The Election (Winners and Losers)

You may not have heard but we here in the USA have a little thing called the presidential election. In a few weeks we will decide who is going to be the face of our great country and lead us for the next four years.  According to polls it's anybodies guess as to who is going to win. The implications reach far beyond my corner of the globe and expand into the entire world, like it or not.

Although our collective name, United States of America, indicates one thing we are in reality a divided nation. There are those who are either in the Democrat or Republican camps or those who are third party proponents. There are the non-affiliated and the very disinterested or disheartened. To hear tell, regardless of who wins there will be anarchy, riots in the streets and life as we know it will be over. The winners will  undoubtedly gloat while being called cheats and liars. The "losers" will demand recounts and court battles or make excuses for the loss. Both the winners and losers will be called un-American.

The "winner", an imperfect human being, will be near opposite in principle from their closest opponent thus alienating all who would have voted for someone else. Furthermore, the winner will assuredly change or compromise on some of his principled beliefs, alienating those purists who expected 100% agreement with their own point of view by the leader of the free world.

This past weekend was amazing. We held a 24 hour prayer service at our church beginning on Friday night. We prayed about many things: health issues, elimination of the drug epidemic in our county, revival, and yes, even the elections (nationally, statewide, and locally.) We prayed for the protection of our leaders and for wisdom, integrity and fidelity of office, regardless of their party affiliation.  After the prayer service was over, we began a worship service with what I would call the best worship team ever. I'm a bit biased because I truly love the members of our team of gifted singers and musicians.

A team of dedicated women decorated the prayer tent our pastor thought to erect, as well as the sanctuary, all with the theme of Harvest Celebration. They set the tone for our prayer and worship in that we ought to be thankful to God for the goodness that He pours out upon us, the expectation of continued blessings, and for the hope that is to us, Jesus Christ.  Many people put time, energy and even money into this weekend. It was worth it. Every minute spent in preparation and prayer, every penny spent on setting the environment and planting spiritual seeds, all of it was worth the cost.

We believe in the Holy Spirit as a very real person, part of the Trinity with God and Jesus. Many of us felt the presence of the Holy Spirit during the prayer and worship time, conversed with Him, and were reinvigorated in our walk down this Christian path. Some were healed, some forgiven, and some were given vision for their future. We believe that every prayer was answered regardless of the visible results or the lack thereof.

Immediately after the event my wife and I left the church energized by two full days of basking in His presence and promptly hit and killed a deer with our new car. Not brand new, but new to us. We had only made a single payment on it and on top of that it was the car my wife uses for work and now she can't. Between the tragedy that befell the deer, Deborah's great sadness (she loves animals), the damage to the car and the fact that I hadn't slept but a few hours or so in the past 40, I was a bit upset. How could this happen? I just spent so much of myself worshipping God.   

"Dwayne, what does this have to do with the elections?" Great question. In politics, as in sports, there are people praying on and for each team to win. But there is only one winner. This isn't soccer and there won't be a tie. There are people on all sides hoping for a specific outcome and it will be devastation to some on the side garnering the least amount of votes. 

The outcome of our election, or our circumstances, does not change God. Whether my candidate wins or loses, it doesn't change the love that my God has for me. He doesn't love me more or less based on if I win or not. He isn't less of God because my car was damaged and a deer died. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. My faith is in Him not in my president or my team or my circumstances. I encourage you to determine if you are living a life that is only "good" when the "right" people and circumstances line up in your favor, or is it a good life, regardless of what it looks like in the moment.

If you like this post, please comment, share and/or subscribe. If you are interested in having me speak with your group,  please contact me at by e-mail at dwaynecastle40@yahoo.com, by phone at 419-961-1265 or through my website at www.funnybutclean.com. 

We Can't All Be Right (so let's do it my way)

The presidential election of 2012 brings a sad realization for me. It's the first time in history that someone on the ticket is younger than I am. Paul Ryan has gone and made me a middle aged white guy. Thanks a lot, dude. And this year the big talk is the economy but need I remind you that in 2006 we lost a planet? That's right, a planet! Remember Pluto? An entire solar system has been downsized by over 11%. Okay, just jokes. But I'm a comedian, what'd you expect? 

Before being a comedian, I am an American and I have serious questions about life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness. I have concerns about the state of truth, justice & The American Way? What about my constitutional freedoms and rights? I, along with over 60% of the population don't like direction we are going as a nation. The problem is that we many don’t seem to agree with me as to the right direction. 

I blame otherism for this. That's right, otherism: "a distinctive doctrine, cause, or theory" that is different than mine. Before you go and get all offended, I want to remind you that this is America and I have every right to point out the flaws and problems of this nation and those causing them.

I have the the Constitutional guarantee to share my point of view, the freedom to tell people when they are wrong and to call them names when they don't agree with me. I can make signs and march with other people who correctly believe the way that I do. This is the USA, baby and I can express myself. I have guaranteed 1st Amendment rights and by all means, I will exercise them.

A few days ago, my friend Eric Johnson, re-posted one of his great blogs. In it he gave his take on politics and the issue of fear vs faith from a Christian perspective. Although his point was a bit different than the point I'm attempting to make, it brought some old and similar thoughts back to my mind. Where does my allegiance lay? Is it with the "kingdom" of man or The Kingdom of God? And if I put my God above my country can I still be considered a good patriot?

I have had people tell me that it's my duty as a Christian to stand up and be heard and that I must join with the chorus shouting over the message of the "other side”. Our morals and way of life are "being assaulted" and it's up to us to stop those perpetrating this deed. It's been implied that to jump in guns blazing, figuratively speaking, is the patriotic thing to do.  

The problem is that there are American's and Christians on both sides of each issue. Am I to destroy my brothers and sisters and their character to ensure that my rightness beats out theirs?  On top of that, and more importantly, there is a world full of individuals who don't know the God we say we are standing up for.  The only glimpse they may get is the one of a man holding the WWJD sign in one hand while flipping me the bird with the other (which has really happened.) 

Don't misunderstand me. I believe that we are to be engaged in the electoral process and with the pulse of our culture. I believe that the sins of our nation will be judged and that this country will be punished for its broken covenants. I believe that our disobedience will not go ignored by our Creator. I believe that we are obligated to stand up for Israel and for the unborn. I believe as a nation we have allowed ourselves to stray from God and to put Him on a shelf next to the many other gods we serve. 

Are not the two greatest commandments we've been given to love God and to love our neighbors? Are His instructions supposed to take a backseat to our "rights"? We fight and divide over the principle that this country was founded by God and then forsake His commands and unwittingly mock Him while defending our right to do so on constitutional grounds. 

As a Christian, how do I glorify God by calling the President, his opponent or their supporters, poo poo heads? As both a Desert Storm veteran and as a man fully in love with Christ I caution you to not lose sight of who you are and what you truly stand for.  I choose to pray, to vote, and to calmly articulate my points of view. I choose to do my best to demonstrate Jesus to others by blessing and not cursing, even when we disagree.

If you have enjoyed this post or have thoughts on it, please comment, subscribe and share. If you would be interested in booking me for your group or event, check me out at www.funnybutclean.com or contact me at dwaynecastle40@yahoo.com or by phone at 419-961-1265.