Article February 23, 2004 Issue

Campaign promises—and prayers

By Merelice

Anyone who knows me well also knows that I can be passionate about politics—and sometimes quite partisan. How does this square with a desire to be open, politically speaking, to the inspiration that comes from praying with humility?

By praying with humility, I mean praying with a willingness to give up human opinions for new spiritual insights. Praying that doesn't start out with a preconceived right answer. Praying that doesn't assume the answers must fall within a predetermined political party. Frankly, I know very few people, myself included, who come naturally by this kind of humility when it relates to politics and election campaigns.

As I seek inspiration regarding elections, one of the first things I try to address is political cynicism. Are candidates unrealistic, wrong, or, worse, deceitful to make all those promises? How can we possibly believe them? And how can we determine which promises—even if fulfilled—will take individual lives, communities, nations, and our planet in the right direction?

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Never beyond GOD'S HELP