God Fearin...Gun Totin...Republican

“God Fearin…Gun Totin…Republican”

Theology in the Trenches

by Kathleen Kjolhaug

 

More than once that description has come across the radar. Most recently it was quoted by someone who identified himself as such on a television show. In all honesty, I had to dissect that phrase to see if the shoe fit, and at the same time, wondered if one can be partially aligned with the phrase without wearing all three hats so to speak. After all, I know a lot of Republicans who have never toted a gun, and I know many a Democrat who have a few on hand and are God fearin. So…one by one I began checking them off to see if this label would fit more so than not.

God fearin…yes.

Republican…perhaps more so than Democrat…although I’m not proud of either at times.
Gun totin…not…but I came close. Let me explain…

Hubby and I were headed down the road on our way to see grandbaby number two. It was a mere twelve hour road trip, and we were driving a vehicle we’d owned for nearly as long. I figured it was a good span of time to better understand the knobs and switches upon the dashboard. My goal was simple. I wanted to be able to set the clock. The time was correct, but when it was a.m., it was registering p.m., and when it was p.m., it read a.m. You get the picture.

Pulling out the owner’s manual, I located the section labeled “clock.” The words also offered diagrams depicting that which needed to be done, and I pressed each button as instructed. Low and behold, several new command lights lit up. This allowed me to choose even more options to correct my problem, or create a whole set of new ones…whichever the case may be.

One option read “stop watch.” Knowing how difficult it is for me to set something as simple as a  microwave, there was simply no way I was going to mess with a car stop watch much less try and figure out why one would use one in a car. I chose to mind my manners and did not touch that particular switch.

Next, I noticed the clock had the option of being set to military time. Temptation got the best of me, and I punched the dial. The numbers quickly doubled and just as quickly, I double punched it to return to that which was most familiar to me. I like things that way…familiar that is.

“I just want simple,” I replied to my driver. “Someday, someone’s going to develop a dashboard called, ‘back to basics’ and they will make millions on the brilliance of returning to something so simple people will actually be able to understand how it functions.” The owner’s manual I was utilizing was only slightly helpful because sure shootin, just as soon as I thought I had it all figured out, another light would come on enabling yet one more layer of selections from which to choose.  I then realized how close to reality I was to holding all three titles. Envisioning myself as totin for the moment brought clarity of what it was I wanted to do to that dashboard.

John 14:27 offers a better place from which to live. “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” It’s just simpler…and I like it that way.  Amen.