Nothing Appears More Apt to Divide
As Populist Movements Uniting Together
America is once again gearing up for another presidential election circus. President Trump won the presidency in 2016 against most odds because he appealed to the voters of America’s heartland; thus, he became known as a populist president. This year the Democrats are trying to outdo each other in bidding for the Democratic populist base. I guess, if you didn’t beat him, join or use his methods. And, Christians generally are bemoaning the loss of God’s hand on America as morality takes a nose dive into debauchery. But then again, American politics has always been a combination of populism and spiritualism.
What is the function of government? Paul wrote that every person is subject to governing authorities as they have been allowed by God and to resist such authorities is to resist God and incur judgment (Ro 13:1-5). Paul further states that governments major function is to support what is good and to punish those who do evil as agents of God. So, what does this mean? Cain, I believe, developed the first government when he built the first urban dwellings. Laws were necessary to define morality: right and wrong. Lost people had to have clear, rules closely followed by swift judgment if society is to continue its existence. However, though God allows governments, Satan controls governments. God limits the extent of governments less lost people become so consumed by sin that complete anarchy would ensue (2Th 2:6-7). When government leaders become ineffectual and weak, the people will arise and seek to place people in power that will do the will of the masses. As the above graphic shows populism is rift with confusion and competing demands.
Murray Rothbard was probably one of the first authors to recognize that politics exists with religion (The Progressive Era). The Republican party, growing out of the Federalist and Whig parties, was the pietistic arm of Protestant, evangelical America. The Democratic party grew out of liturgical religions such as Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, Lutherans and so forth; religions that believed in salvation by cultural nomism {belief that following the rules of the religion was enough to earn a place in heaven}. The war that was supposed to keep America united actually did more to fragment the people paving the way for the Populist Movement. This had several consequences. First, poorly understood economic forces led to boom and bust cycles that caused economic havoc. People wanted relief from these cycles now! Second, William Jennings Bryant, a pietistic moralist, became the main spokesman for the Populist Movement via the Democratic party. Now, both parties had become pietistic moralists voicing the will of the people. Since economics were poorly understood the people grasped onto what appeared to be the quickest solution: start taking from the rich and give to the poor; or, socialism reborn without overt immediate force.
Spiritualism Spread it’s Wings
Producing Populist Religions
Just as the populist groups sought quick solutions for problems they little understood; people also sought relief from rigid pietistic religions. The Democratic liturgical groups had the informal power of the churches demanding certain behaviors. The Republican evangelical groups used the power of the state, and public education, to enforce their view of morality on everyone. The Prohibition Era became a complete failure because it unmasked the simple fact that government power had limits over people’s behavior and elevated the criminal element who could and would meet the people’s needs, even at the expense of the people. America began turning to mystery nontraditional religions to gain spiritual control over the forces that were shaking the land, people and government; i.e., Great Depression and World Wars. Evangelicals saw their governmental power eroding while the pietistic Democrats catered to the growing new movements in the 1960s and onward; they became the inclusive party of the rejected Minorities. It’s important to understand that intellectualism has little impact on matters of politics and religions; at least for most people. These are emotional issues and people react emotionally, from their gut. Inane slogans that avoid intellectual clarity appeal to the emotions. People seeking hope were blown about by ever changing winds of religions.
Enneagram Approach to Personality
Development Lacks Biblical Clarity
This presidential cycle is both populist and spiritualist. What these have in common is that they continue to appeal to the gut rather than to the intellect. Emotional appeals to higher morality carry more weight than factual truths. The doctrine of Reflexivity with its constant Fertile Fallacies rely on lies told often enough that people accept them as truth which then become self-fulfilling prophecies. Austrian economics has explained the boom and bust cycles based on government interference in economic realities. Yet, the rise of Socialism, national and international, with its constant failures continues to gain acceptance even though it is anti-populist! Even evangelicals have embraced many of the new spiritual fads and worldly scientisms at the expense of the Gospel. Propaganda has replaced factual reporting and governmental interference with free speech is rampant around the world. Even the private tech industry seeks to control speech to promote their vision of international socialism. What is a person to do?
Spiritualistic Philosophical Mantra
Claims to Appeal to the Divine
People who deny God of the Bible and His Gospel contained in the Bible appeal to the Divine to grow the soul. Of course, they violate the Law of Identity by not defining their terms. What or who is the divine? How can it be knowable? How do you measure spiritual growth? And if God is rejected and evolution, pure chance, is embraced how can one even appeal to a divinity?
I usually do not spend my time denouncing false cults, spiritualistic religions and so forth. These are like weeds. You knock out one patch and two more take its place. It is a demonic tactic to expend one’s time and resources for no gain. I tend to stay focused on teaching the Bible and how to use the Bible to discern the trends at work in our present time.
The Bible states that the activity of Satan consists of false signs and wonders for those who refused the truth of God and thus reject His salvation for them (2Th 2:9-12). Everyone develops a worldview devoid of God’s truth in order to explain a world without God. God gives them up to their worldview, this is their delusion, so they will believe what is false (Ro 1:18-28). The saved were lost at one time and many still fight God to keep their worldview rather than trade in the lies they built for God’s truth. If there is anything to learn from these election cycles, it is the depth of foolishness that passes for wisdom. It is the raging of the peoples and nations against God and those whom God has saved. These people want no part of God; they demand independence (Ps 2:1-3). God has complied. He has given them up to follow the desires and folly of their hearts which only results in divisions, degradations and violence. They even blame God for the having to live the consequences of their sins. As Christians we need to concentrate on learning Scripture to give a defense of the our hope even as the world hates and seeks to silence everyone who speaks the truth (Mt 5:11-12; 1Pe 3:14-17).