He Who sits in the heavens laughs

First they came for the Jews

and I did not speak out

because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists

and I did not speak out

because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists

and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics
and I did not speak out
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me

and there was no one left

to speak out for me.

[Martin Niemöller]

In forty years, when my children ask me so what happened in 2016?

I'll tell them this--

       we got what we asked for.

We asked, politicked, picketed, protested, for our government to solve all our problems-- so we got the most narcissistic crafty candidates possible.

We put our trust in the courts of men, so the idea of the possibility of a Supreme Court opening crippled the morals of hundreds of normally sane people.

We feared what wasn't us, and the devil's whispers in our ears told us kill it persecute it slander it snuff it out so we capitulated

because we believed even Jesus

wasn't stronger than a manmade wall.

(A wall. Do you even know how He handles walls?!?)

We forgot the lives and the blood of our forefathers and mothers, and we thought it was a good idea to elect a caesar who has determined that members of certain religions or races are inherently evil or worthless.

We looked at intelligent, thoughtful, soft-spoken, determined politicians, who said it is insane to build a wall, carpet-bomb families, patrol and oppress people a different flavor than "us"; and because they didn't make for exciting TV, we shrugged our shoulders, hugged our bowls of popcorn closer, changed the channels, and sold our votes for a few months of sick schadenfreude entertainment.

We decided that because Jesus was a long time coming with drawn sword, that the sword was more important than the bearer and we wanted and needed it now. No matter the cost. No matter what valuables of our own selves we had to sell. We wanted judgment for wrongs.

So now we will have it, just what we asked for-- hail and blood, fire and brimstone, the sword and the spear, division, hatred, suspicion, slander, anger, war, fear-mongering. Armageddon of our own design-- and we deserve it. We asked for judgment-- and here it is. We asked for bread and circuses, because our gods are our bellies and boredom is unthinkable-- and now we have it.

But here's a fair warning, and one I hope is not prophetic-- what happens when you bullishly seek a king of your own design, who will lead you into battle and secure your borders?

Saul comes. Insane, slavering, murderous, pagan, wishy-washy, terrified, proud, beautiful Saul. And he takes your things if he wants them, and he puts you in prison if you offend him, and he refuses to learn from or be humbled by his mistakes, and he washes his hands of consequences, and he rages against God Himself.

So be warned-- the nation ruled by a raging king will be shattered by the Christ's rod of iron. And you will call out Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the LORD, and just is his rage! or you will be beaten into dust.

Put your hope in a king, and you will perish with him.

And know this-- a candidate who is willing to take away some religions' rights and throw out some people . . .

has no real respect for any religion or any person.

And when you get in his way

he'll come for you.

And because you didn't speak up when they came for the Jews, the Communists, the trade unionists, the Catholics, the mentally-ill, the old, the sick, the imperfect, the Black, the Muslim, the poor, the helpless, the women, the oppressed--

there will be

no one

left

to cry out

for

you.

And will God have mercy for you when you demanded His harshest judgment for your neighbor?

Because know this--

our leadership does less speaking for us

and more speaking about us--

our fears and suspicions and secret murder.

And this year

we have made our choice

and we will bear

just what we asked for.