Do We Really Have Red And Blue States?

An article in "THE ATLANTIC" by Jonathan Rauch researched and exposited on the various theories, researches, and questions concerning this issue. Rauch made one very unfortunate comment, that it is better for Christian Conservatives to be part of the political system than to be outside the system bombing abortion clinics. See this at http://www.hughhewitt.com/index.htm#postid1317.

Rauch's comment above is worse than reprehensible, it is completely off base. I know, because I am a conservative Christian. And I've never even remotely considered bombing an abortion clinic or shooting an abortionist, as was the case of a criminal in Pensacola, Florida some years ago. Of course, I am saddened by the abortion of innocent unborn children. As I believe the Father is. God, who gives life to us all, must be greived by our penchant for destruction of His children. But I am a believer, a follower of my Creator, and there is no way I could be in favor of violence to achieve the means of stopping abortion.

Since I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus, who eschewed violence in favor of love, I believe that my reaction to such people as those who murder babies in their mothers' wombs, should be love. As difficult as it is, I must pray for grace, mercy, and love to be rooted in my heart, and that I should work to stop abortion by loving those who are guilty, and convincing them by word and deed that we who love God also love them and care that their actions separate them from the love of God. Our focus, those of us who are Christians, is to bring people out of darkness and into light, through Scripture and sincere caring for the souls who are lost in the darkness of sin.

What about the assumptions that we have red states and blue states? I'm sorry, but this division of folks in the United States goes only so far. We are not a nation divided, but a nation who voted for our preferences on election day. Certainly, many Christians voted for President Bush, but many Christians also voted for John Kerry. I wasn't one of them, but I don't condemn those who so voted, as they are also my brothers and sisters. They just saw things differently, and that is the beauty of our system: you can make your personal choice and no one can fault you for following your heart. The red and blue is merged, even in local communities, as there were voters of both conventions in almost every community in the land. Some who voted for Bush are certainly not Christian, and that also is their personal choice.

So, Jonathan, that is what we Christians are about. We may have voted Republican in the election, and we certainly support the President, but we do not blindly follow him. Should he support a move that is against our convictions, we have no compunction against letting our disappointment be known, and if things were to get so bad that he abandoned our interests altogether, he would no longer have our support. And I'm sure that Kerry supporters would say the same about their champion.

Thus, wherefore the red and blue? Only, I think, in the media, and maybe in the minds of a few. We are Americans, and we all love this land. There is no difference between us so great that we cannot cross the boundary to support one another! And may the unity of our people ever be strong, may the United States of America, blessed by God, ever be the land of the free and the home of the brave!


Joe Comer