We are meditating on government of the Koch brothers, by Opus Dei and for the corporations and billionaires who flood elections with dark money.
This in contrast to government of the people, by the people, and for the people proposed by Abraham Lincoln following the victory at Gettysburg over confederate and pro-slavery forces.
One wonders if the church of Donald J. Trump (once known as the Republican Party) is so set against government of, by and for the people because they resent having lost the Civil War. Thanks to January 6, we all know how Trump is not good at admitting to losing. The current candidate for governor of Arizona says she will follow suit if she loses her election.
And the Civil War was a matter of defending slavery, and the church of Donald J. Trump (CODT) is not well known for being opposed to racism, white supremacy, or antisemitism.
Nor is it eager to let black people vote (or even pass out water while waiting in lines for hours in hot states like Georgia to vote)–as is evident from over 400 laws being enacted around the country by those enrolled in the CODT.
As for the Koch brothers, their wet dream for decades has been to dismantle environmental protections to render themselves freer to make billions on fossil fuels that are setting the planet on fire.
They invested heavily in creating law schools that would turn out lawyers to buttress their “vision.” Now the Koch brothers have judges and lawyers and the supreme court that they bought and paid for and waited patiently for all this time doing their bidding. And they are not going to waste this opportunity.
They must be in seventh heaven! Not only has their court already gutted air pollution rules of the EPA—it is now salivating over doing the very same thing with clean water. “Kill the EPA!” is their mantra. (Translation: “Kill the Planet! We make more money that way. It is interfering with our corporate profits!”)
Who needs clean air? Who needs clean water?
Who needs a planet that is not burning and glaciers not melting and seas not rising and hurricanes and floods not increasing and wild fires not wilding?
Who needs educated citizens? Or good roads? Or bridges that are not collapsing? Or internet and hospitals in rural areas? (Taxes pay for these things after all.) But who needs taxes?
Not the billionaires or corporations (including media like Murdoch’s empire) genuflecting at the church of Donald J. Trump.
THIS is what this mid-term election is about.
See https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-charles-koch-successfully-peddled-the-snake-oil-of-climate-change-denial
See Matthew Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society, pp. xix-xlvi.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: District of Columbia Board of Elections Official Ballot Drop Box, Foggy Bottom GWU Station, Washington DC, 6 October 2022. Photo by Elvert Barnes Photography on Flickr.
Queries for Contemplation
Are you voting and urging others to vote for a government of, by and for the people? Or its alternative?
Recommended Reading
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society
Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them.
“A scholarly masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science. A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics
9 thoughts on “The Meaning of the Mid-Term Elections, part III”
Matthew, Today we continue our midterm election meditations. We are meditating on government of the Koch brothers, by Opus Dei and for the corporations and billionaires who flood elections with dark money. This in contrast to government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Having lost the Civil War and thanks to the January 6 fiasco–we all know how Trump is not good at admitting to losing–and the current candidate for governor of Arizona says she will follow suit if she loses her election. As for the Koch brothers, You say that their “dream for decades has been to dismantle environmental protections to render themselves freer to make billions on fossil fuels that are setting the planet on fire… “their court already gutted air pollution rules of the EPA—it is now salivating over doing the very same thing with clean water.” Then after pointing out all of these things you conclude with, “THIS is what this mid-term election is about.” And so it is that you ask us, “Are you voting and urging others to vote for a government of, by and for the people?” I must say that working with you on this project has opened my eyes to what is happening to our country politically and environmentally. In both areas we need true justice–political and environmental !!! May the people we intelligently vote for, be as Eckhart said, “People who love justice will be admitted to justice, seized by justice, and one with justice.”
