No Coincidences

Tag: George Washington

  • I Voted

    I Voted

    This is the fourth time I’ve voted for a President of the United States.  My enthusiasm for politics has ebbed and flowed every four years for each election. 

    This is the first time I’ve voted since I’ve been developing a politically focused mobile app and for that reason the first time I’ve voted while having serious thoughts about our political system, especially the flaws in it.

    As I voted, one flaw screamed in my face: the two party system.

    From what I’ve read, seen, and studied about George Washington there are two things I know about him.

    George Washington | Facts and Brief Biography
    1. He was one of the most extraordinary individuals to ever walk this planet.
    2. He HATED the two-party system.

    I believe some historians credit the development of a two-party system in his time as the reason he left the presidency after two terms.  That and his out of this world humility (see point 1 about his extraordinary nature).

    As I went down my ballot I was struck by the amount of research I’d have to do to be an educated voter.  I was discouraged at the thought that very few people are putting in that much effort.

    After all the protests, outrage, and anger over the past few months, are people voting?  Are they just voting for the President?  The President is important but he’s one piece to a huge puzzle. Albeit a bigger than average piece.  What do I know about my congressman?  My Attorney General?  My local officials?  Nothing.  I go to the internet, look up their page where they give themselves a portrayal of only smelling like flowers, decide I like their smile, and they get my vote.

    That’s the best-case scenario.

    What scared me the most was my own biases. 

    I won’t write here what my political affiliation is.  What I will say is, as I went down my ballot, the desire to simply choose the person from my party, with no research whatsoever, was terribly tempting.  It was going to be so much work to truly vet these people.  Who has the time?

    I desperately wanted to make voting easy.

    The way to make it easy was to blindly support a party.

    How many others fall into this category?  How many millions voted for all Democrats because that’s their party.  How many millions voted all Republican without any knowledge of the ethics or morals of those they were voting for?

    The two party system is a great danger to our democracy.  It has created so much hate and vitriol in the political system, which I’ve written about often. See The Social Dilemma and -ites: Politics for two examples.

    The slogan of our app is: “We believe good government starts with informed voters!”

    How many of us are informed?

    I don’t know how to fix America.  I don’t know how to fix our political system.  I wish I did.  I do know there’s a problem when we blindly vote for those, we *think we agree with.

    I’m as guilty of this flaw as the rest of America. 

    If anyone has suggestions or answers about ways to actually fix this, I’d love to hear it.  Not hypothetical “tear the system down!”  No, how can we actually start tomorrow to try to fix this?

    The app I’m working on will work to keep us more informed about our local leaders so we can hopefully keep them more accountable.  Does anyone even know who their local officials are?

    If you’re interested in the app please let me know.  Looking for feedback on it now. The web version can be viewed here: https://politikilocal.com/

    If you have thoughts on how to fix politics, please let us all know.  Something has to change. 

  • Freedom

    Freedom

    Let’s take a quick trip through history.  Bear with me on the history recap, I swear it will be brief.

    The Revolutionary War started in 1775. 

    Some rag-tag colonists decided to stand up to and fight for independence from the greatest power in the world.  I’ll say that again, a group of mostly untrained men decided to take on the greatest military force on earth at that time.  Louder for those in the back, a group of settlers stood up to THE world superpower.

    Can you believe how truly insane that was?  Just that they revolted was crazy.  Surely that got smashed into submission…right? WRONG!

    They won! Independence.  How?  Tons of stories from that time point to divine intervention.  We can save those for another day.

    Interesting Revolutionary War Facts You've Never Heard • FamilySearch

    244 years ago, July 4, 1776 The Declaration of Independence was signed.

    1777 The Articles of Confederation were written.  This would be the first constitution of the United States.

    1787 The Constitution we have today was written.

    1791 the Bill of Rights was written for the United States. 

    Amendment I of that Bill of Rights:

    “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

    Joseph Smith – Praise to the Man | The American Citadel

    1805 The Prophet Joseph Smith was born.

    1820 God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith.

    1827 Joseph Smith received the golden plates.

    1830 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Christ’s restored church was re-established on the earth.

    Fourteen short years after the Bill of Rights was established and set forth the freedom of religion in this choice nation a prophet was born.  29 years after the established freedom of religion Heavenly Father appeared to His prophet.  Four short decades after the Bill of Rights was ratified Christ’s Church was restored. 

    Think about that for a moment.  Human history spanning thousands of years.  Yet, somehow, within 15 years of a free nation set forth the guidelines for free religion, a boy was born who 15 years later would claim visitation from God the Father.  He would establish a church from meager means.  Within 200 years that church would have millions of members across the globe.

    Talk about all the coincidences. 

    It was less than 40 years after freedom of religion was established in the United States of America that the Church of Jesus Christ was organized.

    What spectacular timing.

    I know there aren’t coincidences in God’s plan.  I know he reared up and prepared inspired, God-loving, intelligent men to establish this great nation.  Men who desired freedom above all else.  I know that soon after they did their part in establishing this free country it was finally time in God’s plan to establish His Church.  There had to be a place for the Church to be restored first.  There was nowhere else in the world the Church of Jesus Christ could have been established.

    God works in miraculous and spectacular ways for His purposes.

    I know the exact timing of Joseph Smith’s birth and the exact timing of the freedom of the United States were no coincidence.  They were planned out long ago.

    On this Fourth of July I’m grateful to our founding fathers.

    I’m grateful to Joseph Smith.

    More than anything I’m grateful to God for His perfect plan.

    I’m grateful for a country where I can worship whom, how, and where I please.  I’m grateful that I can pray in private or public.  I’m grateful to be born in a country free.  I’m grateful that I’ve never been truly persecuted for my religious beliefs.  We live in a special country.  We live in a country founded on true principles: freedom, liberty, and equality.  I know it took some time for those principles to be truly established and I know we’re still working on some of those principles.  But the principles are there.  There are still parts of the world, many parts of the world, where freedom, liberty, and equality are not even considered.

    The most important principle of all that this nation was founded on:  faith and belief in God.

    I know right now America is in a predicament.  We have turned from God.  God gave us this great nation and helped its establishment.  Now we spit on Him and marvel at our own great strength and power.  We’re American!  THE Global Superpower.  Doesn’t that sound familiar.  We know what happens to global superpowers that rely on their own strength.

    If we don’t humble ourselves and confess to whom we owe all, God in Heaven, He will take back His land.  We are only as strong and powerful as our faith in God allows.  Like England during the Revolutionary War we will fall if our pride is not removed.  We must return to God.  He founded this country and it will continue to degrade until we return to the source of all strength.  It’s time to repent.

    I love this country.  I hope we can return to our principles and be better.  I hope we can love God and keep Him here with us.

    GOD Bless the USA