Politicians

Apotheosis

Valerie Cullers 18 Comments

“Apotheosis, also called deification or divinization, is the glorification of a subject to divine levels and, commonly, the treatment of a human being, or any other living thing, or an abstract idea in the likeness of a deity.” Wikipedia

In other words, apotheosis is when we elevate a human or any other thing to the level of a god. Above is an 1865 painting by Constantino Brumidi, that is in the eye of the rotunda of the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. It is called “The Apotheosis of George Washington,” and shows Washington rising in glory, flanked by Liberty and Victory/Fame.

Apotheosis is a subject of many an art painting, but it certainly doesn’t belong in our political landscape. When I listen to people talk about the candidates that are running for office this electoral season, I am amazed that some people sound like they are elevating them to an almost god-like status. Many view Donald Trump as a would-be savior of the nation. I heard one pundit say that when he walked into the Republican National Convention, there was almost a “religious” quality to the atmosphere. On the other side of the political spectrum, many Democrats are speaking of Kamala Harris as the one who can “save our democracy.” It is amusing to see how a person who was discounted by her own party for so long has now risen within weeks to be the one who can save our nation from the supposed fascism of those on the right.

I know that political rhetoric gets hyped during an election season, but let’s please not get caught up in it. Both candidates are only human, and their frailties are on full display. One cannot stick to a subject without disrespecting his opponent, and the other changes her policy views depending on which way the political wind is blowing. Let’s get a grip and tell it like it really is. The electorate will again have to choose between two bad choices in an effort to find the best person to lead this country. My hope is that someday we may be able to find people to run who have personal and political integrity and are fully committed to this nation. We may then have better choices when it comes time to cast our ballots.

The Brou Ha Ha

Valerie Cullers 5 Comments

“Brou Ha Ha – A noisy and overexcited response to something.” Oxford Languages

Were you distracted this Easter weekend by the brou ha ha that went on because of the proclamation the White House made? I made the unfortunate decision to check the news before I went to bed on Saturday night and I saw it. Do you wonder why the President’s staff made such a decision? If they had to make a proclamation for that Sunday, surely they could have chosen Easter. After all, it is no longer a religious holiday but a secular one with eighty-one percent of Americans celebrating it. To many people, it is just about the Easter bunny, coloring eggs and chocolate.

I listened to the talking points of why the White House chose that particular proclamation but they truly rang hollow to me. They made a deliberate decision to disrespect Christians in America and say, “We’re here. We want the attention. Notice Us!” I’m sure they said to themselves, “How many news cycles will we have to endure pushback?” and the answer was, “Two maybe three.” And of course, they were right. Not many subjects stay in the forefront of the news for more than a day or two.

Hopefully next year we won’t have to deal with all the nonsense. Many will say that the outrage was because the proclamation was about Transgender Day but you can bet there would have been a lot of blowback if they had chosen National Bunsen Burner Day, Oranges and Lemon Day, National Tater Day, Prom Day, Crayon Day, Cream Cheese Frosting Day or Neighbor Day, all of which fall on March 31st. (These are actually national holidays.)

For those of you who were worried about the Lord, don’t be. He has his own view of those who like to shake their fist in His face. One only has to read in Psalm 2: “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure.“

Next time some politician or prominent person makes a point of exalting themselves or their agenda above the Lord’s, don’t worry or be distressed by the brou ha ha that follows. Remember the Lord just laughs at them and holds them in derision. He is still on His throne and nothing can change the truth of that.

Photo by GoldJJ courtesy of Pixabay.

Politicians Make Poor Messiahs

Valerie Cullers 27 Comments

I have noticed a trend in the last few Presidential elections. People seem to look at the leading candidate like he were some sort of messiah. No matter which side of the political spectrum your candidate is on, the man is the one who is going to fix all of the problems in the country. With his god-like status, he will be able to right all wrongs.

close up photo of man wearing black suit jacket doing thumbs up gesture

Photo by Lukas on Pexels.com

 The problem with this kind of thinking is that it just isn’t true. Our Presidents are human and can only do so much to alleviate the ills in the country. If they have a Congress that is willing to work with him, they may get something done. If not, the President is pretty much spinning his wheels during his time in office.

No matter who we elect, that person is human and a flawed individual. The media may or may not choose to prop the President up, but in the end, their flaws and mistakes become known. There is no hiding the fact; that even if they do their best, they will still make some pretty big mistakes.

Have we so left behind our belief in a Supreme Being that we are willing to assign god-like status to a man? Do we really think that a mere mortal can save us from ourselves and provide some sort of utopia here on the earth? There is nothing wrong with needing a Messiah as long as we choose one who is not fully human. Take Jesus, for instance; he is the ultimate God-Man. He was perfect, sinless and came to give his life for the likes of you and me. “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16  Jesus is the only one who can take care of all of our needs and make our lives better.

Let’s quit looking at mere mortal men as messiahs. In spite of their best efforts, they are ALL flawed individuals. And let’s be done with looking at our Presidents and Presidential candidates like they can solve all of the ills of the world. From my vantage point, Politicians make poor Messiahs. How about from your vantage point? 

Are you a Populist or an Elitist?

Valerie Cullers 5 Comments

pexels-photo-1002222.jpegLast week, I took a survey from the Harvard Digital Lab for Social Sciences. The questions were about how I viewed politicians. I didn’t rate them very high and didn’t think that just because they were politicians, they had a better grasp on a lot of the issues than the average person. (This weekend, I am watching the government shutdown, and quite frankly, it is confirming my opinions.) At the end of the survey, possibly because of my answers, the last question was, “Are you a Populist?”

I didn’t really know how to answer that last question. I have never thought of myself as a Populist, but what is the antithesis of a Populist? An Elitist? In order to better formulate my opinion, I checked Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary and looked up the two definitions: “Populist – a believer in the rights, wisdom, or virtues of the common people,” “Elitist – one whose attitudes and beliefs are biased in favor of a socially elite class of people.” There was also a quote by Michael Barone under the Elitist definition that stated that a Populist “believes that people can make better decisions for themselves than Elites can.”

Certainly, by those definitions, I am a Populist.  That doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate a person’s education and won’t seek out a doctor or other educated professional to help me when I have a need. I don’t look to my neighbor for help when my appendix is hurting, and I don’t ask my girlfriends questions about my taxes. I do look to those with more learning and experience than I have when I am dealing with a subject that I don’t fully understand.

Back to the subject of politicians, I certainly do not believe they are an elite group of people. They may have more education and experience than I do in their chosen profession, but I don’t view them as any better than anyone else. For the most part, from what I have observed, their main focus is on becoming re-elected. Solving the problems of our society seems to come in a poor second to playing to whichever base they need for their next run for office. Whether a politician is educated at Harvard or a state-run school, I believe the greatest quality we need from them is integrity. I want a politician to be concerned about the needs of the people and have the integrity to work for the good of the people he serves. I want him or her to work with the other party, if needed, in order to achieve the best outcome for whatever problem they are dealing with. 

I know our founding fathers did not trust the common people of their time to make good decisions for themselves. They were better educated than the average citizen, many of whom could not read or write.  They were the Elites of their day. In today’s society, the average citizen can read and write and has the opportunity to enhance his education as much as he or she wants to. So I have come to a conclusion about my question, “Populist or Elitist?” I am a Populist. What about you?