"If I was smart, I would use this odd little platform and try and convert you with something nice (Jesus loves you!), a warm little truth that slips easily down the throat. And it is true, of course. He loves me so much that I damn near have stars in my eyes, and because of this I believe everything he said. I believe the way God intended for the world to work is possible and that he wants to use me to bring it. But my fear is that this can be construed as a lovely we-are-the-world sort of picture, everyone bonded together in harmony and singing “Imagine.” When the reality is, if you want to live like Jesus is your president it means committing to a long hard life of self-denial. A life of little privacy and no independence, of homelessness and restlessness, no promises of the pursuit of happiness, but great big draughts of joy.
Four years ago, when filling out my ballot for president of the United States, I carefully penciled in the name “Jesus.” My husband did the same. Everybody was super annoyed at us. But this year, I will probably do it again. I’m young and rash and poor enough where this doesn’t seem to matter all that much. When it comes to voting for presidents, for lobbying for change, to making a difference!—there are some of us who are starting to look far outside of the political system. We take our cues from Jesus: who cares about strengthening our borders or cheaper oil or people “stealing” jobs? When God is your king it takes all the fun out of being patriotic, of having a small gospel, of tightening the boundaries of what makes us a citizen."
— DLM on McSweeney’s
(Source: mcsweeneys.net)
