Primary Moments

| Posted: 05-03-2008 | Comments: 0 | Views: 3 | Rating: (50)

(?)

Tuesday was a big day in United States politics.

In case you haven't heard we here in the US are in the process of figuring out who our next president will be. Final elections won't be held until November, but state primaries proceed through early summer, determining how many delegate votes each candidate will bring to their party's convention.

Senator John McCain earned the Republican party nomination last night, winning enough votes for Mike Huckabee, also running for the nomination, to concede defeat. Democrats, many of whom believed they would awake this morning to Senator Barack Obama defeating Senator Hillary Clinton for the party''s top spot, were met instead by Senator Clinton's three primary wins in Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas. Her hopes live and the Democrats still have a choice to make before the final leg of the campaign trail commences.

Presidential politics are usually more cut and dried, but this year is different. We have no incumbent president or vice president running for the job of leading the country. Many of us are discouraged over our involvement in the Iraq war, our own sagging economy and the general downward turn the country has taken during the last seven years of the Bush presidency. We want change, and people seem to be waking up to the fact that this is a democracy and we all have to participate to make it function like one.

Because this year is different, we have choices and we appear to be exercising them. More people are actually discussing politics again, stating their opinions, saying who they like and why. Some people are also listening to each other, considering what points they may have missed about a particular candidate. It's been a long time since we Americans cared enough to carry on a conversation about the future of our own country. We are desperately in need of this thing called hope.

We are also desperately in need of this thing we call faith.

Although it is said that religion and politics don't mix, I would contend that faith and politics cannot be separated on an individual, a more personal level. I don't so much care about large scale religious battles over land, communicant members or Best Church Band of 2008. My interest settles on those simple conversations we have when our guard is down and we feel we can trust another human being with a small part of our souls. These moments of personal exposure can be fleeting, but hold deep wells of hope for what we can mean to each other as God's people.

Consider how you may express your faith in a study group at your church. Would you be ready to quote scripture or a memorized passage from a prominent author familiar to most people sitting in the circle around you? Is the level of intimacy you feel with your fellow worshippers strong enough to withstand differences of opinion between political candidates or scriptural interpretations? Would you be willing to tell the person next to you that a mistake you made in your personal life may cost you your home or your family? Yet every day these kinds of truths are told and intimacies are shared among perfect strangers on commuter trains, in grocery store lines and at public restroom sinks. We find it easier to be ourselves, speak of our beliefs and our lives with people who know nothing about us and who likely will never see us again.

We keep certain boundaries around ourselves when we believe we are around good church people who expect us to be a certain way, sound like them or believe the same things they do because we believe in God, just like they do. We don't want to admit that famous author makes no sense to us, or that the political candidate another is supporting does not speak to our values. We don't want to fully admit who we are because we are afraid of being judged, even if we may be equally judgmental of someone else.

My point is that even though we like the idea of religious freedom in our country, the same we we value democracy as a whole, we don't much like to have discussions that embody that freedom because then we would have to actually think about what we believe. Agreeing with the group at church functions or sharing what we really feel and believe with total strangers in public places brings about the same result: we stay hidden, our faith stays stagnant, never integrating with our actions and allowing us to live fully as God's people.

I have heard mentioned that our faith, though personal, is not private. But living a public faith takes courage, resilience and the willingness to listen. Not everyone shares the same religious beliefs, even people sitting in the same pew with us on Sunday morning. Faith, like democracy, is not a spectator sport. Challenging each other, through discussion, education, open-mindedness and faithful observance to grow what we believe beyond a childhood memory of "Jesus Loves Me" is part of who we are called to be for and with one another.

Rate this Article:

Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).

Article Tags: Republican, Democrat, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Mccain

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/religion-articles/primary-moments-351511.html

Print article

Send to friend

Publish this Article

Author feedback

About the Author:

The Rev. Cory L. Kemp, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a double major in Communication and the Arts and Social Change and Development and a minor in Women's Studies, was ordained into the ministry of the Moravian Church in North America after completing her Master of Divinity degree studies through Moravian Theological Seminary. Over twenty-five years of experience in individual and community ministries gives Rev. Kemp an informed perception about faith, its implications and struggles in everyday life. Rev. Kemp focuses her work on helping people understand their faith and how faith can become transformational in their lives. Bring authentic, meaningful faith into your daily life by visiting http://www.creatingwomenministries.com.

Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free!

Article Comments

Add new Comment

Voting for President is a Serious Issue
By: Joseph | 02/03/2008 | Politics

Where Do the We Go From Here?
By: Jason Henry | 13/03/2008 | Writing

Racial and Gender Reality in American Politics
By: Jim DeSantis | 31/01/2008 | Politics

Drilling in Anwr: the Facts That are Conveniently Ignored
By: Fauna Gille | 25/05/2008 | Politics

Democrat's Stalemate Bodes Well for John Mccain
By: James William Smith | 07/04/2008 | Politics

Iraq War Could Expand Into Iran by Election Day
By: James William Smith | 13/04/2008 | Politics

The Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign of 2012
By: James William Smith | 02/06/2008 | Politics

What About Web Technology?
By: Justin Sheehan | 02/06/2008 | Politics

Got a Question? Ask.

Ask the community a question about this article:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is anyone voting for someone other than Obama or ...
By: Donna Lynne | 17-08-2008
Is anyone voting for someone other than Obama or McCain?

Disastrous stay at Silver Beach Towers .
By: Becky | 17-08-2008
Please ,can anyone put me in contact with someone in a leadership role so that I may discuss a recent stay at Silver Beach Towers.? We encountered multiple problems that it would be impossible to put this experience in writing. Rebecca McLane (h)969-3021 or (c) 365-3357. Area code is 205 for both.

Looking for greatgrandmother pheobe bush or pheobe ...
By: rose | 16-08-2008
looking for greatgrandmother pheobe bush or pheobe sutton was living in new york.

Where can I watch interview with Obama on my computer this evening?
By: Frank | 16-08-2008
where to watch interview of Senator Obama on Saturday August 16

Article in the dr donahue column
By: ray | 16-08-2008
in the august 14th edition there was an article in the dr donahue column on HDL and the medicine that can be helpful. can you tell me how I can get a copy of the article

Did Obama say in his first book that he would side ...
By: Debbie Joiner | 15-08-2008
Did Obama say in his first book that he would side with the muslims against the the Israels.

Q&A Powered by:

Latest Religion Articles

This is Allah (36) What Allah Will Say to the Disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection?
By: Safaa Abdel-Aziz | 11/10/2008
This series is an attempt to help you to know Allah your Creator. Verses 7:37-38 of the Noble Quran talk about: 1) When the disbelievers will testify against themselves that they were the Losers? 2) What the angels of death will say to the disbelievers when they take away their souls? 3) When a community curses its sister-community on the Day of Resurrection, 4) When the disbelievers say to Allah: Our Lord, give them a double chastisement of the Fire? And 5) What Allah will say to them?

The Middle Verse in Bible Versus Quran - Chapter (47)
By: Prof.dr. Ibrahim Khalil | 11/10/2008
The Middle verse in chapter (47) of the Old Testament talks about Joseph said unto the Egyptians to give their cattle to sell them bread. The Middle verse in chapter (47) of the New Testament talks about the evils which Herod, the tetrarch, had done. The Middle verse in chapter (47) of the Noble Quran declares that there is no God save Allah, Ask Allah only for forgiveness for your sin; None will forgive you save Who knows everything about you in the life of the world and in the Hereafter.

A Perspective on the History of Mormon Fundamentalism
By: Susanna Barlow | 11/10/2008
Organized religion and the standards of marriage have been intertwined for centuries but in the early Roman period the Catholic Church eliminated other forms of marriage and established monogamy as the appropriate marital relationship. As Christianity took root in Europe so did monogamy and other forms of marital relationships receded...

Individuality and Freedom
By: Susanna Barlow | 11/10/2008
Mormon fundamentalism is decidedly hierarchal as are many organized religions but in the case of Mormon fundamentalism there are also the factors of polygamy and patriarchy which are not merely cultural elements but are actual tenets or requirements in order to receive salvation. There is much dysfunction and mismanagement of...

