SCOOBY DOO POLITICS
If you’ve ever shared the gospel, chances are, you have been told at least once, “I’m not into religion.” But we know that not just because they think they are not into it, means they’re off the hook because, like it or not, we are all either for or against Jesus (Mt. 12:30). For those who say they’re not into religion, sadly, it means they are against Him by default.
The same goes for politics. Been reading a lot what it means to be political in, of all places, the official Scooby Doo Facebook page when it expressed its support for their black colleagues without mentioning George Floyd explicitly. I had to do a double turn to see if a visit to the optometrist was called for but there it was---my favorite canine sleuth beside the message. Good ol’ Scooby! Here’s a “like” for you!
I was about to scroll past the post when I noticed a comment which said, “There are two things you don't bring up in forums that are not specifically intended for…politics and religion…..because no one is going to change their mind about anything based on a Facebook post.” Well, if she believed that, then why bother trying to change our minds?
Just like religion, whether we like it or not, we are all political. There is no escape because we are all automatically citizens with civic duties so everything we do is political even if we don’t do them. Take for example, voting. Even if we don’t vote, that is being political because our message (intentional or not) is that we surrender our right and responsibility in deciding for our nation. Not registering even if it's because we don't have time is also being political.
When we are exasperated over red tape, that is being political. When we are frustrated about traffic, that is being political. Telling others to stop posting about politics and just stick with bible quotes is also being political. We cannot extract ourselves from politics regardless how we feel about it because how our country---and the entire world, for that matter---is run emanates from it.
It’s the same way when we say we are not into science or math because we don’t understand them and barely passed them in school. We are doing science when we breathe in oxygen, when we drive, or when we cross the street because we take it into the equation. We are doing math when we count our sukli, when we pay the rent, and when we tithe. Even in death, we are doing it or being done for us as our loved ones compute the cost of burying us. We just can’t help them.
Oh, we can go ahead if we don’t like to register, don’t follow the news, or whatever other “don’t’s,” but let’s not kid ourselves that we can exorcise politics with a wave of a denying wand in the same way people say they’re not into religion. We are already in it, we are all in this together, and we must answer for our action---or inaction---to our children, to our children’s children, and most of all, to the God of justice.
If you’ve ever shared the gospel, chances are, you have been told at least once, “I’m not into religion.” But we know that not just because they think they are not into it, means they’re off the hook because, like it or not, we are all either for or against Jesus (Mt. 12:30). For those who say they’re not into religion, sadly, it means they are against Him by default.
The same goes for politics. Been reading a lot what it means to be political in, of all places, the official Scooby Doo Facebook page when it expressed its support for their black colleagues without mentioning George Floyd explicitly. I had to do a double turn to see if a visit to the optometrist was called for but there it was---my favorite canine sleuth beside the message. Good ol’ Scooby! Here’s a “like” for you!
I was about to scroll past the post when I noticed a comment which said, “There are two things you don't bring up in forums that are not specifically intended for…politics and religion…..because no one is going to change their mind about anything based on a Facebook post.” Well, if she believed that, then why bother trying to change our minds?
Just like religion, whether we like it or not, we are all political. There is no escape because we are all automatically citizens with civic duties so everything we do is political even if we don’t do them. Take for example, voting. Even if we don’t vote, that is being political because our message (intentional or not) is that we surrender our right and responsibility in deciding for our nation. Not registering even if it's because we don't have time is also being political.
When we are exasperated over red tape, that is being political. When we are frustrated about traffic, that is being political. Telling others to stop posting about politics and just stick with bible quotes is also being political. We cannot extract ourselves from politics regardless how we feel about it because how our country---and the entire world, for that matter---is run emanates from it.
It’s the same way when we say we are not into science or math because we don’t understand them and barely passed them in school. We are doing science when we breathe in oxygen, when we drive, or when we cross the street because we take it into the equation. We are doing math when we count our sukli, when we pay the rent, and when we tithe. Even in death, we are doing it or being done for us as our loved ones compute the cost of burying us. We just can’t help them.
Oh, we can go ahead if we don’t like to register, don’t follow the news, or whatever other “don’t’s,” but let’s not kid ourselves that we can exorcise politics with a wave of a denying wand in the same way people say they’re not into religion. We are already in it, we are all in this together, and we must answer for our action---or inaction---to our children, to our children’s children, and most of all, to the God of justice.