A Perceived Reality.....

On our way to an event today, my wife and I made a stop at a local "Early Voting" spot to cast our vote for this years election.  Along with two of my kids in tow, I pressed the button to place a check in the small little box for several district judges and various senate seats candidates and I also pressed the box to place a check in the box confirming my vote and support of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.  As I went through the prompts, finished, and loaded the family up in the car to head to the next event, I began to think of many things concerning elections in general, the history and of course the significance of this very election in 2012.  I have seen, listened to, conversed about, read, and received so much information during this election and witnessed in it all, so much hatred for one individual.  Our President. 

I did not vote for President Obama because he is black.  I did not vote for him because I simply don't like Mitt Romney.  I did not vote for President Obama because I had to make a choice of the "lesser evil."  I voted for President Obama because I believe in the direction he is attempting to move our country forward in.  I believe in most of the policies he has either put in place and others he would like to put in place.  I voted for him because he has presented change in this country that has us on the path to a better future.  I voted for him because he is the best man for the job.  Period. 

I have read all the articles, seen all the YouTube videos, listened to all the "non"mainstream media types bash him, demean him, and provide some of the most pointed hatred I have seen in my 37 years of life.  The comments, the lies, the constant attacks that I have witnessed has led me to see America for what it has truly become.  We claim to be the greatest country on this earth, and although I will not debate that, I must submit some of that some of that  "greatness" we claim is clearly a poorly perceived reality.  Thus, simply not great at all.  We are a country that has shown ourselves to hate with greater passion.  Attack with misguided purpose.  Mislead with greater intentions.  We are a country of selfish citizens where even the poor feel entitled.  We have forgotten the concept of helping, respecting, leading, and changing for the better because it has become inconvenient.  The past four years that President Obama has been in office, I have witnessed this behavior from distant and up close and it caused me today to ask an even greater question than "why?"  This behavior and the times in which we live caused me to ask "how much longer?"  Not "how much longer" as in how long we will live like this or continue in this fashion.  How much longer before we destroy the very existence God has given us by continuing to ignore the need for change and collect for self in complete greed?  This is the concern and this is why my heart hurts.

"Hate"...."Racism"......it is embedded in the very fibers of our lives like DNA to the point the most don't even realize they are racist or being racist and hateful.  This President has brought out the very hate that has lived, breathed, and cultivated the very hearts of those who makes statements like, "We want our country back."  or  "Obama doesn't know or understand what it means to be American."  Statements like this, no matter how you attempt to spin them, are hateful by design and racist in nature.  No other President has been attacked for his birth certificate, his religion, his standards, and his family up bringing as President Obama has.  Not one!  No other President has been blamed for every single issue, concern, mishap, downfall, or failure to the extent this President has been.  Not One!!  Stories have mislead you, lied to you, provided inaccurate information in an attempt to make you believe that this current President is the worse human being on the face of the earth.  His religion has been attacked saying he is not Christian and lately that he is the "wrong" type of Christian.  At what point do we open our eyes and realize that our minds are being made up by others who have agendas that speak to the very greed this country has thrived on and causes us to say this is the greatest country on earth?  He is the "wrong" kind of  Christian?  Really?  Jesus Christ sat with sinners, broke break with unbelievers often in an attempt to express his love for them to convert them to follow him.  Jesus also believed in paying taxes because it was the law and required to provide options to those around HIM.  The bible is full of scriptures that address the rich and the evil behind the greed and love of money.  The bible tells us that the goods of the rich are stored up for the poor.  The lesser will be blessed by the greater.  (Heb 7:7)  When I look at these passages and I think about what President Obama's plans are, I am moved to believe that he is in fact the Right Christian, not the wrong.  I believe that his character and values speak more to a Christian belief system then most previous Presidents.  His humility when addressing crowds and interacting with citizens.  His calm approach to various issues and concerns.  He has been attacked for saying and attempting to meet with other world leaders to try and come to some type of resolve as opposed to going in to their country and bullying them in to doing what we want.  Yet this is a Christ like character of talking to resolve as oppose to war.  Those who attack them state that they are Christians yet the very substance of what they say speaks against the very essence of who God is.  Hate for a person in this manner destroys our country and destroys the foundation we have stood on for centuries.  So it is not a matter of how long will we continue but how long until we destroy us?  You may not agree with his policies or methods but to blame him for every failure when congress has not moved to action on many of the things that people attack him for when he has submitted the plan.  You may not agree with his stand on social issues and even foreign policies however we have been safe without concern for 4 years and he is the President of the United States not just the Christian community.  Again, his concern and inclusion of individuals that you may feel are undeserving because of their sexual preference, speaks to the very core of the love that the bible teaches us.  Love...  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  (1 Corinthians 13:5-6)  Inclusion does not mean one agrees with the sin, but we must love the sinner.  When those who have attacked him for things such as this I wonder if it is us who are the "wrong" type of Christians? 

This election will come and go and all of us will move forward in our own collective worlds but the question still remains.  How long before we destroy "us?"  Moving forward doesn't always mean we are actually going anywhere it just simply means we move away from the current moment but life has taught us we seem to always end up back at the same place.  The only way to really move forward with no return is to address the elephant in the room.  Decide that change will take place and change starts with conversation.  Change starts with understanding that someones perceived reality means that misunderstanding may be present.  It is up to each of us to clarify the real reality and not allow others to view theirs based on perception.  Perception simply means ones idea of reality.  Mine is that we are headed to a place we cannot come back from.  A place of destruction and a time that will put us all the way back where we must start over completely.  A reset ...if you will.  What would you prefer....a reset to start with nothing?  Or a chance to create change that will allow us to show just how great this country really can be?  Are you ready to talk?  Are you ready to look HATE and RACISM in the face and call it out?  Are you ready for the true reality?  Vote.....and do it based on facts....not someone else's misleading reality....find the truth.  That is how change starts...that is where this countries greatness stems from.  YOU!