Let's Talk Politics...

The other night, my wife Cherith and I were watching the results of the Iowa caucus. As usual, there were roaring crowds, enthusiastic candidates, and media pundits ready with their fast analysis of the results (which usually changes from day to day).

Obama, the Democratic victor, gave what was by far the most inspiring speech, focusing on the historic moment of the first African-American to win a presidential caucus/primary, and on the hope that he will bring as a candidate of change (although change to what, I haven't yet gotten from him).

The speech that caught my attention was Huckabee's, the Republican winner who seems to be championed by many Evangelical Christians. Certainly more "folksy" and less polished than Obama's, he made reference to a quote by G. K. Chesterton...one of my favorite writers and a major influence on all of the Inklings.

The quote was: "A true warrior fights not because he hates those in front of him, but because he loves those behind him." A great quote, which Huckabee proceeded to take totally out of context and misapply to his point.

However, Huckabee's use of Chesterton in a political speech made me think of another quote from Chesterton in his book, The Everlasting Man: "A despotism may almost be defined as a tired democracy. As fatigue falls on a community, the citizens are less inclined for that eternal vigilance which has truly been called the price of liberty; and they prefer to arm only one single sentinel to watch the city while they sleep."

A despotism is a tired democracy. What a statement.

I look around the US, and in many respects, a tired democracy is exactly what I see, even among faithful Christians.

I see religious conservatives wanting government to legislate their moral principles and allow Christian orthodoxy to intrude into the public sphere...rather than doing the hard task of building relationships, loving, evangelizing, and discipling those who are lost.

I see liberal-thinking Christians wanting government to demonstrate the compassion and justice of Scripture through government entitlement programs and universal health care, all the while using most of their budgets on congregational programs and structures that are often more culture-bound than biblically mandated.

I see the majority of Americans believing that government owes them something beyond being a source of impartial law, an enforcer of contracts among people, and a protector from criminals and foreign enemies...which was implicitly the vision of our Founding Fathers.

Government has gotten so large and has taken on so many functions, we would hardly recognize the very frugal and simple government that existed for the first 100 years of our nation. Ironically, when our national government was small and had limited functions, it was then that our local communities were strong and vibrant, because those local communities were empowered to do things for themselves rather than immediately relying on Washington, D.C.

Is America slowly on the road to becoming a despotism? Are American citizens really more interested in being "cared for" by the government, rather than trusting in God and relying on their own ingenuity and the willing generosity of family, friends, and churches in their communities? Is it even possible to return to the vision of a national government so eloquently stated by Thomas Jefferson: "...a wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned"? Or has government become yet another idol in which we choose to put our unquestioning faith?

In conclusion, a brief lesson of history: In 1933, Adolf Hitler, perhaps the greatest despot of the 20th century, was elected into office. He did not seize power; it was given to him by the people of Germany, and as he usurped more and more authority while silencing his critics, the majority of Germans (including the church) chose to do nothing.

I pray to God that never happens here, but something tells me He might feel like teaching us the hard way.....