Religion and Politics
by Tigerhttp://thetigerroars.blogspot.com/
We're not supposed to talk about religion and politics. Interesting, then, that they both seem to occupy a huge number of conversations. We're not supposed to talk about them because both subjects tend to lead to hostility. People hold their religion and politics so near and dear to their hearts that they will defend them with fierce and sometimes frightening devotion. In fact, some folks identify so strongly with certain religious and political ideologies that when these ideologies are criticized, they feel personally attacked.
The religion part I get. An ideology provides security, whether the holder of such admits it or not. It gives the holder a sense of comfort to believe that his or her theology is right. But some folks actually claim they know they are right. They have to be right, else their worldview would collapse - ergo, security. The politics though? I suppose it provides the same sense of security but on a much lesser scale - though I've seen no less hostility, anger, and plain meanness in defense of some political ideologies that I've seen on behalf of religion. I suppose if people feel their freedom is threatened by a political ideology then this is no less threatening than the loss of their worldview.
I don't know. Seriously, I don't. Some time ago I made myself very comfortable with those three beautiful words. I became a functional agnostic. Oh, I still hold religious and political beliefs, I'm just not attached to them. I've gotten used to expressing them and adding a disclaimer: "of course, I could be completely wrong." I cannot tell you how much more pleasant life is since I've adopted this practice.
At the end of chapter nine of the Gospel of John, Jesus says something puzzling. He tells someone, "I came into the world that the blind might see and those who see might be made blind." The nearby religious leaders overheard and took offense. "Are you saying we are blind?," they asked Jesus. Jesus' reply has become my favorite Bible verse:
"If you were blind, you would have no sin; but because you say 'we see,' your sin remains."
When I read that, I gave up on seeing and cozied up to the idea of "I don't know." I'm not going back either. Of course, I could be completely wrong.
Article submitted Monday, May 04, 2009 & read 15 times.
Leave Your Comments:
» left by susan thom from nj (1 year 127 days ago.)
hi tiger,this was a well written and interesting article.i don't think any of us really knows a whole lot of anything that's earth shattering, but if we have faith, and hope, we can do many good things while we are on this Earth.thanks for sharing this, and i hope you continue writing,my best regards,sue thomRespond to this comment
» left by Tiger (1 year 127 days ago.)
Thank you, Sue. May grace and peace abide in your path :)
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