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Ideologies Make Poor Messiahs

Writer's picture: Justin Scoggins, Th.D.Justin Scoggins, Th.D.

Ideologies make for poor messiahs.

 

This view isn’t going to make me popular. I don’t care, honestly. I learned a long time ago that following Christ will cost a lot of things, even relationships. I am certainly okay with that. I hope to not offend, only to shed perspective and perhaps stir conversation. The responsibility lies with the reader on how to respond, rather than on the writer who has stated intent. So please, follow along.

 

Another election year is upon us. Drumbeats of “the most important election of our lifetime” are the loudest they have been in recent years. Who you side with seems to determine more about you then anything else. Ideology has replaced humanity.

 

We have gotten to the point where vitriol is the norm and there is a complete loss of decorum and dialogue. There seems to be no willingness to listen and discuss dissenting views. The only agreement, as it were, is to see how outlandish we can be in beating our chest for our side of elected masters. The more extreme the position, the more our will grows to lord over our neighbor…making a messiah out of ideologies.

 

An easy way to see the benefit of our ideologies is run a metric of rate of return. Meaning you look at the investment of time and effort and see if it has been profitable given the amount of initial investment.

 

Are these ideologies something that have added value and peace, or have they taken that away? Have these ideologies lent themselves to deeper and fulfilling relationships or have they split a chasm?

 

The alarming, and less discussed, issue is that we now exist with authoritarianism as our foundation for political discourse. Yes, both ideologies. Group think has worn the path of blindly following ideologies with great ease. We now hear the quiet parts being said out loud in mass. Where we would only gander at certain topics and thoughts as far too obtuse to be defended with any coherence or logic, we now find ourselves in a sea on increasing extremism where vile things are the norm in positioning as talking points as we follow in our dulled authoritarian state.

 

When this happens, we forfeit the notion that legally permissible doesn’t equate too morally correct. Meaning, wrong doesn’t cease to be wrong because there is a majority backing it. However, with group think from an authoritarian perspective (which now is the norm of American politics on all sides) the goal post of morality is moved and subjectivity rules as we elect those who shout the moral equivalencies of our group. We want to decide how our neighbor should be ruled. If they disagree with how they are to be ruled, they are the enemy and…as Orwell stated: “Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on the human face – forever.

 

It is gross. Flat out.

 

However, I know the response of “if you do nothing (i.e., not voting, being apolitical, etc), you’re a part of the problem…” Well, not really.

 

Here is the thing; the responsibility isn’t on me to defend my apolitical position (which isn’t really apolitical at all, but more on that in a bit). Rather it is the responsibility of the ideologies and those pedaling such things who claim moral superiority, to convince me that what they are spouting and supporting is true and good. However, I have yet to find any argument or positioning convincing enough to move me from my position. Because…ideologies make for terrible messiahs.

 

I understand that hopefully at its foundation, this political endeavor is rooted in the belief of human flourishing. Again, hopefully. The way it has been sold that the vitality of life will be better should this ideology be placed as ruling authority. Even if folks disagree or don’t understand…this way of living and being ruled is the correct way for everyone. At best, it is coercive and intrusive to the individual. At worst it makes an enemy of neighbors which ultimately dehumanizes them leading to all sorts of possibilities. History is full of these reactions to the dehumanization of the other and it is full of bloodshed and oppression.

 

More and more there is this odd infatuation with power and who we want to be in power over us and others. Thus, they erect policies that will lord over neighbor and self. Surprisingly, and not in a good way, we have turned the corner of genuine excitement about these things taking place in an almost taunting and domineering way. The simplest of fallacies of the straw man, ad hoc, and my goodness the ad hominem are on full display. Again, this is to the detriment rather than benefit of our culture.

 

I offer a third way. An ancient yet piquant way for today. It is the way of the anabaptist of recent and the early church in antiquity. These positions are centered around the refusal to be coerced by political partisanship and power. This isn’t, as most now days seem to think, a relinquishment of responsibility. Rather, it is the outright refusal to believe and live by something other than the Sermon on the Mount and live as Christ lived and died. Political powers are in opposition with this. They work with dominance and violence. Christ works with love of enemies and rejection of violence. Therefore, this stance is fundamentally political in action and belief. Just not in the ways of the principalities and powers.

 

 This is the kingdom of God experienced in the here and now and its allegiance is to the slain Lamb who, in a most subverting way, turned the idea of power and policies on their heads. Instead of willing the king to domination of the world (which Christ outright rejected in the temptation and Paul warns that we battle against) Christ laid His life down for rescue and restore relationship across the great dividing line of God and man. Creator saving creation in the most absurd way…death. Extending the kingdom invitation to forego your own assumptions and wills to follow the One who expresses in paradoxical fashion, what power really looks like and how we can experience power beyond our world.

 

This power is utilized and expressed in relationship. Unity in diversity and the idea that in differences we can still serve each other and our communities so that people can really experience human flourishing. This looks like being neighbors, regardless of the seemingly obvious reason why we shouldn’t be. Serving folks, in all walks of life, so that they know they are deserving of dignity and respect. Spending out time, talents, and monetary goods in an extremely intentional voluntaristic way. It is prioritizing the other at the expense of self. It is holding the hands of those we disagree with and embracing those that make us uncomfortable. Being charitable without expectation of reciprocation. Dying so that others might live and flourish.

 

This isn’t an ideology…remember, those make for terrible messiahs. This is the Way, Truth, and Life. This is allegiance to the Lamb. This is knowing that His kingdom is present in us wherever we allow Him to rule. This is realizing that true power is in forgiveness and dialogue knowing that working with someone and lifting them up is better that coercive force and lording over. This is how we experience and get the world to experience the kingdom of God here and now. This is how we live peacefully with all men and bring to shame those who would have something bad to say about us. To this end, foundationally, to be Christian is to be political with what is now considered civil disobedience. These are the politics of Jesus, baptized in the Holy Spirit for the world to join with.

 

But the world can’t join with us if there are ideologies that are our messiahs.

 

Ideologies make terrible messiahs. However, I don’t follow an ideology. I follow the risen Lord, Christ Jesus. My allegiance is to Him and Him alone and He makes a wonderful Messiah. Maybe you want to follow Him too?



'Lamb of God' by Paul Klee, 1920. Oil, pen and ink on cardboard.

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Artwork credit: The Last Supper, Sadao Watanabe ,1977

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