…but it sure does rhyme!
Tom Holland argues that every single conflict in American political and cultural life is not a fight between “Christians” and “unbelievers” but is, in fact, a theological quarrel within the Christian tradition.
I think he’s right about that. And one odd corollary of that is that Americans, steeped in the biblical tradition whether they realize it or not (and whether they like it or not), tend to recapitulate broadly biblical historical themes. Here, for example, is the summary of the entire Book of Judges:
And the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals; and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; they went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were round about them, and bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger. They forsook the LORD, and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them; and he sold them into the power of their enemies round about, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. Whenever they marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had warned, and as the LORD had sworn to them; and they were in great distress.
Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the power of those who plundered them. And yet they did not listen to their judges; for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed down to them; they soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the LORD, and they did not do so. Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. But whenever the judge died, they turned back and behaved worse than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them; they did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways. (Jdg 2:11–19)
And here is America’s version of that pattern:
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4 Responses
Republicans seem obsessed with making the rich even richer. In the past decade or so, the wealth disparity has become absurd. The top 3 billionaires have a combined net worth that exceeds the bottom half of the American people, that about 160 million people. But yet, that is still not enough. This is greed taken to a pathological level.
If you even talk about the wealth disparity, you are called a “Communist.” You are accused of “hating America” or some other nonsense. We are not supposed to talk about this.
The United States is about 50th in life expectancy. Japan is first. A nation that was in ashes 80 years ago, now has a life expectancy several years higher than us. Even Costa Rica is higher than us, if you talk about government paid health care for poor children, you are called a “Communist.”
Indeed, unless you advocate for tax cuts for the rich, and cuts in spending on the social safety net, you are a “Communist” or perhaps a “Socialist.” The MAGA fools have been distracted by nonsense issues like transgenders in sports, while the billionaires pick our pockets. Trump will do nothing for them, except deport immigrants and demonize transgenders. And the MAGA fools don’t seem to care and worship him.
Well said.
There is an interesting phenomenon I have begun to observe. MAGA guilt. They got what they wanted. The Pope almost died. They realize they behaved like complete, all-in arseholes. They caught a glimpse of their dirty faces in the mirror after reading some disturbing things about Elon, felt afraid and are quietly trying to spot clean their sullied garments.
I haven’t heard of any tendencies toward trying to clean their sullied garments. Could you cheer me up by giving me an example?
Mark, I don’t know if this is what you meant, but national recovery isn’t a reward for virtue, and national collapse isn’t a punishment for vice. Prosperity results from a combination of good luck and not screwing up the good luck too much with bad policies. Economics isn’t a morality tale.