, who accepted defeat graciously.

Neither vowed to claim fraud or to spur violence over the results.

Voters then went on about their business.

Neither platform sought simply to build raw power at the expense of the common good.

Neither platform described the other party as “garbage.”

Neither platform vowed the use of religion as retribution if enacted.

Neither party employed a professional wrestler as its spokesperson.

Maybe there are some tidbits of the past that could make America an even better country.

EPIPHANY OF THE DAY

 SECULARISM

This time I think we have gone too far. It seems, at least according to the internet, that a representative from one of our political parties has insisted that we must become a “Christian Nation.” He also said women have to have babies or they won't count, or maybe only as 3/5 of a person. We'll get to that later.

Meanwhile, I dunno.

I am not up to the task of being an evangelical voter. Now there may be some folks who are, but I am fairly weak in spirit, physical strength, and financial resources.

First, we would have to become a forgiving nation, to wit:

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

“No!” Jesus replied, “seventy times seven!” Matthew 18:21-22:

Now take those people who stormed our United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. If we were a bona-fide Christian Nation, and there were statutory punishments in place for un-American activity, I suppose I could forgive them. If I had to, and if the penalties for non-Christian behavior were severe enough, I suppose I might make it twice or even three times. But let me tell you, before we got to 70 times 7, I would fall by the wayside and who knows? The man (?) who called me a sucker/loser for serving in in foreign war? Rather than forgive him, I might find myself in a cell with a big bully in a white robe wanting to show me the “treasures of the universe.” Just maybe.

We couldn’t get divorced as citizens of a Christian nation, except for adultery. Of course we could make it unilateral, i.e. an option only available to men. Now I don’t want to. Get divorced, that is, hard to imagine a set of circumstances under which I would. No, wait a minute. I beg your pardon … If I were to ever catch her watching Fox News, I’d be out the door in two seconds flat and nobody could blame me. So, there are two major points of concern.

Here’s a third: I’d have to give away all my belongings. That’s one of the plainest demands within the scriptures. Now if I gave away all my money, I’d have to rely on non-believers to take care of me.

Oh gosh. The meek would inherit our country. I find those people tiresome in their nondescript little houses and their weekend family fishing trips.

Peace makers! Who needs them? Halliburton stock would be worthless.

In seeming contradiction to some of the other mandates, we would have to be a more vengeful nation. I guess we could keep a war or two going. That would require a reinstatement of the draft probably. I’ve been through that, so it might not affect me. On the other hand, remember the Volkstrum. If I did get pulled in, I do have a problem with this stricture that would become part of our legal system.

Now, therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known a man by lying with him. But all the young girls who have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. (Num. 31:17-18, Revised Standard Version.)

We now come to my final question. Whose Christianity? I am not going to hand out The Watchtower on Saturday morning and miss the Bowery Boys movies on TCM. Just get my cell ready.

Also, if the Mormons win out, I think I should rather live in the Windward Islands than wear Magic Underwear. My wife might go along with the harems if she could be First Wife, but she’s not about to accept that secondary citizenship business.

Snake handling? Forget it.

And, so help me Charles Darwin, I would rather be locked up in the Opryland Hotel with a dominatrix on steroids than to be in the same room with Joel Osteen

EPIPHANY OF THE DAY

LOGIC

 Last week I saw a video of a speech where an evangelist claimed that an abortion for a 12-year-old girl who had been raped by a stranger, or even a father, should not be allowed because, “all lives are precious.”

Last week I saw a video of a speech where an evangelist claimed that we shouldn’t be concerned about the annihilation of children by his god’s people since the murder of a child would immediately send that child to paradise, preventing a life of toil and trouble. Joshua was really doing the children of Jericho an act of graciousness by following his god’s orders when he “… destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys..” Although not evangelicals, the conquistadors received absolution for bashing the heads of Indian babies against walls for it sent them immediately into Heaven.

In another epoch, we read of the Iraq-Iran war during which Iranians marched young children across mine fields to clear them after assuring their parents an immediate entrance into paradise where virgins awaited their pleasure. Oh, only for the boys.

What might we gain from this?

Perhaps it is that the concept of congruity in our thought process has escaped too many people. That is why so many ultra-religious among us vocally and actively support the candidacy of a man who has achieved national prominence by gloating over a life marked by love of the seven deadly sins and who campaigns in direct repudiation of the Sermon on the Mount. How is this possible?

When I was young, they tried to keep us occupied on trips by giving us what they called “connect the dots puzzles.” Completed successfully, isolated lines produced a coherent picture of something recognizable.

I think it taught us, subconsciously, that the same might be true of our thoughts. When connected carefully, an acceptable conclusion would appear. It requires logic. What should concern us today is that a startling percentage of American voters could not answer the following with confidence:

A equals B

B equals C

Does A equal C? Yes or no, and why?