What I have found to be very interesting in continuing to look at the history of Theocracy, is the counter to this… which was Radical Enlightenment… which literally created a global paradigm shift in the consciousness of humanity… out of which was birthed a highly creative explosion, which unfolded, evolved and emerged into many diverse areas, that has greatly influenced the world in which we live in today. Although not all that was manifested was bereft of pain and suffering, nor was all that came out of this of benefit to the common good of the whole, it however, was definetly a transformative leap forward. This little bit of counter history, actually inspired hope, in the sense that perhaps a New Radical Enlightenment is beginning to unfold, evolve and emerge, leading us out of the mess we are in… which holds the potential of creating a global paradigm shift, within the consciousness of humanity… throughout which much creativity and transformation will manifest itself… possibly moving the collective of humanity into a much needed measure of balance, harmony and alignment with the Sacred Laws and our true nature, awakening many to collaboratively, cooperatively, creatively and consciously contribute our destined part to play out within the greater Webb of Life; of which we are all deeply interconnected with, and interdependently and interreliant upon.
I appreciate Matthew’s many thoughtful messages and the insights of various listeners, but could we back away from metaphors concerning “wet dreams,” “pissing on MLK. Jr’s grave,” and the like?
I don’t know why my Comment was deleted yesterday (censored?), but the spirit of it was emphasizing the culmination of the toxic, unbalanced, and destructive effects of patriarchal values and behavior in human history being our present world industrial societies contributing, not only to ongoing cruel social inequities, but the existential climate/environmental catastrophe of our sacred planet Mother Earth, source of All Life and humanity. Besides our democracy, this climate/environmental existential crises should be every conscientious American’s primary concern in our upcoming election. Let’s pray for God’s Spirit of Love~Wisdom~Truth~Peace~Justice~Mercy~Strength~Healing~Transformation~Compassion~
Oneness… to prevail in the hearts/minds/spirits of all voters so we can all continue building God’s Kingdom and Will on earth as it is in Heaven… Our eternal souls will continue evolving not only on earth, but eternally in the afterlife with-in God’s ongoing co-Creation~Evolution and Loving Diverse Oneness….
🔥💜🌎🙏
Damian, I can tell you with pure conscience that I did not delete your comment. Unless someone knows better on our staff, I can only think that maybe your comment exceeded the words, and it was therefore not accepted. Sorry for whatever happened 🙁
Dr Fox,
Thank you for your continuing courage to write and speak about the Dark Side power, greed and money. Might you also included the White evangelical Christian Dark Side. ” The Family”. Their goals are very similar. What happens when “Opus Dei” and “The Family” Fist Fight In Heaven for control and domination.
Credit to Sherman Alexie for descriptive Book Title
I have voted to preserve government by and for the people and have encouraged others to do so with postcards, letters and phone calls, which I hope some of you are doing. However, with the precedent set by the former president, others besides the governor of Arizona will no doubt hop on the bandwagon. I fear that Jan 6 was just a taste. There are absolutely no lengths to which those in power will not go. They have already demonstrated that by violence. The whole privatization movement that has been going on for decades will soon wipe out any sense of concern for the public health and welfare. The concept of public service is gone is many states and localities. The abuse that goes on in prisons and under ICE is absolutely shameful, has been exposed many times, and yet goes unchanged. The Netflix program “The Family” is a chilling documentation of the right wing Protestant efforts since even the 1930’s to gain political control. There is no difference between them and Opus Dei. I doubt there is a heaven, but, if there is, I doubt either one would end up there.
Fake science is a useful tool for authoritarians. Here in Florida, the “Health” department is poised to deny care to trans youth and stop whatever treatment is going on, under the “guidance” of the state head doctor, who denies vaccinations, etc. God help us all.
Sue, I agree what you have to say today and when you say: “The Netflix program ‘The Family’ is a chilling documentation of the right wing Protestant efforts since even the 1930’s to gain political control. There is no difference between them and Opus Dei. I doubt there is a heaven, but, if there is, I doubt either one would end up there.” Remember the “Scope Trials,” and “The Moral Majority”–and even now Fundamentalist Christians are uniting with Catholics on the common ground of anti-abortion, and anti-other-sexual orientation too… The “Threefold Union” is here: Fundamentalist Protestants, Fundamentalist Catholics, and the Supreme Court. Just think of all of the damage they can do to religious freedom. See the book by David Barton, THE MYTH OF SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE…
Scary.