Politics, Religion and Naivete
Guy T. Sturino
August 06, 2005
Naivete: a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment. Experience: having had practical contact with and observation of facts or events. Wisdom: an ability to use all experience to make good judgements. Judgement: the ability to make considered decisions or form sensible opinions.
Anyone discovering naivete in themselves usually explodes with something like “!@#$, how could I have been so stupid!”
If you have all of the facts and experience surrounding the issue, it’s a fair question. If not, don’t kick yourself too hard, especially when it comes to politics and religion. The reason is simple. Those who lead in politics and religion work night and day to keep the average citizen in a constant state of naivete. The first method is to simply avoid a contrary truth, and the second is to maintain secrecy. When these things aren’t working, a campaign of disinformation is started. Either they tell us we just don’t have all the facts, or they give us a new, twisted version of the facts that we have.
A cynical view? Absolutely. Does it apply to each and every leader? Of course not. The problem is that after hearing the truth buried in a cacophony of disinformation who’s to say what is true or not? Trying to ascertain the truth from today’s news is a lot like trying to find a grain of white sand in a bowl of sugar. As proof I offer the letters to the editor section of any newspaper. Go ahead, read the whole section on any given day while keeping in mind what I have said.
Why talk about this today? Because this morning while reading the New York Times, I had the embarrassing opportunity to ask myself, “!@#$, how could I have been so stupid!” The first paragraph of an article by Laurie Goodstein, Published August 6, 2005, reads:
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. announced Friday that it would press four American corporations to stop providing military equipment and technology to Israel for use in the occupation of the Palestinian territories, and that if the companies did not comply, the church would take a vote to divest its stock in them.”
I was momentarily stunned. Why would a church have so much money that they could invest an amount so great that major corporations would fear their withdrawal of funds? Since the church is Christian, and Christ admonished his apostles to accept no more than food, clothing and shelter while spreading His word, this amassment of money seemed, for a moment, unbelievable. On further examination of my experience, however, I was only stunned by the openness of the church. I have accepted for a long time now that within the hierarch of the majority of Christian churches, the word Christian only refers to an acceptance of Christ as savior, and a truly unbelievable avoidance of any of His teachings which do not coincide with the immediate wants, needs and desires of the leadership.
As for politics, the evidence of almost all politicians’ intrinsic intent to maintain our naivete is insurmountable. All you have to do is observe a politician trying to answer a direct question about their position on any subject. All of the devices, avoidance, secrecy, and twisted facts, are used constantly with an unabashed disdain for our intelligence.
So the answer to the question, “!@#$, how could I have been so stupid!” is simple - someone wants it that way. But, there is a more important question that needs to be answered. Are there enough of us who don’t want to remain ignorant of the truth to make a difference in our churches and our government? It is definitely hard work to find the grain of white sand in the bowl of sugar. But, is it so hard that we won’t even try? Is it so hard that we are willing to accept a constant state of naivete? Is it so hard that someone could say to us what the father of a friend of mine said to him? One day while my friend was trying to avoid some hard work he was told, “While you’re standing there, keep your legs spread so when the lead falls out of your backside you don’t break both your ankles.”
When it comes to politics, religion and naivete, I’m not worried about my ankles, but I am gravely concerned about the state of our nation. I hope that you are, too.
Anyone discovering naivete in themselves usually explodes with something like “!@#$, how could I have been so stupid!”
If you have all of the facts and experience surrounding the issue, it’s a fair question. If not, don’t kick yourself too hard, especially when it comes to politics and religion. The reason is simple. Those who lead in politics and religion work night and day to keep the average citizen in a constant state of naivete. The first method is to simply avoid a contrary truth, and the second is to maintain secrecy. When these things aren’t working, a campaign of disinformation is started. Either they tell us we just don’t have all the facts, or they give us a new, twisted version of the facts that we have.
A cynical view? Absolutely. Does it apply to each and every leader? Of course not. The problem is that after hearing the truth buried in a cacophony of disinformation who’s to say what is true or not? Trying to ascertain the truth from today’s news is a lot like trying to find a grain of white sand in a bowl of sugar. As proof I offer the letters to the editor section of any newspaper. Go ahead, read the whole section on any given day while keeping in mind what I have said.
Why talk about this today? Because this morning while reading the New York Times, I had the embarrassing opportunity to ask myself, “!@#$, how could I have been so stupid!” The first paragraph of an article by Laurie Goodstein, Published August 6, 2005, reads:
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. announced Friday that it would press four American corporations to stop providing military equipment and technology to Israel for use in the occupation of the Palestinian territories, and that if the companies did not comply, the church would take a vote to divest its stock in them.”
I was momentarily stunned. Why would a church have so much money that they could invest an amount so great that major corporations would fear their withdrawal of funds? Since the church is Christian, and Christ admonished his apostles to accept no more than food, clothing and shelter while spreading His word, this amassment of money seemed, for a moment, unbelievable. On further examination of my experience, however, I was only stunned by the openness of the church. I have accepted for a long time now that within the hierarch of the majority of Christian churches, the word Christian only refers to an acceptance of Christ as savior, and a truly unbelievable avoidance of any of His teachings which do not coincide with the immediate wants, needs and desires of the leadership.
As for politics, the evidence of almost all politicians’ intrinsic intent to maintain our naivete is insurmountable. All you have to do is observe a politician trying to answer a direct question about their position on any subject. All of the devices, avoidance, secrecy, and twisted facts, are used constantly with an unabashed disdain for our intelligence.
So the answer to the question, “!@#$, how could I have been so stupid!” is simple - someone wants it that way. But, there is a more important question that needs to be answered. Are there enough of us who don’t want to remain ignorant of the truth to make a difference in our churches and our government? It is definitely hard work to find the grain of white sand in the bowl of sugar. But, is it so hard that we won’t even try? Is it so hard that we are willing to accept a constant state of naivete? Is it so hard that someone could say to us what the father of a friend of mine said to him? One day while my friend was trying to avoid some hard work he was told, “While you’re standing there, keep your legs spread so when the lead falls out of your backside you don’t break both your ankles.”
When it comes to politics, religion and naivete, I’m not worried about my ankles, but I am gravely concerned about the state of our nation. I hope that you are, too.
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