Troubled by hate and anger

that plague our nation

1-27-2021

The twin demons of unbridled hate and anger have found a fertile breeding ground in many hearts and have caused some of us to rise against our nation—whether in deed or thought—and now we mourn the utter chaos of the inevitable result.

How could this have happened, we ask in outrage and bewilderment. But, looking a little deeper, we know: Our president, Donald Trump, with his captivation, charisma and misleading proclamations, cunningly prepared his most loyal followers—by no measure the majority—to forsake reason and restraint and to perform in a frenzied, desperate way that felled the barriers of conscience.

Let us revive the true and precious words of a truly great and admirable president, Abraham Lincoln, who from his stricken soul proclaimed, “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies…” Holy words. Godly words. He was a peacemaker, a child of God.

Isn’t it time ourselves to be peacemakers; unlike President Trump and so many others in our government who supported his sometimes ill-conceived ideas and deeds; unlike Senator Ted Cruz, who irresponsibly and recklessly endowed his eager listeners with the false notion that they were patriots, just like those at Bunker Hill! Now, the senator and all of us see the awful fruits of his impassioned oratory.

Many well-intentioned people have abandoned mainstream news, turning to the internet or dubious talk radio, hoping to understand why things are as they are and what to do about it. Such sources are not to be readily trusted.

Inflammatory conspiracy theories abound in the dark recesses of the internet—theories that have great appeal to these who feel they are not being heard by the government. In our quest to discern the truth, it is good to weigh as best we can one source of information against the other.

The bible warns us to be, “Wise as serpents. And harmless as doves.” In less poetic words, be thoughtful, reasonable, understanding and do no harm.

Republicans and Democrats alike have been through a painful and astonishing four years. Hopefully, we are learning to be more cautious and less prone to rash judgment and denials.

We must settle our grievances within lawful means, never by anarchy. We must retain our affection for our fellows. We are friends, children of the same God.

We are exhorted in the bible to have faith, hope, and charity, the greatest of all being charity. We are promised that if we are possessed of charity in the last days, it will be well with us. A huge task, but if we can achieve it, well worth the struggle.

We must purge our hearts of all vestiges of ill will, this for the good of our own souls and for the good of our great country.

We are indeed blessed to live in America, the “Cradle of Democracy.” So keep on, through peaceful and lawful means, striving to form a more perfect union.

Sherron Andreasen,

Ephraim