April 12, AD 2011

The American Political Game of Chess
Frank Allnutt

What American politicians do best is to play a kind of chess game.

In actual chess, the game begins with two opposing kings pitting their armies of pawns and others against those of the other king.

If you look at the strategies of the kings, it is to ensure their survival at the sacrifice of many in their armies—particularly the pawns. Both kings lose many pawns here and there. Inevitably, a few higher-ranking rooks, knights, and bishops—and even a queen—are dispensable.

In the American game of political chess the two kings also represent two political parties. One king will have the advantage for a time, then the other. Rarely is there a checkmated (captured or trapped) king. Most often, it appears the game is headed for stalemate. No winner, no loser. “Washington gridlock.” The status quo. But that’s acceptable by both kings; what is crucial for them is to maneuver their minions in such ways to avoid checkmating the king.

In that, we can see that the goal of the American political chess game is not for one party to win—to annihilate the other. And that’s because the very existence of the kings (the elite) of both parties places them in dependency on one another. Thus a stalemate is not all that unattractive.

Has the stalemate strategy worked?

History records that the elitist kings of both parties win in the long run, not the pawns who always end up paying the price—the many patriotic “personal sacrifices” they are called to make by their kings.

The last time I checked, America still has a two-party system. And the kings of both parties are doing just fine, thank you. But at the pawns' expense—in dollar amount alone, at last count, to the tune of 14.2 trillion dollars of debt.

And so the blame game seems unending. Between kings—of course! But also between both kings’ queens, rooks, knights, bishops, and pawns.

The pawns side with this king or that one—and sometimes rebel against both kings! “We the people" can play the blame game too!

The irony of the American game of political chess is that the pawns elect their kings. Like the children of Israel of antiquity, sometimes the pawns vote for good kings, but other times for bad kings. “We the People” are the pawns, and we have only ourselves to blame.

What’s more, “We the People” characterize a nation that is similar to prophetic Mystery Babylon the Great (Revelation 17), in that we have become the most powerful nation in history, we are multicultural (Jeremiah 50:37), and we are experiencing growing economic woes (Revelation 18), lawlessness and apostasy (2 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Timothy 3). We are mostly non-Christians and those who profess to be Christians but are not. The next largest contingent of “We” are Half-Hearted (fleshly or carnal) Christians. The very small remainder is more spiritually mature Christians. (A recent Barna Group survey found the latter group to comprise but one out of five who identify themselves as “Christian.”)

But therein lies an even greater irony. Christians in America have a King who is the King of kings, and are first and foremost citizens of His Kingdom (which is not of this world); yet, like the Hebrew children of old, most are caught up as pawns in the world system’s political game of chess. And that’s because they are concerned above all else with their security and comfort—more with their so-called “unalienable rights” than righteousness.

Sadly, they fail to realize that, as pawns in the chess game, they are in bondage to a fallen world system.

They pitifully fail to heed the teaching of Jesus: “Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink”’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’ For all these things the Gentiles [non-believers] eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33).

And they tragically fail to heed the teaching of the apostle Paul: “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2)

Pray for these worldly Christians—that through the “fiery ordeal” of brokenness God is allowing to come on this nation and in individual lives, they will experience a change of heart (see 1 Peter 4:12-19, 5, and Colossians 3).

And pray that our leaders might follow in the footsteps of King David who confessed his sins and asked God to create in him a “clean heart” and to “renew a steadfast spirit” within him (Psalm 51; Ezekiel 36:26,27).

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For further reading (FREE and without registration or log-in):

The Whole-Hearted Christian

The World vs. God’s Kingdom

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©Copyright AD2011 Frank Allnutt. All rights reserved. Content herein may be quoted, subject to the "fair use" doctrine of U.S. Copyright Law.

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