Politics a reflection of kids or Vice Versa?

I was just reading this article online and I was struck by how this sounds so much like kids, teens, some co-workers. And we wonder about why there is such a general distrust of people and a sense of dishonesty (can I say that without seeming politically incorrect?)?

This is a quote from a politician in Michigan when asked about his direct involvement and knowledge of a very ethically questionable situation. “I did not lie. I'm saying I didn't answer the question, I was evasive." *

Wow.  And he goes on to say (in essence) not to judge him on this one issue, but look at his entire body of work.  Don’t we hear that from co-workers or young people when they are caught in questionable situations? “Don’t judge me just on this; look at the overall body of work.” But if a structure is inherently weak in one area, doesn’t that weaken the entire structure? Doesn’t that call into question the entire building’s integrity? If you knew that a builder was using substandard material in one area (to save you money and allow you spend more on other areas of your home, for instance) wouldn’t you begin to question their overall integrity, and what were they compromising on and NOT telling you? 

And when people see elected leaders doing this, and getting away with it, and trying to rationalize and justify these types of actions, they say “Why can’t I do that too?”

Seems like we need to get back to some basic parameters for morals and ethics. “Right!” you say, “but who’s ethics? What if I don’t agree with the standards you set?”  Seems like we have a possibility of being like the people of Israel from Scripture where everyone “did what was right in his own sight” (Judges 21:25).  How about if we use the standards that God set for us? Then we don’t have to waffle and try and hedge and twist things to meet the situation. The Ten Commandments are a good start. (Exodus 20). Or Christ’s command to love God with all our heart and our neighbor as our self. (Matthew 22:36-40)  These seem to be pretty basic, and universal. They apply to basic ethics for living our lives. How is it that people can move so far away from these?

As we stray from these precepts (old word, but it fits) we begin to twist and bend things to meet our needs (sometimes very selfishly and to the harm of others).  Others begin to mimic this behavior and soon many are doing this. And then we wonder why the little 5 years says “I didn’t lie, you didn’t ask the right question!”

What are ways we can get back to these basics? Think concrete and definitive ways that we can positively/proactively move this process. Yes it takes prayer, yes it takes God being very much involved in the process. But don’t we have to actively listen and obey?  We need to be a part of this too, don’t we? How can we get life to reflect our Creator instead of selfish little kids?

• for the full article, you can see: http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2012/07/house_speaker_jase_bolger_i_di.html