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Eye on the World: Political debates
The US Presidential election is about a month away, and both the Democratic and Republican campaigns are preparing for a series of upcoming debates between incumbent President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney. The debates will be a chance for both men to highlight their plans for governing the country and their approaches to foreign affairs. With eyes on other Congressional races around the US, as well as on upcoming elections in Ukraine, China, and other countries, this election season is certainly worth giving prayerful attention to.
It can be tempting to think about elections in apocalyptic terms, and to worry that everything will be ruined if one’s candidate of choice doesn’t win an election. But a spiritual outlook moves us away from this kind of fearful mindset, and allows us to focus on and cherish qualities like strength, honesty, and humility in candidates and in our fellow voters. “Vote for harmony!” explains how we can pray to recognize the supremacy of God’s government, and how our prayers can support politicians and voters in making principled, informed, calm decisions. The author writes, “With purified motives and aims, politics can serve to bring out higher ideals and lead to more harmonious outcomes.”
“Spiritual listening amid the political fray” continues this line of reasoning. With press releases, news headlines, blogs, and other sources of political information, separating fact from fiction can be overwhelming. But as this author explains, “More important than paying attention to a person is the cultivation of a mental equanimity or poise that stays attuned to God despite outer commotion, emotionalism, or fear-engendering predictions.” You’ll also want to read “Quenching the volcanoes of partisanship,” written by a former candidate for the US Congress, which explains further how we can pray not for the victory of a particular candidate or policy, but for peace and righteousness in government.
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