On God's role as a political consultant
Oh my name it is nothin'God knows I don't want to get into a theological debate.
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I's taught and brought up there
The laws to abide
And that land that I live in
Has God on its side.
-- Bob Dylan, "With God on Our Side."
But the question of whether God wanted Scott Walker to run for governor, but changed His mind, remains a nagging question. I've had some e-mail correspondence on the subject from some deeper thinkers than me, and wanted to share some of it.
My first post on the subject was simple:
God to Walker: Get OutCory Liebmann weighed in with, God changes mind, endorses Doyle.
"I believe that it was God's will for me to run. After a great deal of prayer during the last week, it is clear that it is God's will for me to step out of the race."
-- Scott Walker, statement on withdrawing from governor's race.
Walker felt the need to respond:
Walker for Governor BlogCharlie Sykes posted Walker's comments with a headline, "The Left's God Problem," wondering why anyone would have trouble understanding Walker's point. Boots and Sabers, predictably, backed Walker and bashed liberal heathens.
March 28, 2006
A Lesson That Applies to Life Far Beyond the World of Politics
A few liberal blogs are having fun with the fact that I made this comment in our speech:
"Early last year, we jumped into the race together after a great deal of prayer. I believe that it was God's will for me to run. After a great deal of prayer during the past week, it is clear that it is God's will for me to step out of the race."
Somehow, they think that this implies that I thought that God was on my side in the race for Governor. What an amazing misunderstanding of my faith.
As anyone can see by reading my full announcement (www.scottwalker.org), I did not lead off with God. I went through and explained all of the reasons for me getting out of the race. At the end, however, I acknowledged the other things that ultimately played into my decision.
Like any other important decision in my life, my family and my faith were the key. Last January, I looked at the facts, spoke with political advisors and then talked and prayed about the decision with my family. My conclusion was to get into the race for Governor.
Last week, after looking at the facts and speaking with our political advisors, I talked about it and then prayed about it with my family. My conclusion was to bow out of the race for Governor.
In each case, I ultimately thought it was God's will to do what I ended up doing. Still, one should not assume that when I said that I felt it was God's will for me to run that this meant that I thought that it was God's will for me to win.
Too often cynics like to blur the statements of believers into implying that we think that God chooses sides in elections. To me, God does not seem to pick sides in elections as much as He calls us to be on His side.
That's a lesson that applies to life far beyond the world of politics.
- Scott
It does raise interesting questions, and not just for non-believers. Religious people, too, can have very different views on this question.
One of my spiritual advisors offers this analysis:
For example, many people would say it is appropriate, and recommended, to pray over an important decision like this, but they would say they are praying for God to give them wisdom/strength/courage to make the right decision. That is very different than saying it is "God's will for me to run."As Sykes asked about Walker's post, "Why is that so hard for some folks to understand?"
Walker basically argues that God has a role in selecting who runs, but doesn't then get involved in the campaigns. Any political scientist will tell you that who runs is one of the most important determinants of who wins. As they say, you can't beat somebody with nobody.
I know this is a more literal reading of Walker's argument, but if it is God's will that Mark Green runs against Doyle, but that Robert Lorge (or whomever the other candidates are) run against Herb Kohl, then God is pretty involved in the outcome as well.
My guess God is probably has a few more important things on His/Her mind than picking candidates in Wisconsin elections.
That doesn't mean it's a bad idea to pray, if you are so inclined, or that faith can't be important in your life. It just means that it probably isn't "God's will" that someone is in or out of a political race.
Fighting Ed Garvey's post, "The Gods Must Be Busy," takes note of this NY Times story about a long-awaited study on the power of prayer:
Prayers offered by strangers had no effect on the recovery of people who were undergoing heart surgery, a large and long-awaited study has found.Which would explain why Walker got out of the race even though many Democrats were praying for him to stay in.
And patients who knew they were being prayed for had a higher rate of post-operative complications like abnormal heart rhythms, perhaps because of the expectations the prayers created, the researchers suggested.
9 Comments:
I am a little troubled, but not surprised, that Scott Walker's faith presents a "nagging question" for you. To "deep thinking" unbelievers like Mr. Garvey and Mr. Leibmann, who misplace their faith in shallow, self-serving concepts of secular humanism, seeking God's guidance makes no sense. But to a believer who understands our role in our family and our community, and who understands the role of happiness and hardship for each of us in God's plan, asking God for guidance makes perfect sense. Scott Walker faced very real, worldly roadblocks in his campaign. He prayed about it, and then he acknowleged that God may have other plans for him -- in much the same way that other people pray in response to their worldly circumstances (as the result of death or sickness in their family, loss of a home or job due to a hurricane, etc.). God calls on us to perservere through hardship and setbacks and re-orient our lives in a way that is most pleasing to God. For believers, it's really pretty simple.
I'm not sure how to respond to your "spritual" friend, the one without a Judeo-Christian faith.
As a Christian who happens to be a Democrat I have to say that Walker's views on prayer and God's will make perfect sense to me.
I don't understand his approach to to managing the County's finances or his stances on issues ranging from concealed weapons to TABOR, but I do understand his views on prayer.
I'm never embarrassed to call myself a Christian. At times like this, I am embarrassed to call myself a Democrat.
Believing that a mythical being directs your activities should probably be a disqualifying factor for holding public office. You believers are really out there.
It really has nothing to do with mythical beings. It's about free will -- and asking for the strength to do God's will despite worldly distractions and temptations. Humans are weak. We rationalize almost anything. Which is why I will only vote for candidates who are believers -- how else will I know the values of the candidate? One needs to be pretty naive to vote for someone who says they share our conservative or liberal "values" when those so-called values are little more than talking points on fleeting political issues.
As an aside, I always recommend for friends and acquaintances who express even a passing interest in Christianity C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity." Written by a once self-proclainmed atheist, it'll get you past the "Big Bang" and give you a better understanding of who is really "out there."
The point being missed has been noted by Xoff, but continues to be ignored by apollos. Praying for guidance and making a decision is one thing, saying it was god who made the decision is quite another.
Pat Robertson is a prime example of the danger inherent when people begin quoting "god's will."
I for one will always remain leery of anyone using god's will(?) in this manner.
And, I will NEVER vote for anyone who wears his faith on his/her sleeve, or lapel.
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Sounds like circular reasoning to me, but it appears that whatever decision that Scottie makes is God's will, or vice versa.
I don't know what God's plan is for me next week, but once I decide, I'll let y'all know. I'd ask God myself but I assume he has more important issues to deal with--not including Mr. Walker's campaign.
It always amazes me that anyone in public office who says publicly that he or she is a Christian (or Catholic or Jew) is "wearing their religion on their sleeve." What a convenient cop out for atheists and twice a year religious "faithful." (Note: I am not a car simply because I stand in my garage, and I wouldn't necessarily be Christian if I "went to church.")
But acknowleging that your worldly circumstances have been presented to you by God -- either directly presented, or put in motion by God, and for both for better and for worse, is acknowleging God's will. God didn't "tell" Scott to run, and he didn't "tell" him to drop out. Scott prayed about the circumstances presented to him and simply asked God for the wisdom and guidance necessary to do His will. And in the end, the decision was Scott's decision.
I understand that discussions about faith and prayer are difficult for many people. But we spend a lot of time studying languages and management theories and sociolgy -- and reading blogs, so it's never too late to start.
Perhaps because people of other faiths, or those who don't believe, have felt the same sort of disbelief or incredulity from self-proclaimed christians.
Just something to think about.
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