EPIPHANY OF THE DAY

 LEADERS

When I started my professional career, I had the opportunity to work for many of the cities in our state. Without fail, the leaders of those cities, not necessarily the elected ones but those holding power, looked like I do today.

Old fat white men.

Yep. And as time passed, I heard a consistent message from younger potential leaders. “Those old men won’t step aside and let us assume leadership positions.” Of course, women and minorities weren’t even part of the conversation. But that’s how the baby boomers felt.

Now the baby boomers are in charge, today even joined by selected females and people of color. Guess what the young folks are saying?

Yep. As a friend pointed out during a lunch yesterday, it’s probably true with each generation.

“They just won’t get out of the way and let us in to lead.”

That’s one—just one—of the magnificent aspects of President Joe Biden’s speech this week. The most powerful man in the world, not the leader of some mid-sized town in Arkansas but the most powerful man in the world, is “getting out of the way.”

One immediately hears the opening of the fourth movement ofBeethoven’s Fifth symphony erupt.

EPIPHANY OF THE DAY

 HEALTH INSURANCE

Many years after my service in the military, I was working for a national company and enjoyed one of the best health insurance programs in the nation, a grand employee benefit. I travelled a lot back in those days when auto manufacturers didn’t provide much back support in vehicle seats.

So I developed some nagging back problems. They progressed to the point that I felt I needed medical attention.

“No problem,” colleagues said. “You have good insurance. Go to the doc and charge it to your insurance.”

But wait.

This was back in the day. Back in the day, we are told, the return to which would make America great again.

Just wait a moment.

There was this idea that health insurance companies relied upon called, “pre-existing conditions.” Simply put, if you were ever diagnosed with a malady, it freed all future insurance companies from paying for treatment on that malady.

If I saw a physician claiming back problems, that insurance would pay, but any future insurance providers could refuse any coverage related to the back. Treatment of a minor muscle problem could free future insurance companies from treating a deteriorated spine. Insurance companies had access to a huge database that recorded such things.

So what did I do? I called a GP popular with runners and denied having insurance, assuring the office I had the ability to pay cash for an office call.

I did. The doc, known for his concentration on cure and not compensation, told me to put a cardboard support behind me in my vehicle and do sit ups. Cost me $45.00. Probably more than $130 today.

I did. It solved the problem. The company health plan provider never had a clue. My spine was safe.

Think the Cult is cute? Welcome back to the good old days.

EPIPHANY OF THE DAY

CHILDLESSNESS

Evidently one political party endorses the view that a childless woman, expanded to a childless couple, doesn’t deserve a role in determining the fate of America.

Having a history involving this concept, I can offer a personal opinion.

This is a political stand of almost unbelievable cruelty.

We, my life’s partner and I, produced no children in our marriage. Once, we were on the path, but a miscarriage ended the process and no further attempts proved successful.

If Cult members could see the look on the face of a woman who has just seen the process of motherhood fail, would it change their minds?

I doubt it. Cults demand the repudiation of empathy as much as they do reason.

There is a larger picture here, though. A couple having suffered through a miscarriage or a failure to procreate doesn’t represent the only childless Americans.

Men have had the opportunity to avoid the responsibility of parenthood for years. Women haven’t. Now they face opprobrium by their personal decision. That should lose the cult half the vote in an election.

It won’t. Cults demand obedience to doctrine over any sense of personhood.

Finaly, the Cult accepts, by non-refutation, the concept that those who have no children don’t deserve the honor of having a stake in the future of America.

Really?

EPIPHANY OF THE DAY

 NEW DAYS

There is an old British idiom that warns, “There's many a slip twixt cup and lip.” Who in their right mind would predict the results of a November election in these troubled times? Too much could happen in a country already weary from false and hyperbolic dialogue. There are too many chances for a “black swan” that could topple our dreams.

But some things are starting to simmer in this stew we call American politics.

Using racial slurs and “dog whistles” against political opponent is so “1950.” Even though transporting America back to that age is the avowed platform of one of the parties, racial foghorns don’t seem to be selling tickets for the ride. Good for us.

Another idea floated to the surface in a speech last eve is the idea of sacrifice, the notion—out of favor in recent years—that a person should sacrifice personal aspirations for the good of the country. It resounded with me, and I’m sure others who made such a decision during the Vietnam War era. "What's in it for me" does mock the very premise of the Sermon on the Mount. Oops, forgot.  The evangelicals on the far right recently redacted that passage.

Then there is the concept of reaching bottom and looking up. Four nearly eight years, many Americans have asked themselves, is there a bottom to the depraved words and actions of politicians on the national stage? First it was mocking the disabled, then veterans, then it was medical professionals, and only this week it was women who have not given birth to a child.

That all may be over. It’s like Americans looked up from dark pit and saw the sun break through.

May its rays reach us all and everyone.