First the Bad news, because it is less significant to you personally than the Good news, even though it is totally about you personally. The very bad news is, barring a miracle, we have done exactly what Ben Franklin tried to caution us about: We have lost our “republic”, the “republic” carefully defined in our constitution! The sovereign governing authority of America (We the People) is no longer in charge… we have been overthrown! Other than the horror of it, we have yet to feel the consequences, and maybe we won’t for a while until reality soaks in. We can no longer pretend government works for us because a tainted election was just brazenly certified in the face of hundreds of thousands of citizens demanding a transparent, fair investigation. Is there anyone out there who still trusts election results?
The authority of “We the People” is utterly dependent on the credibility of the election process. The “rule of law” has no teeth without a verification of constitutional laws. This cannot happen without the power of “hiring” and “firing” politicians at the voting booth. The governing contract that begins with the words “We the People” has been violated.
It is a very cruel delusion if you thought the 2020 presidential election was about Trump… it was not! It was about you. Again, barring a miracle, the pending January 20, 2021, inauguration of Joe Biden will formalize the end of a 244-year era, begun in 1776. The great experiment, America, is over and we’ve lost. The election wasn’t about Biden either! He is just the “front man” for the replacement “conqueror” whose intentions go far beyond the justice and freedom we directed government to ensure. If you can convince yourself the election was legitimate and all the documented irregularities are coincidental anomalies, I am eager to be swayed by a transparent investigation! For now, I am convinced it is irrational and naïve to trust the veracity of the recent election in light of the credibility of the whistleblowers and presented evidence. What seems to be happening is so irrational, there has to be more to the story!
Now the Good news. You may totally reject before I can explain, if you do not first contemplate the nature and history of governing authority.
- Do you believe it is ever right for one human to enforce his or her will over another? Of course, you do! Parents must impose many things on children as they grow; acts of self-defense; incarceration of criminals; protection of others – are just a few examples of enforcing will of one over another.
- Is it ever right to restrain authority in respect? Yes, of course it is: In marriage; as a student; as a citizen to comply with government laws; as a religious person to comply with God’s laws.
These are all valid reasons for one human to impose will on another or submit to defer to someone else’s will. Consider the priceless value of our universal highest moral/religious priorities when bending wills: selfless love and justice.
In your contemplative analysis do not avoid uncomfortable thoughts about human nature. Most of us restrain our pursuit of gratification of our will at some point for another. While we as humans are incapable of being totally selfless, some seem to be incurably evil and self-gratifying while others seem unreasonably generous and helpful; but we all need to understand our genetic faults in context of our potential.
The point of asking you to ponder this topic is to cause “religious” thoughts. Consider and face the question of whether you resent or embrace God’s authority, His supreme will! Do you consider yourself humble and needy before Him, or, do you pretend He does not exist or does not care what you do?
The “good news” is that God Himself, in a human body (Jesus Christ) exists as both the Authority over all human authority (King of Kings) and, as the highest priest who advocates for us before God. He has promised to come back and has already paid the penalty for all of our shortcomings. He offers forgiveness to “whosoever will” (He does not force us) to believe in Him. The only reason we can even comprehend our highest values of selfless love, justice, and forgiveness is because it it was revealed in His act on the Cross.
Executive and judicial actions and the associated politics are fine if chosen leaders are “under” good authority themselves. The “rule of law” is a very good source of authority – if the law is aligned with moral absolutes. Regardless, the Good news will always stand strong.
This was also submitted as an article to The People’s Paper.