God of Politics

I follow national politics. In many ways, it's like following football or any other sport, except that the stakes are higher.

As I monitor my own interest in political matters, I often wonder whether politics fills a religious void in many of our lives. Political shows fill the airwaves on Sunday mornings. Pundits, like priests, keep the fires burning 24 hours a day. But below the surface, it seems something else is going on too. Politics, like religion, has a totalizing effect: demanding not only more time and space in our lives, but also serving as the fundamental reference point for ethics, value, meaning, and accomplishment.

As I watched Morning Joe today, I thought about how there seems to be no end to political discussion. Sheer speculation is in limitless supply, and certain topics get discussed from every angle - and then discussed again. And you know what, I often find it pretty entertaining - and occasionally informative.

And then I thought about a passage in the New Testament where people are described as having "itching ears" that are quick to hear what entertains them - and slow to hear, really hear, what God has to say.

The passage (1 Timothy 4:3) is speaking about false religion, not politics.

Then again...