Does Anything Exist Like Islamic Terrorism?
By: Nawaz | 11/10/2008
Islam has nothing to do with those who commit acts of terrorism. Therefore, it is wise to differentiate Muslims (who are exercising this) and Islam. Just as acts of terrorism committed by Christians cannot be attributed to Christianity (like in bosnia & india), acts of terrorism committed by Muslims must not be attributed to Islam or its teachings.

Have You Had Your Chocolate "Son"day?
By: Dana Rongione | 10/10/2008
Life is a precious gift, and we should celebrate it daily. Each day is a special occasion, another chance to live for the Lord. So, why are so many Christians so gloomy? It's time to rejoice!

The Last Verse in Bible Versus Quran - Chapter (47)
By: Prof.dr. Ibrahim Khalil | 10/10/2008
The Last verse in chapter (47) of the Old Testament talks about Joseph swore unto Jacob that he will not bury him in Egypt. The Last verse in chapter (47) of the New Testament says that Eons is the son of Seth, which is the son of Adam, which is the son of God. The Last verse in chapter (47) of the Noble Quran talks Allah does not Need of your Expending; while you are the Needy of Him. You are the poor for Allah's Mercy, , Forgiveness and Paradise.

How to Hear God - You Can Hear God, God Wants You To Learn How To Hear Him
By: Lynne Lee | 10/10/2008
If you want to hear God, the first thing you need to do is discover how to tune in to God's voice. The better you know God and His ways the easier it is to hear God. Read on to discover the many different ways that God speaks. Hearing God is easier than you think.

More from Cory L. Kemp

Practical Beauty
By: Cory L. Kemp | 26/08/2008 | Religion
Decorating has always been a part of my life. My mother's subscription to Better Homes and Gardens rarely made it to her hands before mine. Especially during the summer months, when school didn't impede my camping out on our front steps until the mail carrier arrived.

Wanting to Grow
By: Cory L. Kemp | 24/07/2008 | Religion
Strolling up to the deli at my local grocery I didn't expect a conversation about the recession with the kind man plopping my tofu burger into its plastic take-out container

Hope Quest
By: Cory L. Kemp | 26/06/2008 | Religion
Remember the old days? So many answers for one simple question. In this case, I am reflecting on how far we have come in securing directions from here to there, wherever here and there may be. Used to be that maps were needed, sometimes several maps, all spread out on the kitchen table or the living room floor.

God's Paper Cups
By: Cory L. Kemp | 06/06/2008 | Religion
My mom sold our family home last year, the one in which I grew up, so when I make my visit this fall I will only be doing a drive-by visitation of the old homestead. Fortunately, the people who bought the house rehabbed it and had it posted on the web with a local realtor for a few months.

Graduations
By: Cory L. Kemp | 31/05/2008 | Religion
Pomp and Circumstance, the traditional graduation processional, echoed outside my door a few days ago. A local high school presides over the entire block across the street, so I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was hearing their rehearsal for this year's big day But graduation already? Didn't we just celebrate Christmas?

Wedding Meditation
By: Cory L. Kemp | 27/05/2008 | Weddings
My great good fortune has been to know Allison since just before she was born. I was returning home to Connecticut from performing another wedding. Allison's parents, Tracy and Brian, were in charge of transporting me from Milwaukee to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. But it wasn't to be because Allison decided this was her time to arrive.

Traveling Lightly
By: Cory L. Kemp | 22/04/2008 | Religion
Sad news greeted me a few weeks ago through a friend who works for the airline industry. The days of unlimited baggage are coming to a close. From now on we get one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person. If you can't contain yourself in that amount of space you will have the option to pay for additional bags.

Mercy for All
By: Cory L. Kemp | 16/04/2008 | Religion
Election coverage continues here in the United States. John McCain has been the decided Republican presidential candidate for what seems like a good long while. Democratic hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are still wooing potential voters with their ideas and plans to make our country a better place.

Article Categories

Article Marketing

Article Notepad

Stop Duplicate Content

Term Papers

Need Help?

Sign up for our email newsletter

Receive updates, enter your email below

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.21, 17)

Primary Moments

Article Comments

Related Articles

Got a Question? Ask.

Latest Religion Articles

More from Cory L. Kemp

Need Help?

Site Links

Webmasters

Business Info

Sign up for our email newsletter