One of the fun things about living in Dunedin is that you are completely out of cycle. When I go to bed Fox is starting Good Morning. Today there are a whole pile of elections including one in Wisconsin. Now there are already — and as I write the polls are open — whining about dirty tricks by the Republicans and Democratic voter fraud.
The trouble is that by playing these games (which do not occur in NZ. All voters have to produce a card, and the role is marked off. Party scrutineers monitor this, which eliminates double voting. And we use pen and paper, manual counts, no machines… and have no fraud).
1At that time Herod the ruler heard reports about Jesus; 2and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has been raised from the dead, and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” 3For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5Though Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet. 6But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod 7so much that he promised on oath to grant her whatever she might ask. 8Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 9The king was grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he commanded it to be given; 10he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 11The head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who brought it to her mother. 12His disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.
Herod was corrupt. He destroyed John the Baptist to fulfill a drunken vow. He then believed that Jesus was John reborn — despite there being but a few months difference in age. (Mary visited Elizabeth when she was carrying John and the babe jumped in her womb). He was credulous. This did not make sense. His statement was bizarre.
When societies are corrupt and there is no truth, men will believe anything. One of the great benefits of belief in God is that you have a philosophical system that allows you to look at the conspiracy theories about the Wisconsin election, for example, and see them as nonsense.
Too many people are voting there to game it — unless the republic is truly corrupt, and about to fall.
“One of the great benefits of belief in God is that you have a philosophical system that allows you to look at the conspiracy theories about the Wisconsin election, for example, and see them as nonsense.”
Exactly.