Are Politics Pointless?

If your desire is to be of the world, then politics is of paramount importance because you only have one life and it is of paramount importance that those who rule over you do so in a way that improves your life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

Christians, on the other hand, are called to serve God above all else which makes engagement with politics a risky endeavor.

Much like how Jesus says in the Gospel according to Matthew (19:24), “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven,” so, too, is it very difficult to be engaged in politics and finish up with your soul intact.

One reason for this is that politics, particularly in a republic, is built around compromise and living out the Faith has no room for compromising on principles of the Faith.

In the lead-up to the 2020 election, many Catholics viewed the re-election of Donald Trump as the second coming of the Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great.

Trump, to many, was an imperfect vessel to enact the hope that God desired the United States to correct course, and become a holy nation.

Whether or not the 2020 election was stolen, Catholics failed, not because they didn’t pray enough for a Trump win, but because we haven’t lived as Christians. Instead of living as beacons of hope in our communities, many Christians wasted time looking for a strategic, secular solution to the 2020 results.

Since that time, the supposed Catholic President, Joe Biden has indeed proven to not act in accordance with the Faith, by supporting abortion and other anti-Christian doctrines. So, too, Donald Trump who has often been touted as, “The most pro-life president ever,” has criticized Florida for passing a 6-week ban on abortion.

Trump did this because he knew Florida Governor Ron Desantis would run against him for the Republican nomination in 2024, which he has now done.

Now, there are many Catholics offering reasons why you should support the Catholic candidate Desantis, and others continue to stand in Trump’s legion in the hope’s of re-taking New Rome.

While there may be valid and invalid points on either side, one truth still remains… you do not need the government’s permission to be a Christian.

If you’re afraid of picking up your cross and following after Christ then, sure, you want to most gung-ho political fighter ever to save you from the demonic policies of The Left, but there are many anti-Christians among Conservatives too.

Notable examples are the conservative think-tanks, Heritage Foundation and Hudson Institute.

On the one hand, the Heritage Foundation will tout the pro-life message, but then join the Hudson Institute in condemning Armenians living in the Republic of Artsakh to die or be exiled by Azerbaijan.

Governor Kevin Stitt (R-OK), signs pro-life laws, but also partners with the genocidal dictatorship in Azerbaijan in military, agriculture, and energy sectors.

The Hudson Institute specializes in foreign policy and will bemoan the plight of Christians in other nations, but not when the so-called experts at the Institute are partnered with Azerbaijan’s interests.

Many people will look at any imperfect actions by Trump, Desantis, or various think-tanks and justify the bad things they do in the interests of promoting a greater good or, in the case of the pro-life movement, ignore bad policies from these players so long as their special interest is attended to.

This is a dangerous path to follow because you can’t compromise with evil. If you want to engage in politics on any level, and it is highly encouraged to do so, but you must enter into it with the expectation that you must be entirely faithful to God first and foremost, and the moment you risk compromising on your Faith, you must walk away.

It is a noble endeavor to fight for the culture of one’s country. The effort to promote life and the Faith is of critical importance, but not at the expense of one’s own soul.

If political engagement turns you into a bitter troll or a hypocrite, then you have gained nothing.

Is it true that the Biden administration has weaponized the Department of Justice against Christians? It doesn’t matter… early martyrs of the Church would be justified in asking any Christian unjustly targeted, “But have you been fed to a lion yet?”

Christians should never seek out martyrdom, but we should also not be afraid of it.

If the government wants to throw us all into re-education camps, then that is the government’s prerogative. Our only mission is to live as Christians to the bitter end. Remain firm in following Christ and the troubles of the world will mean nothing in the end.