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Meditations with Matthew Fox
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Cynicism, Politics and Violence -- Signs of Our Times |
In Saturday’s DM, we meditated with Hannah Arendt on her book, In Lying and Politics, which seems especially fitting in this season of mid-term elections. |
One of the insightful points she makes, as we saw, was that the surest long-term result of brainwashing is a peculiar kind of cynicism— an absolute refusal to believe in the truth of anything, no matter how well this truth may be
established. Is Cynicism on the rise in our media, our politics, our souls at this time? Are we asked to combat cynicism within and without? | |
Cynicism, as I consider it in my major study on evil, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh:
Transforming Evil in Soul and Society, is part of the capital sin of acedia which Aquinas defines as “the lack of energy to begin new things.” Acedia is also understood as sadness, a deep, spiritual sadness, a feeling that we are cut off from goodness. From original blessing I would say. Etymologically, the word “acedia” is said to have two derivatives. One is a-kedos in Greek, which means not caring. The other is from the word for sour. There is a not-caring aspect to acedia, a lack of passion, and there is also an attitude of sourness or cynicism toward life. |
Ordinary political discourse? “Capitol Breach” January 6, 2021. Photo by Brett Davis on Flickr.
| Cynicism is a kind of sourness toward life and is related to acedia. Webster’s dictionary defines a cynic as “one who believes that human conduct is motivated wholly by self-interest.” Being cynical is being “contemptuously distrustful of
human nature and motives” and among its synonyms are misanthropic, |
pessimistic, misogynistic and deeply distrustful. Arendt informs us that a “peculiar kind of cynicism” is afoot when an absolute refusal to believe in the truth of anything, no matter how well this truth may be established prevails. Cynicism is one of the signs of our times being spread by some media, social media and certain
politicians. Cynicism seems to be growing these days as the sadness—and violence—of our times bears down on us. The recent invasion of the home of house majority leader Nancy Pelosi and the attack on her 82 year old husband with a hammer is one
example of the rise of violence in our times. |
The 42 year old assailant’s e mails inform us that his violence
is directly related to lies and politics including the violence of January 6 (that some politicians currently running for office still call “ordinary political discourse”). He is a firm believer in Q-anon conspiracies (crazy lies). | |
The assailant is a zealous member of the Church of Donald J. Trump where many are called to violent action by the
rhetoric and lies of its leader. |
| To view today's video, please click the image. You will be taken to today's post on the Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox website, where you can see the meditation in a larger version and also view and post your Comments. In the sharing that follows, a kind of community is developing around the DM.
If you can't reach Matthew's video on the website, try his Vimeo channel HERE. |
Adapted from Matthew Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society, pp. 189ff. Banner Image: An art installation showcasing the injustice towards women, particularly around domestic violence, an issue that has been pushed to the forefront of justice circles given the increased rates of domestic violence as we continue to stay home due to the pandemic but also as part of a broader awareness
of our culture of violence towards female identified persons. Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash. |
Queries for Contemplation Do you see cynicism on the rise in our media, politics and souls at this time? How do you resist that trend? How are you contributing to an alternative politics in the upcoming election? |
Responses are welcomed. To add your comment, please click HERE
to go to our website and scroll down to the Comments field. |
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and
institutional evil and what we can do about them.
“A scholarly masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science. A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics | |
See Matthew Fox's full calendar HERE |
| Join Matthew Fox and other prominent leaders in The Grieving, Healing & Hope Retreat Project, Fall 2022, seeking to shift from the hurt and anger making us more susceptible to violence and trauma, to comfort, connection and healing. Tuesdays Oct 25 - Nov 15, 2022. Register HERE Note: This is a FREE
event! |
Join Matthew Fox at the Louisville Festival of Faiths for an online/onsite workshop on “Significant Stories for Our Times: A Workshop with Matthew Fox: Earth Survival
from Thomas Merton, Science, Creation Spirituality Mystics and Ourselves” November 9-12, 2022 (Wed-Sat) Louisville, KY: Onsite and Virtual - Friday Workshop – 4:00pm-5:15pm ET on-site (1:00pm-2:15pm PT virtual)
- Saturday Spiritual Practice – 8:30am-9:15am ET on-site (5:30am-6:15am PT virtual)
https://festivaloffaiths.org/ Purchase a Friday ticket HERE Join Matthew Fox for the monthly Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, discussing Matthew Fox: Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality. Thursday, November 17,
4:00pm-6:00pm PT. Register HERE. Join Matthew Fox for the monthly Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, discussing Christian Mystics: 365 Readings and Meditations. Thursday, December 15,
4:00pm-6:00pm PT Register HERE. |
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