Published: January 06, 2008 12:44 am            

Politics and the war

In response to the bishops’ statement on the war I suggested that we in the pulpit and pew join them in the effort to “end this madness.” I now realize how little the voice of the Church, with all of its diverse opinions, can counter that of the “chickenhawks” who are in cahoots with the corporate media (one of the most effective propaganda machines in history,) all supported by the wealth and power of multi-national corporations and an extremely bloated military that Eisenhower warned of. In the beginning the President declared that those “not with us are with the terrorists,” and who in the pulpit or pew (or any other entity of society) are willing to challenge such power and risk the loss of job, friends, family, prestige, reputation, or possibly worse?

In light of the climate of fear created by the war-mongers and empire-builders it is a small wonder there are so few voices “Crying in the wilderness”; people like Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and Jesus Christ; few dare travel the road of a prophet. But it becomes more and more apparent that the future of the Church and that of humanity depend on such a radical change of mind and of direction! “Where there is no vision the people perish.”



C.E. Swain

Carthage

        

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