A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

I do not want to
stand by and watch
our democracy dismantled
by Christian nationalists.
I do not want
to stand by and let
Christianity be
co-opted by extremists
in pursuit of political power.
I do not want a government
dictated by a single religion,
even if it is my own.

As a follower of Jesus,
I do not see these things
as loving our neighbor.
Jesus stood for caring,
mercifulness and mildness,
not the pugnaciously
manipulative scheming
of the “moral majority,”
which is neither moral
nor a majority.
Nothing is less Christ-like
than bullies, liars,
and insurrectionists.

Why force apocalyptic thinking
instead of nurturing peace on earth?
Why galvanize around hate of other
instead of rallying around love
of what we can create together?
Like Jesus, I am a champion of
healing and helping,
civility and respect,
not domination and control.

How do I love radically enough
to stop racism, theocracy,
elitism and chauvinism,
to educate and redeem,
to help the poor and needy,
to support women
and the marginalized,
and to distinguish myself
from white supremacy–
to mobilize enough
to stop the egregious threat
of power-hungry hubris and hate
marshaled in God’s name?

I don’t want to
alienate anyone,
but I don’t want
to be complicit either
in my silence,
and not call out the danger
I feel raging around us.
I am innocent and unarmed,
desiring gun control.
They have the guns
and are stock piling more,
preparing to use them.
I do not want war,
and I follow a Jesus
who let others kill him
rather than ever be
an aggressor.

How do we have a
representative democracy
with a schism this large?
If they represent me,
they’ll shut down
all that matters to me.
Can I represent them
with compassion
when I wholeheartedly
do not subscribe
to their agenda
that’s been built
on the back of fake news?

Truly the one actual God
of infinite understanding
that is separate from any
church and state
must help us now.
We need deliverance
out of this impasse.
As a Christian, liberal,
pacifist, feminist,
believing in everyone’s
dignity under God,
and that all are deserving
to be served and uplifted,
I ask for You
to help this country
vote for a solution
that we can all live with.

Polly Castor
7/15/24