R S
I appreciate your comment.
Obama is a politician and politicians is what we have been choosing for years to lead us. Most of them are more full of the human condition than they are consciencable and aware of their human condition ......... to varying degree ......... so we elect for leaders those who are corrupt and some who are deceived but sincere in believing their deception and others who are sincerely deceptive to win the popularity contest and work their own purpose. Among some recent Presidents which I would 'catagorize' as being decieved but sincere are presidents Kennedy, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush 2. Among those who I would catagorize as deliberately being sincerely deceptive are LBJ, Bush 1, Clinton, and Obama. Unfortunately, I've voted for my share in both camps and most likely this will happen again, much to my own disappointment but consistance with what should be expected of human nature.
Some interesting definitions of "politician" follows:
pol·i·ti·cian (pl-tshn)
n.
1.
a. One who is actively involved in politics, especially party politics.
b. One who holds or seeks a political office.
2. One who seeks personal or partisan gain, often by scheming and maneuvering: "Mothers may still want their favorite sons to grow up to be President, but . . . they do not want them to become politicians in the process" (John F. Kennedy).
3. One who is skilled or experienced in the science or administration of government.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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politician [ˌpɒlɪˈtɪʃən]
n
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a person actively engaged in politics, esp a full-time professional member of a deliberative assembly
2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a person who is experienced or skilled in the art or science of politics, government, or administration; statesman
3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) Disparaging chiefly US a person who engages in politics out of a wish for personal gain, as realized by holding a public office
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 6th Edition 2003. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003
Probably the most self-less person who ever led our country without the guile of ambition was George Washington. He was a man of principal who knew and guarded well his own person by those precepts which he used to lead others, as much by his example and personal restraint, self control, and humbleness.
Though we may idealize the founders of our nation..... as many have discussed on this board before....... they each had his own peculiar aspirations and ambitions, influence of philoophy, religion, and history, and together they had their share of interesting and vigorous conflict: Yet, most were men of deep convictions and moral principals who recognized that for men to be free it was most important to pass on to future generations concepts and precepts of self control and moral principal or eventually the moral corruption of a people would degrade and necessitate the heavy hand of government.
Robert, the greatest evil is in those who practice the art of deception at the expense of your trust and mine. Our own part and susceptibility may have to do with what is briefly and best explained in our desire to beleive all things, hope all things, (and the pain of) enduring all things. We sometimes fail to realize this work of charity or agape love to which God calls us to example and be is a relational aspect of person to person........ not of distance to persons we don't know or who wont ever know us....... a brief encounter and handshake at best, and more often a personality pushed ahead by advertising, media privilege, and reputation of promotional accomplishments and popularity accolades. If we will remind ourselves regularly of the truth which God has told us, briefly that there is none righteous, no, not one, that none seek after God; that all our good is as filthy rags...... we will adjust our own perspective and recognize our own human condition which allows us to participate and become a part of deception from time to time, and maintain a humbleness in ourselves and a skepticism of human nature which keeps us less determined that place our confidence in another because we think them true or in ourselves in thinking we have arrived at all truth.... but, instead, keep seeking and testing to establish that which is true from that which is false. With this desire and making request of God, his holy spirit will guide us and stir us up and eventually clear that fog of deception provided we never give up the quest. This means also that we place no confidence in our own position but only in God and his Word which is always faithful and unchangable.
(Incidentally..... Just a thought and a play off on Obama's mantra of 'change'..... if God is unchanging and always good........ why is it the promise of "change" is so seductive?)
