We have started a new series called “Dangerous Emotions.” We are talking about when normal emotions like anger, shame, fear, anxiety, guilt, and jealousy become unhealthy. The midterm elections are here, which always brings out many emotions and strong opinions. Americans have been early voting over the past few weeks. Turnout seems high. As always, the results of this week will be very interesting. We are all fortunate to live in a country “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” We should not take that for granted. We live in a great nation.
For years I have been researching and teaching at Vanderbilt on the intersection of faith and politics. Specifically, I am interested in the connection between faith, values, and political leanings. What is it that leads a person to be conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat, MAGA or Socialist, and is there a place anymore in our society for moderates on either side? Jonathan Haidt’s book “The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion” is a fascinating read on this topic. Those of us who lead mainline churches in this country learn to accept the reality of political and social diversity. It should not scare us or intimidate us. It is simply a given. One of the best things we can do in our churches and culture is to encourage healthy dialogue and civil conversations among those who disagree. We need to provide a healthier alternative to the dumpster fire that is social media and the way people engage online. Woodmont tries to do that.
Faith and values should inform our politics and the candidates we support. But what do you do, in any race, when you feel like neither candidate represents your values? Sure, you can stay home, which neglects your civic duty as an involved citizen. You can write somebody in, which many choose to do. You can choose the “lesser of two evils” and then debate which one that is. Make no mistake, politics is an ugly business. If that was ever doubted, just turn on the TV. Watch the adds ads and personal attacks. It can feel like a race to the bottom. One of the most disturbing aspects of our culture is that values are slipping. Respect seems to be waning. Standards are dropping. Decent people don’t want to run. Growing secularization, shallow morals, corruption, and the breakdown of families have certainly played a major role in getting us here. Do political debates still matter, or is everybody’s mind already made up? What will it take to restore virtue and civility to the American political process? Is that even possible in a twenty-four-hour news culture of what has been called “politainment”? What will it take to return to an educated exchange of ideas and visions regarding the proper role of government, tax rates, foreign policy, economic growth, healthcare, entitlement program programs, etc.? What will it take for us to regain a moral and spiritual component to this process?
Some will say the days of mutual respect, civility, decency, integrity, and honor are gone. I hope that isn’t true. Faith played a major role in the lives of our founding fathers. They sought to establish a country that would bring out the best in people and not the worst. They also understood that both morality and spirituality must be present in the life of any public servant and in the political process itself. Without it them, the citizens lose confidence, become discouraged, and even disengage. But we can all do our part to make it better. Despite all the noise and insults, America is still a great country because the people are good, values still matter, and our spirit is strong. When you head to the polls this week, don’t take that for granted.