Giving to Cesar what is Cesar's

When confronted with choosing state over church, Jesus instructed his followers to give to Cesar what was Cesar's and to God what was God's. In America is it possible to be both a representative for Cesar and a representative of God?

A representative's role is to listen to his/her people and filter out the needs that concern their constituency and then work on creating/influencing the laws appropriately. Contrary, the role of clergy is to lead and teach based on the established laws of God. Clergy are the representatives of God who are responsible for feeding the people the Lord's words in the hopes that they will not only eat from the table, but will bring their neighbors to it.

How do you govern people knowing the best interest of the masses is to be fed by God, but the driving interest is led by desire? We are asking representatives to face the daunting task of moderating the needs of the people by creating the laws of the land within the established laws of God.

The role of religion has always been an important one in the U.S. From the birth of the nation to the shaping of its spine, religion has walked with us down each journey we as a nation have undertaken. In a future blog, I'll address the complex historical journey the U.S. and religion have undertaken. From colonial laws to modern day science, religion has been both a unifying ingredient, as well as, a dividing force. Before we tap into the historical context, I'd like to just open the piece up to the questions that will get people thinking about the separate but equal roles that clergy and representatives are currently playing.

America is a country governed by the people for the people. People set the laws. Considering not all people worship at the same table, which religious laws do we take into consideration when creating the law of the land? Is it fair to put the religious views of some before others? Is this a majority rules argument dependent on whether or not the majority share the similar teachings of the church?

How do we let religion guide us as a nation? And with so much divide within the religions, how do we sell a uniformed nationalistic belief to our own people, let alone to other nations who do not share our religious views? Religion is a practice of following God's law for the benefit of all of God's people. It does not know nations, it does not know townships, it was written on and seeks truth.

To me these are the core questions that need to be under constant consideration and discussion. How do we bring people to the same table both in a political and religious sense? Who are the masters at each? And what is our role?
The questions can be addressed in so many different ways, each dependent on where the individual focus lies. Do you side more on the side of politics or religion? Are you giving to Cesar what is Cesar's and to God what is God's?

Teaching|Learning Philosophy

Teaching requires you to look at both your subject and your student and figure out the best way for them to meet. It is relationship building. You want to create an open discussion, not just a lecture series. Learning takes time. It is a process that includes listening, absorbing and reacting. It does not guarantee that subject and student will have a relationship based on agreement, but rather one based on information and awareness.

Ignorance can be disguised as a well-versed man. Big words and strong conviction can create the haze of education. However, ignorance doesn’t teach – it tends to preach. It does not take into account the student; instead it just focuses on the subject matter. It doesn’t look for open discussion, if fuels off of agreement and mere conviction.

I’m a firm believer that a person does not have much if they don’t have conviction and want to learn. However, it is equally as important to remember the role of teaching. One has to firm up the message to address the students and to always be cognizant to if learning is going on. If somehow the message has gotten skewed, if the conviction is overpowering the process, then the teacher has to review where the process failed and apply the needed changes. The goal should always be to form a working relationship b/w the student and the subject. The relationship is the quintessential variable that will allow the process of learning and education to not only take shape, but to be shared and received.

The road to POTUS

I'm thirty. A full five years from even making an official run at the White House, so I figure I have plenty of time to listen to America and firm up my political stance. I'm a conservative Christian with liberal views on social welfare. I'm a democrat, but I'm also well aware that there are plenty of issues we, as a party, need to continue to examine and grow with. Drawing party lines and refusing to budge doesn't do much but create a disgruntled majority. It's time to get reach all Americans. It's time to realize that being a democrat doesn't mean you aren't religious or that being a republican doesn't mean you don't care about the environment. As a whole people want the same things. They want freedom and safety; they want oppurtunity and advancement; they want shelter and care for their family. We are a nation of peoples not of parties and we have to figure out a way to govern as such.

I hope you walk with me on this the first step on the road to POTUS.