Does anyone care to vote?

The glennbeck.com(a website) picture of the day had this posted. A little research shows this isn't exactly true. Federal Elections Commission (a government commission) shows the turnout for the 2008 election was 56.8%. But in 2006, the report says only 37.1%. Either way, it's not good. I have to wonder what the percentage of people watching American Idol or Dancing with the Stars votes. They might actually vote multiple times, but the percentage of their turn out would be ridiculous.

Probably like 300%.

Even the Iraq number is skewed. According to a Washington Post story in 2005, the turnout was really 63%.

So the sign is skewed in both directions, it seems.

But let's take the real numbers given and factor in some real life facts. In the United States, voters had to deal with the weather. They needed to go to some random building close to their neighborhood. They maybe even had to talk to a sweet woman older than my grandma handing out flyers. No wonder we haven't got at least 60% turnout since 1968! Probably too many people worried about their facebook status!

Iraqis had to go through security which makes our airports look unsafe, armed guards, and had to stick their fingers in ink so they couldn't vote twice.

It's obvious now what the US needs: cooler ways to vote. We need more guns at the polls. We need to feel like we might not make it. Give granny a Glock!

Maybe not.

At any rate, It's still dumb the "democracy" the world looks to as a beacon of freedom is actually only being ruled by less than 40% on non-presidential election years and under 60%. How can we be a democracy, when really we are only ruled by few?

Evangelism: meant to be awkward

Sharing the Gospel was supposed to be tough. Well, that's what I thought. But to me, it's often amazing how people react to the idea of religion. In the past three weeks, I have had the chance to ask people if they needed prayer and prayed with them on the street. I have debated a student who said a loving God would not think of us as superior to any other animal, and there is an afterlife for animals. There was also the hour-long conversation with a gay man about Jesus and Christianity. These were all situations which are supposed to be out of my element and what the world does not want.

But isn't it the Bible which tells us the opposite? Doesn't Christ bring the words of everlasting life? I have seen words pierce like a sword the hearts of children Jesus wants to call to meet him here on earth and join him one day in heaven. This is something powerful. This is something real.

So what is it that causes us to not want to evangelize, especially to complete strangers? I can see why we wouldn't want to talk to our family and friends. We don't want to make Thanksgiving awkward. We don't want them to think we hate them and shoving something down their throat. There's more at risk when bringing it up with people you'll see again. But I'd gladly take two hours of debate on the morals of voting than small chit chat about the Steelers or how bad construction is in the city. Please, give me something better.

In the end, someone's feelings might get hurt. There might need to be an apology. But so be it. Reconciliation brings people together. And Christ's message is worth the awkwardness which may linger at some point while your eating pumpkin pie.