We will get what we deserve

Posted

The current state of our politics is a reflection of the current state of our culture, writes Index Editor Gerald Harris. KROPIC/Getty The current state of our politics reflects the current state of our culture, writes Index Editor Gerald Harris. KROPIC/Getty

I grew up watching Groucho Marx on the television quiz show, “You Bet Your Life.” Groucho was witty and his quips and quotes are noteworthy. (You can find some of his old shows on You Tube. I saw one sponsored by Desoto automobiles, so they go back about five decades.) He is the one who said, “I never forget a face, but in your case I’ll be glad to make an exception.”

Marx also commented, “I don’t care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members.”

Although Groucho was a television star, he once remarked, “I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.”

However, Groucho made a quote about politics that seemed to hit the nail on the head. He declared, “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies.”

Marx’s analysis sounds tragically accurate, because earlier this year a Rasmussen survey found that just 11 percent of likely U.S. voters think Congress is doing a good or excellent job. This kind of review leaves people thinking that the United States Congress is dysfunctional. Others are more genteel and simply say that Congress is underperforming.

The June 30 Rasmussen Reports indicate that 29 percent strongly approve of the way President Obama is performing his job as president and 38 percent strongly disapprove. The report stated, “This gives him a Presidential Approval Index rating of -9.”

While there are some good men and women of integrity in politics it is fair to say that Washington isn’t fooling anyone. I watched as the members of Congress staged their day-long sit-in protest on the House floor over gun control recently.

The dubious behavior of these lawmakers reminded me of the petulant child who says, “If you won’t play my way, I’ll take my doll and go home.” They get incredulously vocal over tertiary issues, and yet they have trouble identifying the biggest issues we face.

The rant of those people in Congress is reminiscent of the deacon’s meeting where there is an hour-long frenzied discussion on who is supposed to change the light bulb in the hallway while multitudes are going to hell.

Tyler Durden, writing for David Attenborough’s Light on Earth website, puts it another way. He says, “They are like the couple arguing about what color to paint the living room, and meanwhile, their house is on fire.”

Durden added, “If you ask Americans if they identify as Democrats or Republican, almost half of the nation interrupts to say, “Neither.’ And why shouldn’t they? The main thing that unites most Democrats is being anti-Republican; the main thing that unites most Republicans is being anti-Democrat. No one knows what either party is for – but almost everyone knows neither party has any solutions for our problems. ‘Unproductive’ doesn’t begin to summarize how messed up this is.”

Now, Americans are faced with another general election, including the election of the 46th president of the United States. Many Americans dislike both the Democrat and Republican presumptive presidential nominees. In fact, Politico reported last month that 6 in 10 Americans dislike or hate Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Out of over 321,000,000 people in this nation we will likely be offered the option of deciding between a man who has been characterized as a blustering narcissist and a woman who has been characterized as a crooked prevaricator. Wow!

However, the presidential race may simply be a reflection of the moral and spiritual collapse that is eating away at the soul of the nation like a cancer. Maybe one of the candidates will turn out to be a great president, but on the other hand we may be getting just exactly what we deserve.

The Bible says in Daniel 4:17, This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.”

Stephen R. Miller, in his commentary on Daniel in The New American Commentary, writes, “’Montgomery rightly calls this “one of the immortal sentences of the Hebrew Scriptures!’ God gives these kingdoms ‘to anyone He wishes.’ God points out that at times He even allows ‘the lowliest of men’ to reign.

“Montgomery adds that this is a ‘truism in the facts of history.’ Therefore a king should not be filled with pride, for it is not by his ability but by God’s permissive will that he reigns. Archer rightly points out, however, that one criterion that affects God’s choice of kings is ‘the moral condition of the people to be ruled over.’”

Therefore, there is a direct correlation between the spiritual and moral condition of a nation and the leader God permits to sit in the Oval Office of the White House. It is inevitable that we will get what we deserve. Not only is judgment coming; it has already begun.

culture, Donald Trump, Groucho Marx, Hillary Clinton, politics, presidential race 2016, vote