Tea Party's

As many of you are probably aware, today hundreds if not thousands of cities throughout our country had "Tea Party's" in memory of the great Boston Tea Party years ago. I'm not personally big into politics, but today I participated in one in Charlotte, NC at the city hall. Probably 2-3,000 people showed up. I thought I'd share some of my pictures of what might be a historic day in our nation.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Jimmy.Humphrey/2009TeaParty?feat=directlink#

Yeah, not even all the local news stations in Charlotte showed up to cover it. It looks like only 2 or 3. And I thought, it's not often that many people gather together in uptown Charlotte of all places, except for a concert or professional sports game. Yet, it received very little attention. I'm dying to know if the local paper even covered it.

Watching the Tea Parties and waiting for what is to come. Someone on the other side *acting as a Tea Party member* will throw the first punch and the innocent will be blamed. Martial Law will be enacted and the heavy hand of the Government will slam down on all of us. The scenario plays out in my mind as if it were scripted by Hollywood. It is blatantly clear, just as a red sky at morning means storms brewing.

This is not something I want or even fear, just what I see coming.

I have been praying for Jesus to increase my strength. He is doing so but the growing process is painful. My Step Father died before we could get to see him. Pray for my family, please, they believe they are saved but they are in mortal danger. I praise Jesus for His faithfulness in answering my prayer and stand on

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

His will be done,
white stone

Good question. In part of what I have understood about the gospel, we as believers are by nature protestors. What makes me different than the unbeliever at the same rally is that while I might post a sign or raise my voice about an issue, I don't operate under the delusion that this world is all that there is. Nor am I seeking to hold onto it by effecting political change. While passing through this world as a pilgrim, I seek to adjust things in this temporary world. I'm not seeking to build a kingdom in this world like many who partake in politics. Nor do I hope to bring about some everlasting change in the kingdoms of this world. But that doesn't mean I don't adjust the climate wherever I may reside for the time being.

*edit* When I stay at a hotel for but a few days, I adjust the thermostat as close as possible to my liking. By no means do I hope to stay in the hotel forever, I just seek to make it more like "home" as much as possible, though I know it shall never be such.

Dear Krispy,

Glad you asked him to go into detail, Krispy. I understood clearly that time. Thanks for phrasing it so precisely, KingJimmy. It makes it understandable how a Christian could take part in a Tea Party and not just to witness.

Kind regards,
white stone

I may draw some flack for asking this, but I think this question bears asking. Do you think these tea parties are biblical and have the spirit of Christ behind them?

Jesus said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" Do you think that Caesar (not a godly man) used the money for good things? Probably not! But Jesus still paid taxes to him.

By the way... I think the "tea parties" are GREAT! This is what made America great. Common everyday people demanding that they be heard.

Do you really think that the Boston Tea Party was a good thing? It appears to be rebellion. I'm not saying we shoulds go along and do the ungodly things, but again, Jesus paid taxes to an ungodly government.

I may draw some flack for asking this, but I think this question bears asking. Do you think these tea parties are biblical and have the spirit of Christ behind them?

There is a major difference between our times and then. Rome was an occupying force in Judea. They ruled with an oppressive military hand. You didn't protest their occupation unless you wanted to lose your head. Thankfully, we live in a country where this is not the case, and indeed, our very founding documents encourage us to publicly air our grievances with the government in a civil and peaceful manner.

We can do such, and still render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. If you are in the position to do so, do you not express concerns about how to better run whatever company you may work for? If you are involved in a local club of some sort, do you not express concerns about how to better run the organization?

If we can express our grievances in these contexts, then why not express them in a government such as ours? After all, our government is "by the people, for the people, and of the people." Our elected officials need our feedback on a regular basis, and not simply on election day. If they "represent" us, then we need to express what we think on a given issue so that they can vote accordingly.

These things are not contrary to kingdom principles. It's simply part of being "in the world." Though, we must never be of it.

Hey KingJimmy

I don't take part in things that pertain to politics or the government. I have my reasons for that but its is a whole other thread:-) I just wanted to say I really enjoyed your pictures and thanks for sharing them.Looks like it was a lovely day there. We are finally getting sunshine here:-)

Have a great day
Your little sis in Him

"Murmurings and disputings" is about cancerous and abusive speech that is done under one's breath. It is not the expression of disagreements on opinions and issues of policy.