A Virtual Church

Step into my parlor

October 10, 2024

The words of Mary Howitt’s 1829 poem are familiar to us. “Step into my parlor, said the spider to the fly…” The poem tells the story of seduction, beguilement, and a slickness that is oh, so crafty.
The spider’s motive is entrapment and control of the fly. But his smooth words lull. They dull the truth that entrapment means sure death for the fly.   
 
The Howitt poem reminds me of Genesis 2. A crafty serpent beguiles Eve into believing she will have the power and knowledge of God, if she but eats of the forbidden fruit. The story of Adam and Eve is remembered as the Original Sin. They lost the garden for all time and were banished to a world of nakedness and pain. 
 
The spider and the snake are not unlike the persona we saw in JD Vance in the Vice-Presidential Debate. Vance’s training as a Yale Lawyer was evident. He may have been on the debate team at Yale. May have done moot court argument. His demeanor, careful oratory – even through words dripping with lie – was smooth and deceptive, like coming off the lips of the serpent. Does he not realize how much video and audio evidence of his moral depravity and cruelty is in the public domain? 
 
At best, Vance is a chameleon. He appears one way with some crowds and entirely differently with other crowds. Even his Yale classmates question why he is selling himself out like he is. Ambition will do that to people whose moral compasses have lost true north. My mother-in-law would have called him “an empty suit.” That may be the kindest thing that can be said about him.
 
The difference between our two Vice-Presidential candidates was stark on the debate stage. It was obvious that Governor Walz is not a debater. What was notable to me was the way he would look at Vance with incredulity, like he couldn’t believe what Vance was saying. I wish that Walz had been a little more assertive, reminding Vance of the cat-lady statements, the dogs for dinner statements, and his raft of policy statements on abortion and fertility, just to name a few. Walz won with the stinger, asking Vance if he would agree that Trump lost the 2020 election.
 
Vance’s house of cards fell down when he avoided answering that one question. It was clear who was the authentic human being on that stage, and who was not. One can dress up a pig, but in the end, it’s still a pig. Sorry if that was insulting to the pigs. 
 
Many said before the debate that Vice-Presidential debates really don’t matter. I don’t know about that. What I know is that seeing these two candidates side-by-side offered a clear difference in one who can play the game well with fancy oratory and disingenuous notions, and a truly authentic, good man who declared himself a knucklehead at times. I’ll trust someone who owns his own story more than one who creates a false narrative to entrap and beguile voters. Since Donald Trump cannot tell a coherent narrative, Vance was an able surrogate; he sucked up really well. 
 
People are still stuck in their echo chambers. Much of the right-wing media is not showing the scary, awful stuff Trump and Vance are saying. Pointing this out draws the response, “but I like their policies.” If you like child separation and denying voting rights and women’s rights, if your gripe is gasoline prices and the cost of a Big Mac, sadly you are missing the point of this election. Just the things Donald Trump has said on tape and in print or social media clips makes it is easy to see that this election is about holding on to our democracy – or republic, if you’re going to snag me for saying democracy. This is a time to put country above party and vote to save our nation. I hate to think about what we will be if Trump-Vance win. If they win, we will have two snake oil salesmen who want supreme power more than peace and prosperity for all who call America home. In fewer than 30 days the direction of our country will be determined. This is not a time to shy away from hard discussions. Make a voting plan that will keep you safe. Early voting starts October 17thin North Carolina. 
 
“And now, dear little children, who may this story read, to idle silly, flattering words, I pray you’ll ne’er give heed. Unto an evil counselor, close heart, and ear, and eye. Take a lesson from this tale of the Spider and the Fly.” Thank you, Mary Howitt
 
See you at the polls. 
 
Lib Campbell is a retired Methodist pastor, retreat leader, columnist and host of the blogsite www.avirtualchurch.com. She can be contacted at libcam05@gmail.com