Our country doesn’t have a partisan problem, a political problem, a social problem, an economic problem, or any other problem as big as the spiritual problem we have.
In the absence of God, Americans across partisan lines have turned to government and celebrity for their gods. They have gone off to worship idols.
The killer in Buffalo, NY fell under the spell of others who filled his head with twisted truths and lies that white people are being replaced. His manifesto is deeply demented stuff that transcends partisan lines.
Some on the right were quick to pounce. He had a manifesto. The FBI agent who provoked the plan to kidnap Governor Whitmer of Michigan had encouraged the main idiot in that plot to write a manifesto. Therefore, this attack in Buffalo must be an FBI coordinated plot. Seriously — some people lept to that argument as a defense against criticism of their political side.
The left, with the media, has seized on this to blast their political opponents, villify them, and tie them to racism. It is what they do.
Neither side really wants to deal with the spiritual problem.
The President could point people to their churches and communities. The partisans could pause to reflect instead of using a tragedy to advance politics and attack the other side or deflect attacks. They could call on people to denounce evil and look to their communities.
Evil is not that which God enables. It is the absence of God. Where God is not, evil is. God is not with us. The American nation, its politicians, and its people have pushed Him out of their lives and evil creeps in to the void they all created.
It is not partisan. The godless, secular atheists of the left push the agendas of sinners designed not to glorify God, but draw people to their partisan side. The God fearing Christian right pushes an agenda of sinners not to glorify God, but to draw people to their partisan side.
The left and right and self-described Christians in all camps put tribal loyalty of party above love of neighbor and Christ. And evil creeps in. It has torn up families. It has torn u neighborhoods and communities. It is tearing up the nation.
The mass murderer in Buffalo, NY succumbed to the evil of hate — he loved himself more than he loved his neighbor. He believed lies others perpetuated to stir up division and discord, lest unity crowd out bad ideas.
The partisans will now make it worse and bring more division, more hate, and more strife. Evil will creep further in.
We need Jesus, not partisanship. We should expect our President to do anything but say that. Our leaders have failed us on all sides. They’ve led us to idols and performance art on social media.
Best as I recall from my Catechism, God was there when the angels rebelled.
I've never been involved with religion, and have had occasional unpleasant encounters with Christians, but agree with Erickson's essay here. These are the difficulties:
1. There have been and still are too many charlatans pushing traditional Christianity
2. Too many, including my wife, insist that there is one path to righteousness, and I would guess that there are many versions once you get into the specifics
3. Blind acceptance of any doctrine is a stretch. 2000 years, going back to a time when records were sketchy and low fidelity is asking too much
A fresh perspective broadly incorporating modern understanding of existence and that leads to a renewed and far more compelling reinforcement of timeless principles is possible, IMO. Since both sides of this debate are intransigent there seems to be little hope for compromise, however