Euro-Krise, überschuldete Industrienationen, Bankenkrise, occupy-movement etc.
Wer hat Schuld an all dem?
“Die Politiker”, also eine gesellschaftliche “Kaste”, oder doch die Kaste “die Banker”, die nur Gier als Motivation kennen?
Vor Jahren brachte ich das schon mal, doch jetzt etwas ausführlicher. Ein sehr guter franziskanischer Blog hat eine andere Antwort darauf. Diese lautet, wie sollte es bei einem Franziskaner auch anders sein: Du und ich (Franziskus forderte immer zuerst Bekehrung und Änderung von sich selbst). Wir alle haben dieses System erhalten mit all seinen Akteuren.
Oder wie es der Kabarettist Hagen Rether ausdrückt: man soll nicht über den Metzger herfallen, wenn nach jahrelangem Fleischfressen der Gichtanfall kommt.
Doch hier die franziskanische Perspektive, der ich mich natürlich anschließe:
Why should we look for and expect qualities in a candidate that are not manifestly sought after in a personal way by the electorate as a whole? Seriously, if you think the culture is in decline and decay and the vast majority has lost their senses on vital matters: then how can we reasonably expect a political solution? The best possible outcome would be for the ‘right thinking’ few to somehow pull an upset, and force by some ’set of rules’, others to fall in line. That’s just upside-down thinking.
And this is why so many default to seeing the whole process as a subjugation of a true majority of ‘right thinking’ citizens somehow being overpowered by nefarious entities: the manipulating media; profit hungry corporations; evil special interests, (the list is endless). They ‘thwart’ the ‘right thinkers’. All manner of theories arise (with some half truths thrown in for veracity) which explain how our power is exorcised from our hands. Have you noticed that these groups are always made up of ‘them’…and never of ‘us’?
This is why the gospel never speaks of a political solution to the woes that we endure. My political theory is thus: The political process merely reveals the state of conversion of a nation. A virtuous nation will call forth a virtuous leader. When we fight and win the conversion battle (beginning with ourselves), then we won’t need the political savior…we won’t cry out for Barabbas to lead our cause. As important as the political battle is; it pales in comparison to the battle for conversion of the nation. The priority must be correct.
My greatest hopes and endeavors are focused not so much on the nation, but on the Kingdom within the nation. My battle is from the inside-out (my own conversion first and by extension others around me). Many, (surely not enough) have been praying and fasting, and will continue to so for our upside-down nation. We’ve begged God through his Holy Mother to shower graces upon us. Now we need to incorporate the graces. The solution is nothing less than a life of enduring penance as Our Lady has told us, repeatedly.
If the Christian community in particular continues to take a secular approach and avoid penance, then we are in for the longest of long pulls.