Dear editor:
"Politics" is "the art or science of government." If the Bible is truth, the powers that exist are ordained of God (Romans 13:1). If the Bible isn't truth and some other religion is true, some other deity or deities is/are responsible for putting humans into the roles of secular pastorship in government. If there are no deities and only nature "rules," there is no such thing as right or wrong, and government is only by agreement; defying the government is no violation, in such case.
Government has particular reasons for existing. Its leaders are pastors. If those pastors consistently beneficially lead, citizens (and noncitizens) who are peaceful and benefit, others will tend to prosper. If the pastors consistently harmfully lead, citizens (and noncitizens) either are damaged or killed, or damage others and/or kill others. If pastors are not consistent in benefit, citizens will either not trust or will determine the pastors to still be all good (if on their "side") or to be all bad.
How folks view and speak about secular pastors have everything to do with their faiths and how they view their deities (or nature). If a person believes in a deity and if that person believes that the deity is sovereign (not "in control," but able to bring his/her will if the deity determines to do so), and that the deity consistently does justice when taking action, expressing complaints or bitterness against secular pastors is actually expressing complaints or bitterness against the deity! After all, the deity could do something, but has determined not to do so at this time; the deity is the one with the power!
Some followers of some faiths express the total impotence of their deities by taking action for their deities without being directly instructed to do so and by defending their deities (including their prophets). If their deities had potency (power), they easily would be able to do for themselves. If I defend a person who is perfectly capable of dealing well with a situation, I am demonstrating that I feel that the person is weak and vulnerable. One who becomes impatient with a deity's inaction and who, therefore, takes action to defend the deity is openly declaring the deity's weakness or lack of good sense.
An individual always demonstrates that individual's "faith" when speaking about politics; the individual is also expressing how the person feels about his/her deity. If the person expresses great bitterness against leaders, the person is expressing great bitterness against the person's own deity (or against "nature" if the person truly has no deity) -- for the higher "power" doing nothing. If the person expresses great defensiveness for leaders, feeling that leaders are "under attack" (by words), the person expresses the impotence of the leaders and the impotence of the deity for not stopping the mouths of "enemies." Every political discussion and comment are expressions of faith, no exception. A wise person will seek to graciously benefit others if possible.
James Wilson
Hot Springs
Editorial on 06/17/2018