We are meditating on what the mid-term elections are about this year.
We are choosing whether to have a government that is “of the people, by the people, and for the people” or one that is of the Koch brothers, by Opus Dei and for the corporations and billionaires who flood elections with dark money.
Whether it is of the triumph of dark money from (often) crazy billionaires and corporations buttressed by a supreme court they have paid for and that was hand-chosen by a member of a fascist religious cult known as Opus Dei.
And how the church of Donald J. Trump, once known as the Republican Party, will have power once again to cozy up with Putin even though he has invaded a sovereign country in Europe for the first time since WWII and is committing countless crimes against humanity in carrying out an obviously illegal and immoral war. (To his credit, President Biden has masterfully enlisted the common support of European countries and buttressed the NATO defense to assist Ukraine in its struggle to survive as a fledging democracy.)
And to put billionaires before ordinary citizens (kudos go to Robert’s Supreme Court decisions for Citizens United).
And kudos go to Robert’s court for gutting the voting rights act of course, yes, the act that Dr. King worked and died for along with millions of others who filled jails, were beaten and worse. John Lewis among them.
And for gutting EPA defenses of clean air and soon to be, clean water.
And the church of Donald J. Trump is committed to denial of climate change, therefore to the continued blazing of the planet. (Ask your children and grandchildren about this. It might be a good thing to consider them and not just your gas prices at the pump when pulling levers when you vote.)
And to enshrine in laws all over the country the god-given right of men– especially creepy politician, clergy, judicial and lawyer men–to tell women what they can and cannot do with their bodies.
And damning the separation of church and state. And if some religions do NOT consider a young fetus to be a human being (which, by the way is the case with Saint Thomas Aquinas, a doctor of the Catholic church and the Jewish religion), they are not to be listened to.
Church and state should be united provided that church is the church of Donald J. Trump and his evangelical and Opus Dei allies, i.e. certain Christian churches. But Jews and Muslims and thinking Christians—for you church and state are separated.
In this way we guarantee that Patriarchy reigns. And fascism becomes the fashion. Once again.
That 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?via=newsletter&source=DDMorning
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: “Rise Up! VOTE! United States Election Day Tuesday November 8, 2022” Image by Fred Seibert on Flickr.
Queries for Contemplation
Are you feeling the creeping fascism of our times which includes an oligarchy held in place by a corrupt political system and Citizens United decision that whereby the top 1% are spending $1.6 billion on TV ads buying political favors? Is this inspiring your vote and your working to get others to vote?
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
8 thoughts on “The Meaning of the Mid-Term Elections, part IV”
Matthew, This is the fourth in your series on the 2022 midterm elections. And you remind us again that “we are choosing whether to have a government that is ‘of the people, by the people, and for the people’ or one that is of the Koch brothers, by Opus Dei and for the corporations and billionaires who flood elections with dark money.” If the republicans win this election it could be paving the way for, what you call, “The church of Donald J. Trump, once known as the Republican Party, will have power once again to cozy up with Putin. And their conservative Supreme Court can cause more damage as it has done with: they put billionaires before ordinary citizens (Supreme Court decisions for Citizens United); they gut the voting rights act which Martin Luther King, Jr. works so hard for; and deny climate change; they enshrine in laws all over the country which tell women what they can and cannot do with their bodies; and they are breaking down the separation between church and state. So, yes I do feel the creeping fascism of our times, which includes an oligarchy held in place by a corrupt political system and Citizens United decision that whereby the top 1% are spending $1.6 billion on TV ads buying political favors. You ask us, “Is this inspiring your vote and your working to get others to vote?” YES, but I’m very frustrated that they don’t always share what political party the Supreme Court judges belong to. Supposedly they are suppose to be non-partisan…
Thank you for speaking out about the problems we face as a nation today. We need more religious leaders to do so. To counterbalance the religious right, and they have been organizing for years to accomplish what they have done now. Thanks again!
Matthew has very much described what the current reality is in the United States.
We are in a very dark and foreboding time. Much courage and above all faith will
be needed in days ahead. I try to remember that Gods work happens in deep time,
Love is the track we follow and good will one day triumph. We must stand for justice even if we lose it in our lifetime.
I have been actively involved in getting out the vote. Money in politics has been a problem for decades. Income inequality is a huge issue and is getting worse. Until the tax structure is changed and wealthy corporations and individuals can no longer dodge their responsibility to the larger whole we will continue down this destructive path.
Good morning, Matthew. Would you please fill us in on Saint Thomas Aquinas’s views on the young fetus as not being a human being, as you note. It would be good to hear his views. Thank you.
I want to recommend the video interview and author of the book, “Weapons of Mass Delusion: When the Republican Party Lost its Mind” that popped up on YouTube on Amanpour and Company subscription when I was searching for the last YouTube mentioned in today’s DM.
He explains some of the genesis of the increasingly extreme and dangerous radicalism and brainwashing among many Americans, besides the influence of Trump.
May God’s Spirit of Love~Wisdom~Truth~Justice~Strength~ Compassion~Oneness… be especially within the hearts/minds of all voters in the upcoming Brazilian and US elections. Our continued work for societal and planetary Justice and survival are at stake!
🔥💜🌎🙏
I am alarmed as Matthew is about the creeping fascism, except I would say that it is galloping. I have done everything possible to encourage people to vote with phone bank, letters, postcards. What is going on with Koch and other dark money suppliers and the corrupt politicians and “justices” is simply the proof of the saying that the love of money (not money per se) is the root of all evil. Because the love of money is never satisfied, ever, it joins up with the love of power, which is also insatiable. We should not be surprised at the dire consequences, which include the death of democracy and the rise of theocracy, and the only thing we can do at this point, in my opinion, as I have said before, is keep working in our own small areas for justice, encourage voting, and pray. Beyond that, some of us will have the courage to engage in civil disobedience regarding issues of injustice, which may vary but are innumerable, and for me include helping women continue to get abortions and protecting the LGBQT+ community, especially trans youth. All of the institutions including much of the government, religion, and the law have failed to protect ordinary people, especially the most vulnerable.
Yes I see creeping fascism each day, particularly yesterday’s attempt at assassination of Nancy Pelosi which sent her 82 yr old husband to the hospital. Hate speech fuels such acts.
I remember growing up in the 50’s, we were aware of “Russian propaganda”
But now we are seeing rampant right wing American propaganda proliferate. It is both scary and infuriating. Yes I’m doing letters and postcards to get out the vote. And if power remains in the peoples hands we need to demand action on every positive change we want.(health care, assault weapons ban etc etc).