Although the presidential campaign has been in full swing at least a year now, people only started voting this month (unless you count the endless polls). I haven’t seen anyone campaigning in my area. I think I may have seen one ad on TV, but that’s about it.  Since my vote doesn’t count for a while yet, I haven’t done much investigating.

I’m a pastor, so I work pretty hard against making anything that could be perceived as a partisan political statement. I have partisan leanings, but the people I work with come from many different places on the political spectrum and I don’t want to alienate any of them. I’d rather they hear about Jesus and decide to follow him any day than have them take up my partisan political opinions.

I have developed some opinions with regard to style, however. I’ve noticed a style in contemporary electioneering:

The Sky Is Falling!

I alone can Save the World!

Vote for Me!

Have you heard that? Sure each candidate points to a different part of the sky: Global Warming, National Security, Immigration, the stupid economy (oops, maybe I didn’t get that one right), the War in Iraq, Health Care. While the issues differ, the style is the same.”The other candidates just don’t get it like I do. I know what to do. I will bring you salvation!”

I’ve come to see that I hate the messianic style of politician. Jesus is all the messiah I’ll ever need.

The style is not peculiar to one side of the line, however we draw it: Republicans vs. Democrats, Liberals vs. Conservatives. They all seem to think that government – whether less or more – with them at the head – will be our salvation.

Fred Thompson was criticized for lacking “fire in the belly,” and intense public desire to be president. It looks to me – as one peering from the distance – that he was simply not the messianic type.  I’ve already confessed that I’d make a horrible president, and that you ever see my name on the ballot, don’t vote for me. I’ll take it a step further. From what I’ve seen, I question the sanity of anyone who desperately wants the job.

I guess I’d better start looking for a President soon, since our primaries are coming up in a month or so. I’m not real optimistic. But because I already have a messiah, it’s just not that big a deal.