The anger problem separating us

IBM Watson does polls--including health and in 2018 surveyed Americans on "anger." I heard Al Kresta (radio talk show, Ave Maria, MI, Oct. 14) discussing this, but can't find the details at the poll website, so I'll quote him. And I assumed he used newer material not available to non-subscribers. Also, I couldn't find the wording of the questions, which makes a huge difference in my opinion.

Kresta said, Americans are angrier than ever. In the 2008 election 43% of Democrats were angry about McCain; and 46% of Republicans were angry about Obama; in 2012 56% of Democrats were angry about Romney, and 75% of Republicans were angry about Obama; and then in 2016 the wheels fell off and 90% of Democrats were angry about Trump, and 89% of Republicans angry about H. Clinton. The problem, Kresta pointed out is bi-partisanship is almost impossible when everyone is angry. Which is why Obamacare had no support from Republicans, whereas all social safety net programs in the past were bi-partisan.

He also commented that in 1958 (when I was a freshman in college) 73% of Americans trusted the government and in 2019, only 17% did. (Maybe it was all those WWII movies.) With the advent of the pandemic in 2020 and the tremendous amount of misinformation, cherry picking of which "science" to believe, and the politicization of the virus, I'm sure those 2018 figures are now off the charts.

Anger is a bigger problem for Christians than the rest of you as it is one of the 7 deadly sins, and Paul chastises first century Christians who apparently also had a lot of hard feelings as Greeks, Jews, and pagans all tried to work together. Most of the people on my FBF list are baptized and confirmed Christians who, at least until the churches closed on order of their governors, were attending a recognized Christian sect, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic, etc., regularly or semi-regularly. Paul quotes Psalm 4:4 and says Be angry but do no sin. We feel the anger in response to something we perceive as wrong, so the feeling isn't the sin. Righteous anger is OK, but needs to be channeled to action. However, politicians and the media are using our anger knowing it can motivate or bring more to their side. Like the moderators of the debates and townhalls. They are making both sides angry--first, the ones who believe the lies become irate and second, the ones who are wronged are angry about the lies.

Pastors and priests who think they need to jump on the racism or climate, or income bandwagon for their sermons should probably switch gears and think about the anger seething in their congregations. They can't win, but by avoiding the clashes going on under their noses isn't a winning strategy either.

Pastor is criticized for praying for the President

https://www.mcleanbible.org/prayer-president? Some have tried to make political hay of the McClean Bible Church pastor's prayer and didn't like it that Trump asked for prayer. The pastor has been criticized, and I see no reason for him to explain his prayer. It's Biblical. It's a beautiful prayer--scroll down to see the video.

The pastor is now finding out what thousands of us have experienced--if you don't say something negative and hateful about President Trump, friends, family and parishioners might be upset.

Obama blows over wall of separation with hot air!

Will Christmas pagents reappear this year in schools? Can we decorate the public square again? President Obama has enlisted pastors to plug his health care plan. Whoopee! The man who asked Georgetown University to remove any signs or symbols of the faith, now comes crawling since 70% of us reject his ideas on a takeover of a huge segment of the economy. The president most far out on late term killing of unborn babies, now wants churches to plug his program to impoverish more Americans. If you start hearing this drivel in your church either in Sunday School or from the pulpit, I hope you walk out!

. . .on Tuesday President Obama and his director of faith-based initiatives convened exactly such a meeting to try to control political damage from the unpopular health-care law. "Get out there and spread the word," Politico.com reported the president as saying on a conference call with leaders of faith-based and community groups. "I think all of you can be really important validators and trusted resources for friends and neighbors, to help explain what's now available to them." Since then, there's been nary a peep from the press.

Jim Towey: Pastors For ObamaCare? - WSJ.com

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Please disobey our laws

It's not only our administration that is suggesting this to illegal immigrants. Our church governments, usually made up of people who don't reflect those of us in the pew, are saying it too:

You’re driving into a major city taking in all the sights and sounds. It looks like any other major metropolitan area when suddenly you see a large sign suspended above the highway. It monstrous letters it say, "Please make every effort to ignore our laws!" You're taken back for a moment as you continue your drive into the city. Certainly they can’t mean that – but soon you find they do. Everyone you encounter is doing whatever they desire and totally ignoring all laws. Stop signs mean nothing, speed limits are ignored and people take whatever they want from local merchants without paying. You have found yourself in the city of Evangelical Lutherans. Cue theme music and closing credits.

The above scenario is no more bizarre than what happened at the recently concluded annual General Conference of the Evangelical Lutherans Church of America. On the closing day of the Conference a resolution was passed by 538-431 vote pleading with the leadership of the denomination to ignore their own church law. Oh, and this was immediately following passing another resolution upholding their church law. Confused? Welcome to the Lutheran Twilight Zone!" Bob Burney

We only need to look at history to see how this will end. Either the liberals will take over, inch by inch, vote by vote,* or the conservatives will pull out (taking most of the money**) and form another synod with other disaffected congregations or synods. ELCA is losing members and money with this fight that's been going on for eight years.

Then among those who believe marriage is God's plan for one man and one woman and that pastors should not be openly living-in-sin whether straight or gay, there are ordained women pastors in ELCA. Well, the guy-group (mostly straight, but also some gays) is still smarting over losing that battle years ago (women have been ordained in some Lutheran churches for over 50 years), so it's raising its ugly head again and that will split the conservatives. How many protestant "fellowships/ congregations/ denominations" are there? 30,000? I'm not sure this is what Martin Luther or John Calvin or Menno Simons had in mind, but there it is--testimony to the whole world that where two or three are gathered in His Name, there will be a fight over the dress code or baptism or music and a new denomination will be born.

*This was a back door, political maneuver brought up at the last minute at the Chicago Assembly, with the press alerted and waiting in the halls to report the outcome and spin it.

**ELCA national office still shows our congregation (UALC) supporting them. However, our "benevolence payments" of $662,618 goes directly to the Southern Ohio Synod, and not to the national office. It's been that way for four years. These funds, and an additional $400,000 for other mission work, do not pass through national's office. This is another way to "spin" support for non-biblical viewpoints.