This question, or a variation
of it, played itself out this week in the news… first from one side, then the
other. There is Dana
Milbank, a democratic loyalist with the Washington post, and this counter
from Ann
Althouse, a blogger and Law Professor at the University of Wisconsin. Then Daniel
Strauss, writing for the “The Hill” points out that Samuel L. Jackson
tweeted out his lack of understanding on why God wasn’t disrupting the
Republicans and instead steering towards New Orleans, a city filled with loyal
Democrats.
Rush Limbaugh on the other hand
takes a more secular approach, by “not alleging a conspiracy” but only
suggesting that the National Hurricane Center had altered the models used to
project Isaac’s path to “cast a pall” over the convention.
Religion and politics are
dangerous subjects when discussed individually in general company, together
they can only become more explosive, but since I have the next day or so with
not so much to do besides watch the wind and rain I might as well share my
views on them.
To take from Karl Marx, “Die
Religion… ist das Opium des Volkes” or Religion is the opium of the
people. This dismissive, elitist
sentiment reflects the secular, human centered position of so many
progressives. There is no God, and we
humans are in complete control. It is
offset by the equally radical position of so many fundamental churches’ that
see God’s wrath or favor in every little act of nature that befalls our
friends, our enemies, or us.
Each of us must form our own
understanding of God, our relationship with him, how that relates to our role
in society, and the purpose of life. But
no matter how you view God, to believe he has an interest in world politics or
more importantly your view of politics seems on its face either blindly naïve or
supremely arrogant.
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