“The Politics of Anger” was a cover story of TIME magazine
in the mid-90s. I was completing doctoral studies in Washington DC at the time
and the phrase rang true. In the hyper political atmosphere of our nation’s
capital “the politics of anger” was palpable.
Regrettably, anger can be addictive. Righteous anger, anger
about something important, something moral, can be especially so.
The energy that anger produces in us is exciting. We can
grow dependent on that feeling. Aiming and launching a well placed zinger comes
to feel very good – much better than the painful, halting process of dialogue. “YES!”
we say to ourselves when we level a direct hit, a bull’s eye, a victory over
the “enemy.”
We too easily forget that our brothers and sisters are not our enemies. We do not grow from
warfare. Warfare, whether in political society or in the Church, uses the
energy we need for better things. If instead we channel that energy into prayerful,
honest seeking for answers to the dilemmas we face, we will find that God guide
us through the discomfort to the judgments and decisions we must make. Fighting
it out will not illumine hearts. Let’s be clear: we will not find the truth of
God through fighting. Nobody ever has.
No comments:
Post a Comment