Guest Opinion: Transforming Culture Through Politics?

By David L. Jones
4/5/2011
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

The presidential election cycle has begun! Did it ever stop?

As Catholics we need to approach politics in a serious way. Christ calls us to transform culture, not to be swallowed up by it. Culture is not transformed by politics. Culture must be rooted in those "Permanent Things" which preserve and promote our humanity in all of its greatness. The desire for truth, beauty and the good can be realized. The candidate which best understands this fact deserves our full support and vote.

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ST. JOSEPH, MO. (Catholic Online and Il Sussidario) -The presidential election cycle has begun! Did it ever stop? I follow politics much in the same way that many folks follow professional wrestling, Dancing with the Stars or the Jersey Shorereality show. I admit that I view it as a form of entertainment - the superficiality of main-stream politics and punditry leads me to this mentality often times.

Look no farther than Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, or Bill O'Reilly. In reality though, it's much more than just solely a form of entertainment. Elected officials send our sons and daughters off to war, some of whom return in caskets. As Catholics we need to approach politics in a serious way. Christ calls us to transform culture, not to be swallowed up by it.

On the Republican side, Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, Donald Trump, Ron Paul and others are all maneuvering to formally announce their 2012 candidacy for the Presidency. The Obama Administration is leaning forward in preparation as well for this electoral battle. Who will be the last one standing in the political spectacle? That's anyone guess. What is known is the obscene amount of money that is required to win the Presidency.

One of the fascinating things to consider in these days is the main-streaming and embracing of Libertarianism within the Republican Party. We got a an early glimpse of this when William F. Buckley and Barry Goldwater helped to build a coalition of fiscal and social conservatives with those who supported a strong foreign policy.

More recently, we saw it again when the godfather of modern Libertarianism, Murray Rothbard, endorsed Patrick J. Buchanan for President. Today, Libertarianism is going mainstream with the popularity of Congressman Ron Paul and his son, Senator Rand Paul, as well as figures such as Judge Andrew P. Napolitano and Dr. Tom Woods. The American Conservative magazine is one the biggest proponents of this reduction of conservatism to Libertarianism.

Will the Republican's embrace of Libertarianism result in anything better than its embrace of Neoconservatism over the last decade? Both are ideologies which deny many aspects of reality. Can the Republican's "Big Tent" continue to stand with such contradictory ideologies under its shelter? Even if it can, is it worth our endorsement and support? This is what you must individually decide.

Let us not lose hope though. I do find some consul in reading the writings of many young conservatives today. They are pushing beyond and through the standard rhetoric of mainstream media or talk radio.Refer to Ross Douthat, Jeremy Beer, Reihan Salam, Conor Friedersdorf, and Caleb Stegall.

Gregory Wolfe was correct many years ago in his rejection of the culture wars of 1980s and 90s, which was so popular among conservatives that era. By his own experiences he saw that embracing this movement led nowhere. Sure, it helped to build a winning coalition that elected Reagan in the 80s and a Republican Congress in the 90s, but nothing really changed in our society.

The Culture of Death and an American society which had lost its moorings in a culture of materialism and relativism was moving full steam ahead. Since that time Gregory has focused his efforts on those things which truly effect and transform culture, those great/good works of beauty in literature, poetry, etc. Later, Rod Dreher, former writer for the Buckley's National Review and author of Crunchy Cons, would come to this same realization. We must desire again what it means to be human.

Culture is not transformed by politics. Culture must be rooted in those "Permanent Things" which preserve and promote our humanity in all of its greatness. The desire for truth, beauty and the good can be realized. The candidate which best understands this fact deserves our full support and vote.
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This article first appeared on April 2, 2011 in Il Sussidario It is used with the kind permission of the Author - and the Editor of that fine publication Dario Chiesa. David Jones holds a Masters in Theological Studies from the Institute of Religious and Pastoral Studies, University of Dallas. He is a member of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, a Pontifically recognized and approved ecclesial movement. His writings have been published in TRACES, God-Spy, Traditional Catholic Reflections and Reports, Catholic Online, The American Catholic, and Il Sussidiario. He also runs a popular blog entitled La Nouvelle Theologie His conversion story is published in the Italian book entitled Sotto Il Cielo D'America (Under the American Sky) written by Marco Bardazzi. The introduction of this book has been translated into English and is available on-line here

