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The Christian Right &
Thomas Merton on American
Idolatry 01/20/2024 |
In yesterday’s DM we considered the rise of billionaire media moguls with their agendas for a post-democracy America. |
Rupert Murdoch, Elon Musk, David Smith (the new owner of the Baltimore Sun), and the remaining Koch brother, who is again before the Supreme Court with a proposal that would essentially wipe out all oversight of environmental regulation, qualify. |
"Right-wing executive’s media empire exemplifies dangerous bias he warns against."
MSNBC |
Trumpism’s sure grip on Evangelical voters is clear from the recent Iowa primary caucuses. Rhetoric emerging from “believers” is nothing short of idolatry. One leader called Trump “both David and Goliath.” Trump is promoting a recent video called “God Made Trump” in which he is portrayed as the Second Coming. In a recent poll of Republicans, 64% consider Trump a “person of faith” and only 13% called Biden a “person of faith,” even though he is a
practicing Catholic who attends church regularly. Trump does not attend church regularly, but as religion reporter Sarah Posner puts it, he “is now the leader of the Christian right.”
Many Trump supporters compare him to Jesus. When Jesus died, he died for us, so when Trump is facing all these things,
he’s doing it for us in our place. Studies show that over 40% of self-described ‘evangelicals’ today go to church once a year or less. |
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| Former evangelical Tim Albertas says evangelicalism is a “competing religion” based not on the bible but a grievance-centric faith of people angry that white supremacy and male domination
are being |
challenged. Amanda Marcotte says, That Iowa evangelicals turned out to back Trump isn’t a betrayal of their values. It reveals the values that always fueled their movement: values of racism and sexism. Their religious identity is built through podcasts and YouTube channels that discuss politics and
‘what’s going on in the world’ from a rightwing world view.* |
In a current New York Times article entitled “The Deification of Donald Trump,” we learn that Trump is called “the chosen one” and depicted as Moses parting the Red Sea in the “God Made Trump” video.** The late Catholic monk Thomas Merton had words for what we are seeing today:
Religion of “half religious people” constitutes the greatest orgy of idolatry the world has ever known, and it is not generally thought by believers that idolatry is the greatest and fundamental sin. |
*Amanda Marcotte, "With Donald Trump's Iowa landslide, evangelicals reveal who they really are," Salon, January 16, 2024. **Thomas B. Edsall, "The Deification of Donald Trump Poses Some Interesting
Questions," New York Times, January 17, 2024. See Matthew Fox, A Way To God: Thomas Merton’s Creation Spirituality Journey, pp. 203-224. And Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society, pp. 209f.
Banner image: "In God we trump." Image by Fabio Gaglin on Flickr.
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Queries for Contemplation Do you, like Merton, recognize idolatry in some of today’s politics and ideologies and billionaire-backed media and supreme court
cases? Why do you think Merton says idolatry is the greatest and fundamental sin? |
Responses are welcomed. To add
your comment, or read other comments and enter into dialog, please click HERE to go to our website and scroll down to the Comments field. |
A Way to God: Thomas Merton’s Creation Spirituality Journey
In A Way to God, Fox explores Merton’s pioneering work in interfaith, his essential teachings on mixing contemplation and
action, and how the vision of Meister Eckhart profoundly influenced Merton in what Fox calls his Creation Spirituality journey.
“This wise and marvelous book will profoundly inspire all those who love Merton and want to know him more deeply.” — Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism |
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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 |
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In the Beginning There Was Joy: A Cosmic Celebration for Kids of All Ages
The first book in the Father Fox’s Fantastical Fables series tells the story of the big bang and how humans fit into the awesome, fantastical,
cosmic picture! With artwork curated from illustrators around the world, this book expresses the joy and wonder of all peoples and cultures, planting seeds of respect, cooperation and hope to work together for the healing of our planet. "Matthew Fox has created a narrative, for every parent and grandparent, both spiritual
and scientific, that is a gift for all elders who recognize their responsibility in initiating the young ones into the grandeur of existence." Cosmologist Brian Swimme, author of Cosmogenesis and The Universe Story "Matthew Fox has given all of us, children included, a wondrous and enchanting view of
creation and all that humanity should aspire to." - Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit and A Time for Grace Receive a 20% discount when you buy this and one other book from Matthew Fox’s store! Use Promo Code 20% at
checkout. |
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UPCOMING EVENTS See Matthew Fox's full calendar
HERE |
SPECIAL EVENT: 5-DAY WORKSHOP IN AQUINAS’ HOMETOWN OF ORVIETO, ITALY
WITH MATTHEW FOX, MESHI CHAVEZ, AND CLAUDIA PICARDI
JUNE 9-14, 2024
LEARN MORE HERE. |
Join
Matthew Fox as he lectures on “What the Mystics Tell Us About Dying “ at the Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, “Emerging Spiritualities: Death and Bereavement Across the Spiritual Spectrum,” Saturday, January 20, 9:00am – 5:00pm PT. Register HERE. |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book “The Lotus & The Rose” in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat. Thursday, February 15, 4:00-6:00 pm PT. Register HERE. |
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Creation Spirituality Conversations |
Matthew Fox’s episode on the Take Back Your Mind with Michael B. Beckwith
Podcast, Mysticism & The Modern Age, is available on the Take Back Your Mind YouTube channel. To listen, play at right. |
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