Last week at the Democrats\u2019 national convention, there was a public stir when the delegates voted to amend their party\u2019s platform.<\/p>\n
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Originally crafted omitting any reference to God and recognition of Jerusalem as Israel\u2019s capital, former Gov. Ted Strickland (D-OH) moved to have the platform changed and the references included.\u00a0 Strickland said, \u201cAs an ordained United Methodist minister, I am here to attest and affirm that our faith and belief in God is central to the American story, and forms the values we\u2019ve expressed in our party\u2019s platform.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Needing a 2\/3 vote, 3 times a vote was taken to include God and Jerusalem.\u00a0 3 times the majority was audibly ambiguous, with people reacting loudly both \u2018for\u2019 and \u2018against\u2019 inclusion.\u00a0 After vote #3, the convention chairman arbitrarily declared the amendment passed, prompting even louder boos in the arena.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Consistent with our culture\u2019s unfortunate polarized, partisan nature, immediately many worked to diminish or pounce on the public relations stir.\u00a0 First came the campaigns; second came the pundits; and third came people like you and me, conveniently hitting \u201clike\u201d and \u201cdislike\u201d on Facebook.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n To diminish<\/em><\/strong> the chaos, some of my more liberal friends claimed the boos were in reaction only to the process.\u00a0 To pounce,<\/em><\/strong> some of my more conservative friends cried that the Democrats hate God.\u00a0 The Intramuralist suggests that both of these perspectives miss the main point.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t about Republicans nor Democrats.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t about party platforms nor how political language should be crafted.\u00a0 This is about all people… and our individual ability to acknowledge God.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sometimes we have a bit of trouble with that…\u00a0 acknowledging God\u2019s existence.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For some it is very private acknowledgement.\u00a0 It is something so near and dear to their heart that they believe it is profoundly personal.\u00a0 I respect that.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For others it is a very public acknowledgement.\u00a0 It is something so near and dear to their heart that they believe the joy must be shared.\u00a0 I respect that, too.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For still others, it is something to never acknowledge.\u00a0 It is not near nor dear to their heart and thus they believe any reference or reliance on an omniscient, omnipresent Creator by any<\/em><\/strong> should be squelched.\u00a0 That\u2019s more challenging to accept.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Yes, I\u2019m struck by the need to squelch \u2014 this need by some to put a potential shroud over the truth.\u00a0 Ever since the beginning of time, people have been able to take a long and thoughtful look at what God has created.\u00a0 The basic reality of God is plain enough; people have been able to see what their eyes actually couldn\u2019t.\u00a0 We can see evidence of some eternal power and the mystery of a divine being.\u00a0 Exactly how and what that looks like is certainly hard to specifically depict.\u00a0 Yet the mystery should not motivate us to squelch; the mystery should prompt us to search even more.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The challenge is that to acknowledge God\u2019s existence, we must in response ask what he wants from us; what does he desire from his so-called kids? … from all of creation?\u00a0 That\u2019s a tough question to answer; there are multiple angles from which to approach.\u00a0 Let me also affirm that the question is not something we can dictate for one another.\u00a0 It is something with which we must individually wrestle.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Which is…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n … why I have total respect for the private acknowledgers…<\/p>\n … why I have total respect for the public proclaimers…<\/p>\n … and why I have trouble with the private and public squelchers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Some of us at times pretend to know it all.\u00a0 We don\u2019t.\u00a0 None of us do.\u00a0 Not you, not me, and certainly not the Intramuralist.\u00a0 But sometimes I think we\u2019re each a little illiterate when it comes to issues regarding life.\u00a0 Some of us claim to know God, but yet, we refuse to treat him like God.\u00a0 We refuse to treat his people and creation well.\u00a0 We also don\u2019t worship him, and then we trivialize his power and presence, for that way, we never have to wrestle with the question of what he may desire.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Yes, we can be an arrogant people.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sometimes each of us \u2014 without the public watching \u2014 even \u201cboo.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Respectfully,<\/p>\n AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Last week at the Democrats\u2019 national convention, there was a public stir when the delegates voted to amend their party\u2019s platform. Originally crafted omitting any reference to God and recognition of Jerusalem as Israel\u2019s capital, former Gov. Ted Strickland (D-OH) moved to have the platform changed and the references included.\u00a0 Strickland said, \u201cAs an … <\/p>\n