Faith = Shaken

 

Here we are, after the US election, and many of us are stunned. Worse than stunned. My first reaction was to just freeze.  I literally couldn’t move or react or do anything for a while.

Then I got angry. Angry that everyone that voted for Trump fell for his double-talk, his hateful rhetoric, his racism, misogyny, and religo-phobia. Or they embraced it and that’s what they want this country to become.

Even in his acceptance speech he used double-talk and a lot of people on ‘the other’ side are saying “look, it won’t be so bad”, but look at what he ACTUALLY said about the LGBTQ community – that he would protect them from FOREIGN threats. To my knowledge, there are no direct foreign threats to the LGBTQ community. The threats they face are RIGHT HERE IN OUR CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS. And many who voted for him and endorsed him (I’m looking at you, James Dobson and Franklin Graham) know that and what they want that persecution to be expanded and endorsed by the government.

My faith is shaken. And yes, I mean not just my faith in humanity, but my faith in God. Even those that (privately, not from the pulpit) said they wouldn’t vote for Trump, said “no matter what, God is in control. God chooses the king (quoting from Daniel 2 and Romans 13).  And even I quoted those same verses when Obama was elected and re-elected.

But I cannot, I will not believe or accept that this is what God wanted.  And don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that God endorsed Hillary either, but this is not what He wanted for this country. I WILL NOT ACCEPT OR BELIEVE THAT GOD WANTED BIGOTRY, MISOGYNY, AND FEAR TO RULE OUR COUNTRY.

If He did, that is not a God I can believe in.

My faith is rocked so hard it HURTS. It physically hurts. In my chest, in my stomach, my head.

And right now, I am not buying any of the comments from those saying “it’s not going to be that bad”, or “God is still in control” or “there is more that unites us than divides us”. Because I can’t believe any of that right now. No, not even that God is in control.

Because either we believe that God gives us free will to f*** things up, therefore needing His guidance and forgiveness, or He’s a god that puts people in power that openly subjugates women, immigrants, non-Christian religions. People willing to rip away the financial security of millions, people willing to force people off the safety net programs that lift people out of poverty, forcing them to turn to churches and charities that are unable or unwilling to offer the same help. (If churches are doing it, the government wouldn’t have to, but they aren’t, and when FDR founded these programs, he knew that, as did Congress.) And not the least of the problems is minimum wage – already too low – now could become non-existant.

A God that wants that is not a god I can believe in.

So, no. I do not accept that God has appointed our leader in this case. Our government is of, by, and for the people. Our founding fathers knew and understood the Bible (even if, arguably, many of them weren’t Christians or even religious) and they understood that in a republic, the PEOPLE are the leaders.

God chose our leader, and it is the PEOPLE.

And as such he let us f*** up.

But even as my faith is shaken, even as anger is rising in my heart, my determination is strengthened.

I have the tools, the will, the ability to fight. To help. To do more than talk.

And that is exactly what I am going to do.

It’s time for a revolution. It’s time for torches and pitchforks, figuratively speaking, but also safe houses and protection.

This blog, and the associated social media profiles are going to become the hub, the nexus of a real mission, a real ministry. An outreach of hope, help, and healing. Of safety and love. Real help for those hanging by the barest threads, for those whose marriages are endangered, for those losing their insurance and fighting, literally, for their lives.

I don’t know how, yet. I don’t have experience starting a charity, or managing the financial side of it, but I will learn. And with the help of you, dear reader, we can make this happen.

My faith is shaken, but my determination is strengthened. I will do what the country won’t, care for the least of these.