(I also posted this to azcentral)
More and more, the news is about what it is that separates us -- Republican against Democrat, rich against poor, Christian against Muslim, and so on -- but there is very little on what it is that binds us.
And yet Matthew 12:25 in part says "and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand." I am declaring a breakdown -- we have become a house divided. Who benefits from this? Not you or me. There is a group that wants us to forget who we are, that, as Americans, we have always had a difference of opinions but we have stood together. That group -- a very small group -- is interested in one thing and one thing only: Control.
Tea Party activists and Republicans are told that Obama and Progressives are the enemy. Democrats are told that Republicans are evil. I go to church with many and I can assert that is not so. And I can assure you that what Republicans and Tea Party activists are being told is the furthest thing from the truth as well.
What's behind some of the division? Here's one thing: Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal (this is the Saudi prince that gave Rudy Giuliani that check and had it ripped up), through his Kingdom Holding Company, is the second largest shareholder of News Corp (aka Fox News) has a vested interest in having Christians hating Muslims; as a Wahabist Muslim himself, he, like bin Laden, would love to see a war between the two. So Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck (who, by the way, is NOT a Christian) fan the flames of hatred. Now explain to me where Jesus said "hate thy neighbor," because I certainly can't find it anywhere.
There are 63 places in the Bible where God makes it a point to say "fear not" and another 3 where he says "be not afraid." We must be a stubborn lot that he has to tell us 66 times that we have nothing to be afraid of. 66!! How many of you claim you trust in God and yet choose to be afraid? Why are you afraid? There was a song that I loved when I was growing up that went "Be not afraid, I go before you always. Come, follow Me, and I will give you rest."
I stand in the rift. I will not be standing alone. I am calling on everyone -- all religions, all political parties, all people -- Americans, one and all, to stand with me. The breach must be healed. We must stand together agaisnt those who would see us destroyed as a Nation and stand together to create (or re-create) a strong, whole Nation. We will make this work, but only if we stand together.
