Especially if you're a Democrat, you simply must read the Militant Moderate today.

BTW - good article in the Enid News and Eagle this morning about our State Senator, Patrick Anderson - leading the charge to encourage people to get out and vote in the run off elections.

This is an interesting read . . .

on Separation of Church and State concepts.

In his six sermons, Mr. Boyd laid out a broad argument that the role of Christians was not to seek “power over” others — by controlling governments, passing legislation or fighting wars. Christians should instead seek to have “power under” others — “winning people’s hearts” by sacrificing for those in need, as Jesus did, Mr. Boyd said.

my strongest political rant . . .

would be this.

Go vote today!!!!!

I heard from my state Senator last night, wondering why I had not posted more on this "new" blog site. Good question. Short answer - I've been wrapped up in too many things, and I suspect as the summer winds down and the fall ensues, I will be able to invest a little more energy on this site.

But here is the rant for today. Go vote. It is primary day in Oklahoma, and by most preliminary estimates, 10 - 15% of the registered voters will cast ballots. That's the registered voters. I consider voting privilege to be closer to a responsibility. I don't operate from the "If you don't vote, you can't gripe" theory - my opinion on this one is a little more stringent - something more akin to "YOU DIDN'T VOTE WHY????

If you haven't already, go vote today. If you haven't registered, stop what you're doing right now and head over to the County office to register, and then start paying attention to what is going on, and get involved. It's your responsibility. Cynicism isn't a valid excuse. Lack of interest isn't either. It is perhaps the greatest responsibility we have as citizens of this country and this state.

a working definition . . .

I posted this on another blog last week - but it seems a good way to begin my foray into political perspective posturing . . .

I have a simple way to define politics. You break the word down into its parts - poly, meaning many - ticks - meaning blood sucking creatures - and there you have it - many blood sucking creatures.

I know - that reeks of cynicism. But who among us isn't becoming increasingly cynical about politics. They say that politics is one of the big three that you aren't supposed to bring up at cocktail and dinner parties - but it is increasingly becoming a mainstay topic of conversation. The difference these days - people "check out" their potential conversation partners to see if its "safe" to enter into a biased political conversation. There is so much animosity - there is so much vehemence. And we live in a country divided. Actually, polarized would be a better term.

Not everything about politics is bad - heavens, nothing would ever get done if people didn't band together to accomplish things. Politics is a necessary evil. But I must borrow a term here from the religious world - we have become a country of "fundamentalist" politicians. By that, I mean that we those we listen to the most - and perhaps even ourselves (if we were honest) - practice a mentality that figures that everything they believe is truth, and everything the opposition believes is wrong, and therefore, the opposition must be destroyed in the process of accomplishing their own ends.

Tell me I'm wrong . . .

I think it takes a balance of perspectives.

And I'll say more about that next time.

a political statement . . .

In the ecclesiastical world, there is a fine line between stating personal opinion and presenting a theological view which has political ramifications within one's local congregation.

I am not always sure just exactly where that line is . . .

Therefore, I have opted to create this secondary personal blog as a place where I can state my political thoughts, regardless of whether they cross the line or not.

I caution my readers, and my parishoners - I intend to state my opinion in this forum. I will deal with those issues I deem urgent, important, relevant, and otherwise worthy of my input.