Reader anonme proves that wise men only speak when they have something to say in this comment on yesterday’s post:
I generally stay out of your essays on liberty, freedom, individuals et al, but I’ll chime in briefly. I’ve long had a theory that you have abandoned conventional politics, instead making your political decisions based on religious grounds. (I’m not knocking it, that my current ‘political’ affiliation, hence the theory. God’s word has a much better track record.) This essay seems lend my theory some weight.
I’ve also noticed your political arguments instead seem to be theological arguments. Which can throw the unprepared for a loop, as many see politics and religion as separate things. That, and I think most people aren’t prepared to argue theology with a catholic theologian.
Finally! Someone gets it. You’d think the others would take the hint when they ask me what my political affiliation is, and I tell them, “I don’t have a political affiliation. I’m Catholic.”
Commenter Durandel also shows that he’s been paying attention:
That said, for Catholics who are political Conservatives or are Liberals, I do get annoyed when they play the wheesle words of “I’m not Liberal or Conservative, I’m Catholic.” They are lying. Brian isn’t because he actually is not in either camp.
Liberalism is just as intrinsically opposed to Christianity as Communism. The Liberals were smarter, though. Instead of trying to stamp out the Church, which usually leads to a massive backlash, Liberals instituted “freedom of religion”. This alleged right soon devolved into “freedom of worship”–a seemingly small yet hugely significant change. What they did was technically allow the practice of Christianity while putting up myriad subtle safeguards to keep the practice of the faith from mattering in the public sphere.
Properly understood, faith is not in the same domain as or in competition with politics. That’s not to say they’re entirely separate. Religion transcends and is prior to politics. One’s participation in public life should be informed by faith.
It should be noted that our society is so decadent and our political system so dysfunctional that discussing purely political solutions is practically a non-starter. We need to rebuild something resembling a society before we can worry about how to organize it.
