It is nice to see that the media actually agrees with my gut reaction on the debate. But it also scares me that the media agrees with me. What have I become?
The main issue that still frustrates me with the debate is the idea that we are guilty by association. Sean Hannity expresses the same thought on his radio show daily. Yesterday, he asked a person if they found out that a friend was a member of the KKK, would they disassociate with them. The obvious answer which the caller shared was, "Yes, I would disassociate with a member of the KKK."
I think the obvious answer is wrong. How in the world can we transform the world if we do not associate with the world? The Sean Hannity Gospel would condemn Jesus himself (I think I will send him an email regarding this - I'll let you know how it goes). Jesus interacted with prostitutes, tax collectors (very shady people in his day - maybe also in our day), and other sinners.
I can spend time with a homosexual and not become homosexual. Homosexuality is not a disease that can spread just from shaking hands. I can serve on the board of a company with a fellow terrorist and not be a terrorist. How close are "board relationships" anyway? I can talk with a Muslim and refuse to proclaim allegiance to Allah. I can listen to a sermon where I do not agree with the preacher and still hold to my own convictions.
Washington needs a person who is willing to communicate with people of opposing viewpoints. What a breath of fresh air that would be. George W. promised this new way of politics, but kept that promise as well as his father kept his "No new taxes" pledge. In the end, we can only reflect the light of the world to the world if we communicate with lovingly interact with the world.
I can see bad associations being a problem if the people that are evil were in Obama's inner circle (the couple people he hangs out with if he has the free time), but I have heard no evidence of that. The closest would be his pastor, but in a church that large it would be rare for an individual to have the pastor in his inner circle. (I personally go to a church that I do not agree with a major issue on, yet do not leave over it because I love the people in the church.) Obama obviously appreciates Reverend Wright for the role he played in bringing him to Jesus. I cannot hold that against the man. I have an appreciation in my heart for the people that brought me to Jesus.
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On a final and nearly unrelated note, Alan Keyes left the Republican party and is now running for President as a member of the Constitution party. There is now another candidate that I will vote for before I vote for John McCain. I do wonder about the picture at the top of his webpage. Does it look like he just finished twelve rounds in a boxing match or is it just my crazy computer?
