The Political Pharisee weighs in on Choice, Third Party Candidates and "Staying Home."

I have been in Church for most of my life. This means I've heard sermons since before I was old enough to remember them. I don't remember any sermons on the last three chapters of Judges.

From our perspective they're pretty gruesome and thus no pastor wishes to tackle them. Between idiom, changing values (in my view, not to the better), murder, gang rape and a weak "hero" figure, it's just too much.

Perhaps that should instruct us because the ENTHUSIASM with which Israel backs up a weak man's complaint that after he surrendered his concubine to sexual abuse to the point of death, they arise as one man to go avenge her. Contrast that with today, where various blogs (Don Surber) I read have authors that complain that McCain isn't a good enough candidate so they will either "stay home" or write in people like Ron Paul or vote for Bob Barr.

While I don't exactly recommend the method, I'm with "Get Drunk and Vote for McCain." Grit your teeth and do what's necessary. Next time get involved in the primary phase and pick a better candidate. There is no place to lay the blame for the selection of John McCain, than at your own feet for having something better to do, or being to stuck up and self righteous to pick one of the flawed men offering themselves for our leader. You picked John either actively or passively, now your griping about it.

In a war, there are only two sides ultimately, and by the time we get to the Presidential Election, we're down to the surviving two. If you're an Evangelical or a Catholic or LDS can you REALLY rationalize Barack Obama? We'd like to think we pick the battle, the battleground and the issue to champion, but we don't. Quite often we're stuck with lousy men to champion and lousy causes. Let's go after them with the enthusiasm that Israel did. Let's also remember this;

Judges 21 - "What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly. For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there. And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children. And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man."

In so doing Israel exacted a worse punishment on Jabeshgilead than on the tribe of Benjamin with whom they went to war. The tribe whose members had either gang raped and murdered the woman and those who had shielded their relatives from the punishment for those crimes were the cause of bloody civil war in which tens of thousands of men and women died. Benjamin lives through the affair, those that sat on their hands at home, did not.

Pick a side. There are only two. Go to war with steadfast enthusiasm. Don't stop until it's over.

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