"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Paul to the persecuted at Philippi (2:5-11)

03 September 2010

Politics

In college, I briefly considered majoring in both political science and religious studies. I would have had no friends, would I? Politics and religion, aside from being coctail party taboo, are said to be strange bedfellows.

Of course its a one way street. Theologians and clergy are culturally barred from talking politcs. Ghastly and boorish, to the American mind. But politicians wave religion around like a trophy. The popular theology du jour is all theirs, whether they love the cultural Jeeeeezus icon of the prosperity gospel movement or the secular humanist deity within the human ideal. It's all there.

I have a friend in politics, and I adore her. But I often suspect, and she often unwittingly confirms, that she's just about the only decent human being in the whole political field. And her decency and humanity are probably why she hasn't been taken all that seriously in the field. Anyone electable has gotten to that point by some underhanded means. We have, as Mel Brooks would say, the best government money can buy.

So the more I watch politics the more depressed I become. Its like the whole point of the game is to pick a label and then throw ideological rocks at the guys wearing the other label. Nobody is outside the box. Nobody is non-partisan or even really third party. And the guy who thinks for himself, plays the game by some reasonable moral rules, doesn't schmooze the corporate payout, he doesn't stand a chance.

The more I watch politics the more I realize that mankind, no matter where he gives his lip service, is trying to put his faith in mankind. There must be someone with the answers, our culture cries. Can't we all just get along? Nuclear bombs, the economy, foreign oil, these are our problems.

No, human sin is our problem. Abortion is immoral and I'm vehemently pro-life, but I don't believe for one minute that changing our laws to protect life (though that is the morally correct thing to do) will stop abortion doctors and society from preying on the lives of the unborn. Its a heart problem that can't be solved by law. Likewise bombing airplanes is immoral (and illegal) but I don't seriously believe that every would-be bomber could be caught if we'd just increase security measures. If someone wants to destroy life, they will find a way.

So the more I watch politics the more depressed I become. Man puts his faith in man and asks the Christian community buy into the scheme. Christians pledge allegiance to a foreign state, promoting a secular humanist religion. Churches play the game and get their hands slapped by the temporal authorities. Yet one of these is destined to pass away and one is eternal. Depression is not the call of those who see the eternal picture.

And so, while I have the right, I do vote. But I'm neither democrat nor republican and I view the third parties with appropriate skepticism. (Good heavens what flakes they tend to run!) While I appear conservative, I break ranks without batting an eye, for party platforms are inconsistent and don't see the logical end of their fallacies. And while I vote my conscience, I expect that any candidate I'd vote for will lose; the world doesn't think like I do. The majority is its own tyranny, but what can man do to me?

I suppose I'm rambling. This really is just me saying to the world, stop acting like children. Except, to expect that people would really do that is to put faith in the humanism that got us into this mess in the first place. Alas.

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