Sick of Politics
January 8, 2021
Cesare Maccari: Cicero Denounces Catiline
Sick of Politics
By Anonymous
Accusations! Denials! Impeachments! Voter Fraud! Slander! False Promises! Coup!
What Are We Talking About?
To constructively talk about something, we must know what we are talking about! Pretty obvious, huh?
Yet most people are clueless as to what politics is all about! For most people, politics is much like God — and that means, everyone has their own idea about it!
But what, objectively speaking, is “politics” and where does “politics” rank among the bigger scheme of things?
The history of political thought can be traced back to early antiquity, with seminal works such as Plato’s Republic, Aristotle’s Politics, the works of Confucius and Arthashastra, and Chanakya neeti by Chanakya in 3rd Century BC.
If we look at the etymology — in other words, “Where the Heck Did the Word Come From?” — we find the word “Politics” comes from the same Greek word. Popularized by the title of Aristotle’s book, it comes from the ancient Greek word: Πολιτικά (romanized into Latin as Politiká, Politicus), meaning “affairs of the cities,” “of, for, or relating to citizens,” “civil” “civic,” “belonging to the state,” etc.
Derivatives of politicus are the words polites (pronounced “polytess”), meaning “citizen” and also the word polis, meaning “city.” Cities, in those times, were much like a mini-state or a mini-nation. Notice the similarity with our word “metropolitan” which means a large urban area, usually one that includes a city and its suburbs and outlying areas.
Politics is a multi-faceted, multi-sided or multi-meaning word. It can be used strictly as meaning “the art or science of government” and “having, forming and following political principles”― referring to the methodology and activities associated with running a government, an organization, or a movement. However, the word “politics” can also carry a negative meaning, especially in our day and age. The word has been used negatively for many years referring to political maneuvers or diplomacy between people, groups, or organizations, especially involving power, influence or conflict. Already back in 1745, for example, the British national anthem calls on God to “Confound their politics”, and the phrase “play politics,” for example, has been in use since at least 1850s.
A definition or description from the 18th century states that―pardon their lack of uniformity in spelling “politics” — “Politicks is the science of good sense, applied to public affairs, and, as those are forever changing, what is wisdom to-day would be folly and perhaps, ruin tomorrow. Politicks is not a science so properly as a business. It cannot have fixed principles, from which a wise man would never swerve, unless the inconstancy of men’s view of interest and the capriciousness of the tempers could be fixed” (Fisher Ames (1758-1808).
Formal and Informal Politics
► FORMAL POLITICS refers to a constitutional system of government and publicly defined institutions and procedures. Political parties, public policy or discussions about war and foreign affairs would fall under the category of Formal Politics. Many people view formal politics as something outside of themselves, but something that can still filter down to affect their daily lives.
► SEMI-FORMAL POLITICS is politics in government associations, such as neighborhood associations, or student governments where student government political party politics is often practiced. Student Union & Activities promotes student success by offering a variety of programs, activities, services, and facilities that, when taken together, represent a well-considered plan for the development of a school environment.
► INFORMAL POLITICS is understood as forming alliances, exercising power and protecting and advancing particular ideas or goals. Generally, this includes anything affecting one’s daily life, such as the way an office or household is managed, or how one person or group exercises influence over another.
Informal Politics is typically understood as everyday politics, hence the idea that “politics is everywhere”. The more modern meaning of informal politics―as in “a person’s political stand, allegiances or opinions” ―is from the 18th century. Today, we might say: “Their politics are clear from the bumper stickers on their cars.”
Good and Evil Politics
Everything in this world―even in everything that God has created―there is a POTENTIAL positive and a negative aspect. God positively created the angels for Heaven ― yet the highest angel, Lucifer, and his followers, created their own negative brand of politics by stating: “I will not serve!” ―thereby losing the positive reward of Heaven and acquiring the negative punishment of Hell.
God positively made Adam and Eve to be POTENTIALLY immortal (that is, to never die)―but Adam and Eve, by their Original Sin, negatively ended up ‘giving birth’ to death (the opposite or negative of immortality).
God positively wishes that all persons be potentially saved and attain to Heaven― “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Christ came into the world to save the world from the world. He has compassion on the world: “For God so loved the world, as to give His only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting. For God sent not His Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by Him” (John 3:16-17).
Yet because of our preference for the ‘politics’ of sin. Our Lord warns: “Many are called, but few chosen!” (Matthew 20:16).