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: David Jones

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1 - 10 of 17 Comments

vance
2 years ago
This article addresses culture and politics. Isn't it amazing how our nation has been rivited to Charley Sheen for the last three months. I watched Two and a Half Men maybe three times because I was at someone elses house who were fans. I was told that this program ran for 9 nine seasons and was a top rated TV Sitcom. This tells you where our society is. I didn't like it because of the message it sends and it is another culture conditioner. Two devorced men having out-of-wedlock sex with every and any woman they can get their hands on. Stuff like this is hard on a society's culture when there is no counter to it from the church. Sheen is an absolute train wreck BUT the public just loves him. Unbelieveable.
Robert Burford
2 years ago
I am against abortion. Conservative. I am for school lunch programs. Liberal. The point is not whether we balance the budget or where we are on the polictical scale but what would Jesus do and how would He vote. If Jesus would not vote a certain way and we do then will we be judged on how we vote? I will let scripture answer.We will be judged on all we do. How we treat our immigrants, laborers and soldiers are how we will be judged. Treat the ballot box as if you were in confession, and it may result in a more humble and informed people of God.
Rob
2 years ago
If Catholic media is going to be successful, it's got to move away from just being a faith formation class. It seems like the majority of the programming on EWTN is guys sitting on a couch or around a table discussing faith. As my wife says, it appeal to all the Catholic junkies out there, but she finds it really dull. And forget my kids ever wanting to watch it. If we really want to make a dent, we have to produce things of the caliber of The Passion and the Catholic's Come Home spots. But if we keep producing the 70s style talk shows, well, that is exactly where we will stay, in the 70s. I love watching EWTN, but I won't try to say that it's good quality production. It's just sad to me that we have the fullness of the truth, but do such a poor job proclaiming it.
Theresa
2 years ago
I think it might be better said that "Culture transforms Politics!" At the time of our Founding Fathers, they were aware that the culture forming our society was that of a "religious people." Today, we are living in a "post-Christian culture." Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have both written of the secularization of society, of moral Relativism, Materialism and Hedonism that have gravely afflicted even the members of the mystical body of Christ! (How many times do we hear Catholics say: "In my opinion...." regarding matters of "faith and morals?") ---Bottom line, "faith and morals" (or the lack thereof) are actually matters of our daily life--that weave our "culture!" Our culture needs, indeed, to be renewed and transformed along the lines of what St. Paul tells us: "Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds, that you may know what is God's Will, what is good, pleasing, and perfect!" (Rom 12:2) There are many today who say that "religious people" do not belong in the public square, but when God-fearing people do not run for public office (and win), the public square collapses and falls into all sorts of deviant behavior. I pray God that more qualified and truly "religious people" will run for public office--and be elected. I do think there are "a few good men" (and women) still around...!
JeanCatherine
2 years ago
May I recommend the show starting right now called:

http://www.ewtn.com/catholicviewforwomen/

Episodes 1 and 2.

I also recommend the sight Priests for Life.

As Dr. Nathanson stated before his death: We were asleep in the Catholic Church.

Its time. We can pull this off and its going to take hard work and diligence.
vance
2 years ago
If the Church has any desire to effect culture, then it needs to get into the media game. This includes entertainment. EWTN is a great start. I believe EWTN can expand their role by producing movies for TV with themes that promote life dramas with redemptiom, reconciliation, and heroic virtue. This is not new. Hollywood has produced movies in the past that have done just that. If the Church could dump their Liberal Bishops and priests, it could affect the popular culture from the pulpit. Obviously, the Liberal dominated ranks of the Bishops and clergy have no desire to do any such thing.
eithena
2 years ago
Catholics need JESUS , GO SIT WITH JESUS, IF YOU NEED TO MAKE A CHOICE SIT WITH JESUS DON,T SAY YOUR CATHOLIC BE A CATHOLIC I BET ANYONE TO SIT WITH JESUS AND NOT CHANGE , HE,S THE MAN THAT CALM THE STORM,HEALED THE SICK, AND RAISED THE DEAD. STAND BEHIND THE MAN THAT DIE FOR YOU, CAN ANYONE OF THE POLITICIAN SAY THEY DID THAT NOOOOO GO SIT WITH JESUS YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE
Daniel McCarthy
2 years ago
David L. Jones says, "The American Conservative magazine is one the biggest proponents of this reduction of conservatism to Libertarianism." Perhaps he should try reading the magazine. He would discover essays such as "Cultured Conservatism," http://www.amconmag.com/article/2010/jun/01/00020/, a discussion between Jeremy Beer and Gregory Wolfe -- two figures Jones rightly praises.
Barb
2 years ago
Great article and impressive comments. May I add that as oppossed to abortion as I am, I have never felt it was an issue that can be legislated- either way. To campaign that it can will only rouse immoral people. One cannot be (in my opinion) pro-abortion rights AND moral. Ex. How many "liberals" would scream about the immorality of contaminating nature with pollution? Those poor baby owls! And yet a human life subjected to such horrible fate can be "blessed" in their eyes as free choice. Give me a break. Or how many parents would seek counseling if their child sought out animals and deliberately maimed them?
The folly of it is that we shake our heads and wonder about a culture of death and yet we are teaching our children a double standard of right and wrong. When they reach an age of reason they can't justify the means. What do we end up with?
Immoral youth who can justify anything their heart or bodies desire.
Julien Peter Benney
2 years ago
Interesting point that the “culture wars” that emerged after punk mainstreamed in Europe, Canada and New Zealand have actually done nothing to halt the cultural decline in most of the developed world. There is no doubt that Reagan could not or was unwilling to arrest the real cultural cause of the decline in moral standards in America that exploded during the militantly radical Bush Senior era, where indeed some of the most violent and nihilistic works ever known in music and art were transforming culture in the opposite way to earlier works of art - one can name the Sex Pistols’ “Never Mind the Bollocks”, AC/DC’s “Back in Black”, Metallica’s “Master of Puppets”, N.W.A.’s “Straight Outta Compton” and Pantera’s “Vulgar Display of Power” as five key examples of works preaching a “culture of death” to more people than any philosophy or history work ever could.

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