HOME HOME

When I saw home I usually mean my house here. When I say it twice I mean the States. When I say it three times it means Nigeria. Sometimes when I say it once it means Nigeria. But usually when in the States, twice means Nigeria. I’m confused.

Being Home was a funny time. At my father’s church it is a bit lay-led, similar to how the synagogues were led during Jesus’s time. I was there for four Sundays, and one Sunday a man who had preached sermons on why God is a Republican preached a sermon in my presence apologizing for stepping on people’s toes about implying negative things about Obama. But he felt the truth must reign. He also talked about Israel’s actions being right and good and justified.

Now, growing up in Texas, you are used to people equating RIGHT (very dangerous) with themselves and the Republican party and God. They are all the same, all one. So I don’t flinch, I don’t startle. That’s just how it is. I do the think the phenomenon of the Religious Right is on the decline in the administration of Obama which is more unifying (I see the Religious Right as polarizing or segregating, same with a newer group I’ve seen labeled the Religious Left).

So I was quite shocked when I saw people, Africans on the news, in some countries praying for the Republican party not to win. I had just never heard that before. That’s not normal. I’m used to Republicans openly showing their political party connection to God, but Democrats being the ones who understand you can be a Christian and be either (they, after all, went to churches/work/school/lived with mostly Republican people; there are Democrats who think you must be a Democrat if you are a Christian). So when I saw that it made me laugh. I spent time over the time at home with people who thought God put Obama in place. When I asked if Bush was ordained by God and mandated by God to run the country, they said no. I asked about two Christian boxers who get in the ring both praying to God and one wins and the other loses. Did God favor the one who won? They said no, but that “this is our time. Finally, it is our time.” It’s funny. Religion.