Spiritual and Political – Whether We Like It Or Not

I’m still amused by the mentality of not talking about religion or politics around the dinner table.  Or like in The Godfather where you’re not allowed to talk about business around the family dinner table.  Those things make me chuckle.  What I chuckle about is how silly that rule is, where else can you get into the nitty and gritty of life’s issues than over something to eat?

It’s not just the dinner table though that politics and religion appear to be taboo.  There’s this great veil of privacy around both issues that on the one hand acknowledges the role they play to whatever degree but would rather leave active engagement in it until special times like elections or weddings.

What’s missing in that picture, though, is a realisation that we are implicitly spiritual and political beings whether we like it or not and appreciating and engaging with that part of ourselves goes to a huge degree in helping us out with issues like identity, purpose etc.  The spiritual element is key and core because how we deal with that can help in so many other areas and especially in its connection with the political aspect we would at least understand where we are coming from and possibly what lies ahead with those views.

I am aware that both topics arouse suspicion, scepticism and in some cases outright hostility and cynicism.  Yet without checking it out properly things like office politics and their peaceful, constructive resolutions, family disputes and their peaceful, constructive resolutions and other cultural and personal issues and their peaceful, constructive resolutions will remain elusive.

For Christians who give the impression that their spiritual position leaves politics to the side, they perhaps haven’t fully realised how pervasive is in aspects of life and the Kingdom deal is not ignoring the political ramifications but addressing them with a completely world-altering agenda, even when that upsets the apple-cart significantly.  Ignorance is not bliss for issues like this, but I guess it’s all about how we bump into it and deal with it on life’s journey.

For His Name’s Journey

Shalom

dmcd