{"id":320,"date":"2008-05-31T05:51:37","date_gmt":"2008-05-31T05:51:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/conversationswithgod\/2008\/05\/god-and-politics-they-really-d.html"},"modified":"2008-05-31T05:51:37","modified_gmt":"2008-05-31T05:51:37","slug":"god-and-politics-they-really-d","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/conversationswithgod\/2008\/05\/god-and-politics-they-really-d.html","title":{"rendered":"God and politics: they really do mix"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s great to have our spiritual beliefs inform our politics, but what if those spiritual beliefs are ancient understandings that cannot possibly be applied to our modern world? How do the rules of Yesterday’s God apply to humanity today?
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\nNOTE: Saturday is Prose & Poetry Day here on the blog, a time to take a moment once a week to relax the mind, open the heart, and access the soul through the gift of prose from one of the many books of The New Spirituality, and through the poetry of Em Claire, author of the forthcoming volume, Silent Sacred Holy Deeply: Heart.<\/em>
\nFor this week’s prose we offer…a continuing excerpt (see last Saturday’s blog) from Tomorrow’s God<\/em> about politics…
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\nSo, you\u2019re saying that our present cultural values and sacred beliefs are infecting, rather than enhancing, our political system.<\/p>\n

Yes. Not only in the United States but around the world, your politics have been adversely affected by your spiritual beliefs.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Why is this happening? And how is bringing more spirituality into politics going to help?<\/p>\n

\nIt\u2019s happening because your beliefs are based on your understanding of Yesterday\u2019s God. They make up the Old Spirituality, which is a spirituality of separation and superiority, vengeance and violence.
\nIn the days of Tomorrow’s God all of this will change. Bringing the New Spirituality into politics is what will help.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, it doesn\u2019t really matter much in America, because we keep this spiritual stuff pretty much out of politics. I know, I know, you said that we don\u2019t, but I have to disagree with you. This is not Saudi Arabia or Iran, where our spiritual beliefs are practically law.<\/p>\n

If you think that in the United States your cultural values and most sacred beliefs are not being reflected in your political system, you are either lying to yourself or you are blind.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, of course our politics reflect our cultural values and our beliefs! That\u2019s what politics are supposed to do. But we keep religion and politics separate in this country.<\/p>\n

You mean \u201creligions\u201d in your country do not have anything to do with your cultural values and your most sacred beliefs?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Of course they do.<\/p>\n

\nWell, then, you\u2019ve just contradicted yourself.
\nIf you\u2019ve really kept religion out of politics in the United States, then your politics do not reflect your cultural values and sacred beliefs. On the other hand, if your politics do reflect your cultural values and most sacred beliefs, then you have not keep religion out of politics.
\nYou can\u2019t have it both ways.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Wait a minute. When I say \u201ccultural values\u201d I am not talking about theological constructs dealing with God and the nature of Ultimate Reality and the Path to Salvation, or whatever. That\u2019s the purview of \u201creligion.\u201d And when I talk about our most \u201csacred beliefs,\u201d I am not talking about belief in heaven and hell, or the power of prayer, or the sanctity of marriage, or any of those things.
\nThat, too, is the purview of religion. I am talking about cultural values, not religious values. American values, not Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, or Hindu values. I am talking about national beliefs, not religious beliefs. Do you see the difference?<\/p>\n

Give me an \u201cAmerican\u201d value.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Okay. Liberty. Liberty and Freedom are American values.<\/p>\n

\nI have told you in this dialogue that the word \u201cfreedom\u201d and the word \u201cGod\u201d are interchangeable. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, yes, you have. But no major religion teaches that.<\/p>\n

\nDo not your major religions teach that God is all powerful, all creative, all knowing, unlimited and everywhere present?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yes, I believe they do.<\/p>\n

And are these not the characteristics of one who is the essence of freedom itself?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I never thought about it that way.<\/p>\n

Well, isn\u2019t someone who is all powerful, all creative, all knowing, unlimited and everywhere present, essentially totally free? <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yes, I suppose so.<\/p>\n

Would not such a person be free to do whatever he or she wants, when he or she wants, where he or she wants, and have complete liberty to do so how he or she wants, and why he or she wants?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yes, I would have to agree.<\/p>\n

\nAnd isn\u2019t that, basically, your definition of God? <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yes, it is.<\/p>\n

Then the way you have defined God is the way you wish to define yourselves. And in the future, you will simply admit that, rather than trying to hide it.
\nIn the days of The New Spirituality the idea of using politics to define yourselves as you have defined God will be widely accepted.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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\nIf you experience that you received benefit from this excerpt from Tomorrow’s God<\/em> you are going to love Happier Than God<\/em>, the newest book in the CwG cosmology. Described as “a Master’s Guide to Spiritual Awakening,” this extraordinary new work has just been released and is available now. Click on the Happier Than God icon at the right of this blog page for more info, and embrace one of the most empowering books you will ever read.
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\nThis week’s gift of poetry<\/strong><\/em>
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\nWhile You were out,
\nmany things transpired.
\nA sky was born.
\nLove & Laughter married.
\nTen Thousand suns were birthed.
\nI awoke, a Butterfly.
\nMy wings burst into song.
\nAnd I even changed my name,
\nWhile You were out.
\nPlanets began to dance, my Love,
\nAnd all colors traded hues.
\nStars turned themselves into ocean bottoms;
\nGrasshoppers, into Gazelles,
\nAnd I left the earth
\nand returned
\nCourageous
\nAll, while You were out.
\n(While You Were Out – Em Claire – copyright 2007 – all rights reserved)
\nFor more of the work of this new poetic voice you are invited to visit www.mclairepoet.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s great to have our spiritual beliefs inform our politics, but what if those spiritual beliefs are ancient understandings that cannot possibly be applied to our modern world? 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