“The Frowardness of Politics”
If you are an Alabamian, unless you are living under a rock,
you are well aware that we just went through a nasty political election. TV ads… Presidential Tweets… Politics these days nauseates me…makes me
sick to my ever-lovin’ stomach! I was trying to think of a good word to
describe what is going on in today’s politics and I think I stumbled upon one
in my grandmother’s old King James Version Bible. It’s “froward” (not to be confused with
“forward” which would indicate moving in a positive direction).
Here is the passage of Scripture that I read that read and
thought it nails the current state of politics not only in Alabama, but
nationally…
A
naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. (Prov. 6: 12)
I don’t have to explain what “naughty” or “wicked”
mean. “Walketh,” when used in this way
means that this is a way of life. It is
the “walk” you “walk” as opposed to just being the “talk” you “talk.” What does
“froward” mean in this verse? The Hebrew word used in Prov. 6: 12 means crooked and deceitful. Froward…opposite
of toward… In Webster’s Dictionary, “toward” means (1) In the direction of (2)
facing (3) along a likely course to. So
froward would be turning your face away from…moving in a course in the other
direction of…in this case the truth.
Turning your face from the truth as a manner of living…froward.
As if to illustrate this, we read this in the next verse…
He
winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers.
(Prov. 6: 13)
Remember we are talking about the person whose manner of
living is crooked and deceitful…
“Winketh with his eyes…speaketh with his feet… what the heck?” OK –
picture a back room with 4 people sitting at a felt-covered table, smoking
cigars and playing cards. Two of the players are crooked and deceitful. They are going to cheat up a storm. So one will wink at the other across the
table…or kick the other one under the table…or scratch his cheek… as a way to signal something in the cheating
process. Thinking of politics yet? Feeling queasy?
When I think of the “frowardness” of politics these days, I
picture two groups in a tug of war. They
are so dead set against each other, that they will not even face each
other. They are pulling against each
other, with the rope over their shoulder so they can face away – not even wanting
to look at the human beings on the
other side of the line. Winning for
their “side” is everything. It is their
“religion.” When winning becomes your “religion,” then cheating and lying
become your “sacraments.”
This is zero-sum-game stuff here. It’s “my side can’t win unless your side
loses. If you are not 100% for me, you
are against me. Whatever I have to sacrifice to get a win…even if it is my
personal integrity…is worth it, because winning is everything…my religion…my
god.” Therefore, to move “toward” my
opponent, is “apostasy.” To work with someone on the other side is “blasphemy.” I
will swallow anything if it moves my side closer to a win. I will believe anything negative that is said
about my opponent, regardless of whether or not it is factual. (Remember, in the religion of winning, lying
is a sacrament).
Frowardness…politics…
I’m just sick to death of it.
That’s one of the reasons I voted for Doug Jones yesterday. I didn’t vote for him because I’m a
Democrat. I’m not. I’m an Independent. I voted for him because he ran on a platform
of wanting to work with both sides…reach across the aisles…move “toward” common
ground… I voted for him and he won, but
honestly I don’t feel like going around high-fiving everyone. Because I also voted for Jones because I
believe Roy Moore to be one of the most froward politicians I have ever
seen. His whole platform is defiance. He doesn’t seem to want to move “toward”
anyone…even his fellow Republicans.
In addition to that, I believe the accusations of Moore’s
sexual misconduct are credible. I’m not
naïve enough to think that “politics” isn’t coming into play with the timing of
these allegations. But I’m also not
naïve enough to think that just because someone “claims” to be a fundamentalist
Christian, it means that they are walking in integrity…that they are who they
say they are. Several things make me
believe these accusations are credible.
(1) The story was reported by a reputable national newspaper as a result
of investigation. You may not like the Washington Post, and you make think it
is a “liberal rag,” but I can remember back to Watergate…folks said the same
thing about the Post back then – but the truth is the truth, and when there is
this much smoke, there it is likely that there is fire. (2) I have heard the stories of many, many
women who have experienced sexual harassment (and worse) from men who are in
positions of power. I have no qualms
believing women when they say that men behaved inappropriately toward
them. (3) I have a report from someone I
know and trust who lived and worked in Moore’s hometown, and has first-hand
knowledge of the whole Gadsden Mall thing.
He said, “You should believe the women.”
He has no political axe to grind.
He just said, “Moore is not who he claims to be.”
But even if I believed that all the women accusing Moore
were lying, and even if I was a Republican, I still could not have voted
for the man. Why? He was a “judge” who
was removed from office twice for not
following the rule of law. In my
opinion, he is not fit for public office.
As I said before…defiance is
his platform. If I were a Republican, I would
want anybody but Roy Moore in
Washington representing my party.
Ugggghh! I feel like I need to take another shower even
writing about politics. I long for…pray
for…more “towardness” in Washington, so that maybe we can move “forward”
instead of “froward.” I long for…pray for…a poverty of spirit that is willing
to say to someone else, “You might have a point,” or “I could be
mistaken.” I long for…pray for… the day
when young people could pursue politics with a desire to serve their country
for the common good…and then be able to actually do just that. I long for…pray for…a day when civil servants
are both “civil” and “servants.”
So I’m waiting…hoping…
This is the Season of Advent, so waiting and hoping are what I’m
supposed to be doing anyway!
