I mentioned in my last post about a guy named Rich Mullins. I met Rich on several occasions, and while I respected Rich for 99% of everything, I couldn’t get past his words about the American government. Well, Rich could just see further down the road than me, and while I was looking through a fog, he was seeing clearly. I’ve now come full circle.
I hate politics. I love staying up on election night and watching the states turn republican red. But, other than that, it is simply empty promises that no one man has the power to keep. And, every congressman, president, and elected judge is in bed with the pharmacuetical companies, credit card companies, and oil companies. So, no real change will ever take place anyway.
So, I was listening to Rich Mullins yesterday, and this is what he had to say between songs:
“I think the big problem is that as Christians we have forgotten that our identity is wrapped up in Christ. And, for a long time we bought into the illusion that the will of the masses would be more generous and more benevolent than the will of one dictator. But, democracy is not necessarily bad politics, it’s just bad math. A thousand corrupt minds is just as evil as one corrupt mind.
“I am very hurt at the apathy in the Church. I am very hurt over the determination of the government to destroy life – and it’s simply not over the abortion issue. Anyone who has any awareness at all of Wounded Knee… not only the first Wounded Knee, but what happened there about 20 years ago or whatever… you kind of go there can be no doubt that governments that are controlled by men are without exception, anti-life, and anti-Christ.
“I think I believed for a long time there would be political solutions, because growing up in America you endure several political campaigns. And these people make promises saying ‘We will do this and we will do that.’ And you believe them because you don’t know any better. And I really believed for a long time that this was all going to work. And I thank God now for Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and for all those people who betrayed any confidence the American people could have in their government.
“Who said that the leadership of this country is not accountable to the people who elect them, and who made so clear that we now know that no government works. And I wanted the government to work. And what I now realize is that I used to make fun of the syntamental feeling in the Church that there was an afterlife. I used to mock the songs about Heaven. I used to think that it was somehow stupid and even wicked to even dream of Heaven, and to long for Heaven.
“And now, I see the kind of a horrible place that earth really is. And I go hiking and I go – This could be so beautiful. And I meet people. I met the guy last night sweeping the stairs down there. And I talk to this very gentle man, a very kind man. A very simple man. And I thought – how could a world made up of people like this be such a horrible place. And then I pick up the paper and read about dishonesty, deceit, and betrayal, and all that. And I go – I do long for Heaven. Someday God will destroy injustice. Someday there will be a judgement, and because we have a loving and forgiving Father, maybe we’ll survive it. And, if we don’t, sometimes I think Hell is better than what we deserve anyway.”
I couldn’t agree more. There is no hope in Hillary, Obama, McCain, Huckabee. or whomever. Empty promises of faithless men (and women) who are sleeping with every whore they can to reach their goal. Rich Mullins could not be more correct. Thousands of corrupt individuals who betray, deceive, compromise, and lie. This is certainly not anti-Bush, anti-Democrat, or anything else. It is saying that as long as you put your hope in corrupt men (and women), you will get hurt. There is only One who can be trusted.