“Not everyone that saith to Me ― ‘Lord! Lord!’ ― shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: but he that doth the will of My Father Who is in Heaven, he shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven!” (Matthew 7:21).
God positively selected Abraham’s tribe and family to be His Chosen People―yet by negatively following their own ‘politics’ they ended up with one negative punishment after another for thousands of years. The “Chosen People” of the New Testament―Catholics―are rapidly heading down the same negative path because of a preference for their own ‘politics’ over and above the ‘politics’ of God.
God’s Political Agenda or Political Manifesto
God clearly lays down His ‘political’ agenda or ‘political’ manifesto in chapter 26 of the Book of Leviticus: “If you walk in My precepts, and keep My commandments, and do them, then I will give you rain in due seasons. And the ground shall bring forth its increase, and the trees shall be filled with fruit. The threshing of your harvest shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land without fear. I will give peace in your coasts: you shall sleep, and there shall be none to make you afraid. I will take away evil beasts: and the sword shall not pass through your quarters.” (Leviticus 26: 3-5)
But if you will not hear Me, nor do all My commandments, if you despise My laws, and contemn My judgments so as not to do those things which are appointed by Me, and to make void My covenant, then …” (Leviticus 26:14) … then, for not “paying the price,” God says:
“I will quickly visit you with poverty, and burning heat, which shall waste your eyes, and consume your lives. You shall sow your seed in vain, which shall be devoured by your enemies. I will set My face against you, and you shall fall down before your enemies, and shall be made subject to them that hate you, you shall flee when no man pursueth you.” (Leviticius 26: 16-18)
Who or What Governs Politics?
As was said above, politics refers to a constitutional system of government and publicly defined institutions and procedures. It encompasses “the art or science of government” and “having, forming and following political principles” — in other words, the methodology and activities associated with running a government, an organization, or a movement.
So politics is a method, or the art, or science of governing. But what governs politics? What gives the principles of governing to politics?
Governing is an ACTION and all actions must be preceded by THOUGHTS. Ideas produce actions, that is why we say: “Think before you speak!” or “Think before you act!” Whose thoughts are behind the actions of political governance? You will reply: “The ideas of a man!”
Yes, that is true, but do those thoughts of man originate with man or can they be traced further back into the past?
At the end of the day, there is very little original thought to be found, and very few original principles to be found. Most thoughts and principles are merely a nuance or shade or modification of some previously existing thought or principle.
We tend to think, speak and act according to the traits, characteristics of our family, our friends, our teachers and those we admire.
As the saying goes: “Tell me who your friends are and I will tell what you are!”
But if we research the ‘family-tree’ or ‘ancestry’ of thoughts and principles, then they will eventually “boil-down-to” one of two sources: God or Satan. Both God and Satan work through intermediaries―which are the Church (God) and the world (Satan). Each has, for the most part, a diametrically opposite way of thinking, speaking and doing things. Each has their own ‘politics,’ their own way of governing, teaching, and leading.
Each has a set of values. The two camps are irreconcilable. There can be no compromise, no merger, no political union between them.
Do we follow the ‘politics’ of Christ and the Gospel, or do we adhere to and practice the politics of Satan and the world?
We cannot compromise the two; we cannot straddle the dividing fence; we cannot have a foot in both camps!
Our Lord and Holy Scripture are adamant and uncompromising on this point:
The ‘Politics’ of Christ and the World are Opposed to Each Other
Our Lord says: “The prince of this world [the devil] cometh, and in Me he hath not anything!” (John 14:30).
“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now My kingdom is not from hence!” (John 18:36).
To the worldlings, He says: “You are from beneath, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world!” (John 8:23).
To His followers. He says: “If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you!” (John 15:19).
Modern Day Politics Is Mainly Ruled by the Politics of Satan
To say that modern-day politics is ruled by the politics of Satan may seem to a be a little extreme to you, but when you measure politics by the following statement of Our Lord, then it is sounds less extreme and extremely likely.
Speaking to Scribes and Pharisees ―concerning their politics or policies towards Him― Our Lord says: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do! He was a murderer from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth―because truth is not in him! When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own―for he is a liar, and the father of lies!” (John 8:44).
How true that is of much of the political maneuverings today!
They are based on lies, half-truths, exaggerations, misrepresentations and falsifications. You could almost say that there is no place for truth in politics ― unless it falls to your own advantage. Bold-faced political lying spills over into the media, into business, and even into family life and social relations. There is less and less love of the truth as times goes on ― especially when it comes to the truths taught by Christ.
See Part Two of this essay here.
