The Life of a Rodeo Clown is a Sad and Solitary Existence

To anyone with even a passing familiarity with this blog, it should be easy to discern I think politicians tend to use religion cynically.

I may have softened in my view. I used to think no one pursuing political power could be trusted, they couldn't possibly be a Christian. Now, I can conceive of someone who sees public office as a legitimate way of serving others. I still distrust religious rhetoric. I am still suspicious of people who confidently claim God is on their side. I still think it's a horrible mistake to confuse nationalism with one's faith. I still see those with the most to say about religion in public life generally have a very ugly conception of what religion is. But now I can believe it is possible for someone to be a Christian politician. I think if that someone cared at all about the condition of their soul, they would be better off going into porn than public office. But hey, there but for the grace of God or whatever.

Anyway, I was hanging out with some Muslim folks from one of my classes last night and I learned something interesting. At least one Muslim person in America does not think W is a Christian. The God bless our bombs Crusaders on a divine mission to rid the world of evil imagery does not seem real to her. From what she knows of Christianity and Jesus, she thinks it a bit silly to think of the religious rhetoric as anything more than that. To her, it's just a whole lot of 3rd Commandment breaking from someone for whom the 10 Commandments aren't all that important. She directly asked me, "You really think he's a Christian?"

Crap, I don't know. I know people like to hear pretty things about Jesus, especially if the pretty words make them feel good and righteous. I know there are criteria for separating sheep from goats. I know I don't do the separating. I know not everyone who says, "Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of heaven." I know the eye can't say to the hand, "You're worthless to me." I know I am moving towards something that will make who I am in the future different from who I am today- different in a way that makes today seem shallow and vain though it means everything now- as different as crawling is from walking. In know others are doing the same. But do I think W is a Christian? Do I think he is Christ-like? Do I say that Christianity is in fact more and better than its loudest advocates? Do I say it doesn't matter because anyone can claim to be a Christian regardless of what they do? Do I say one can look at the love he has for others and know he is a disciple of Jesus? Will she know by my answer the same of me?

4th and 18 on my own 20.

I say, "Well I think he thinks he is."

Man, what a jerk. I should've just shared the "Four Spiritual Laws" with her and taken her down the "Roman Road." Then I could wash my hands of the whole thing.

I Should Know, I am a Rodeo Clown
Take, Take, Take- The White Stripes
Cancer for the Cure- The Eels
La Negra- Mariachi del Norte
No Shelter- Rage Against The Machine
River Euphrates -The Pixies
What's Going On- Marvin Gaye
Stay Away- Nirvana
The Wizard- Black Sababth
Add It Up- Violent Femmes
Number Three- They Might be Giants