Politics and religion

Naked intruder flees when
88 year-old woman grabs
his crotch and squeezes.

I fear I have arrived at a point where I cannot decide if I think religion is more absurd than politics, or politics is more absurd than religion, or if both are equally absurd. I will not comment here about the politics of the past eight years which most everyone might agree have been pretty weird, and which I think have been totally absurd. For the moment I am thinking only of the Blagojevich/Illinois situation (I guess most people would agree that Illinois politics have always been absurd, but let’s just stick to the current goings-on). As I understand it, the current situation is somewhat as follows. Blagojevich has been accused of trying to capitalize on Obama’s replacement in the Senate, as he, Blagojevich, as Governor of Illinois, has the power to appoint someone to that exalted office. Put simply, he was trying to gain materially through his ability to do this. Everyone became outraged when this was revealed. One hundred percent of the relevant Congress officials signed a letter saying he could not make such an appointment, and if he did, they would not seat the person he chose. Impeachment proceedings have already begun to get rid of Blagojevich. A lesser man (politician) probably would have simply given up, but not Blagojevich, who went ahead and appointed his choice to succeed Obama. Now everyone is outraged all over again, and threatening to refuse to seat the man. However, there is apparently some doubt about whether the Senate can refuse the candidate or not. I guess there was a previous case which managed to last for two and half years, at which point the Senate lost and had to seat the person. As it appears at the moment, the best the Senate can do is to delay recognition of the person and let it drag out in the courts. Of course if Blagojevich is impeached he would no longer be Governor and then the question of his candidate’s legitimacy would be raised. It was assumed that if the Governor did try to appoint someone under the existing circumstances he would be unable to find anyone who would accept the appointment. But he did, appointing an ex Attorney General who has an unblemished record and in principle is perfectly acceptable. His problem is, he is regarded as a loser, having run for Governor himself three times and lost every time. If he were appointed he would have to actually run for the office in 2010 and most everyone believes he could not win (which could result in a Republican taking over the Democratic seat). What a quandary! As Blagojevich has not been tried or convicted, and as we must assume he is innocent until proven guilty, and if he remains the legitimate Governor of Illinois, why should he not make an appointment? But if he makes the appointment and the Senate refuses it, what then? And if they just stall until he is (probably) impeached, then what? Further complicating this situation is the fact that Blagojevich’s attorney claims the Governor has not actually done anything wrong (other than merely talking about it which is not a crime). But it also turns out that his candidate of choice has donated money to Blagojevich several times in the past (so the question of “selling” the office is still somewhat open).

Now, turning for a time to the question of religion. We have here where we live a fairly large contingent of Mennonites. There are two separate groups, each with their own followers and church. The women of one of these groups wear black caps while the females members of the other group wear white hats. I do not know the significance of this, but it appears that one group is somewhat more liberal than the other, one apparently can watch TV, the other one not, and I know not what else (and not wanting to snoop I have never asked any of them). Basically, they seem to be nice people and good neighbors and I respect them all in spite of what their respective beliefs may be. But I confess I cannot imagine that the schism between them can be very serious (or it would not be to me, I am sure). But just today, while reading a book on the Russian conquest of Siberia, East of the Sun, by Benson Bobrick, I came across this account of a disagreement between Russian and Greek Orthodox believers:

“The principal differences to be settled were: whether a triple halleluia should be pronounced, in honor of the Trinity, or a double halleluia, in reference to the double nature of Christ; whether processions around the churches should march against or with the sun; whether it was right or wrong to have a beard; whether at mass there should be upon the altar one or many loaves—the Russian used seven; whether the name Jesus should be spelled Iissous or Issous; whether in prayer, the Saviour should be addressed as our God or the Son of God; whether it was right to say of God, ‘whose reign is eternal,’ or ‘whose reign shall be eternal’; whether the cross should have four or eight points; and whether the sign of the cross should be made with three fingers extended, as denoting the Trinity, and two closed in reference to Christ’s double nature, or with two fingers extended, in allusion to the double nature, and three closed, in token of the Trinity.” (page 102).

Now, not being a religious person, I find this trivial to the point of absurdity. Perhaps the case of Illinois politics above may be of more importance, I do not know. But in either case it seems to me it is much ado about something that could be easily settled if the various parties acted as serious adults rather than unnecessarily petulant children. But that seems to be the way of both politics and religion. In both cases the issues seem to have nothing to do with the welfare of the people but, rather, with the lust for power and control, our way or the highway, etc. What depresses me the most is the fear that this sort of thing will continue forever. Aw, well, at least I won’t.

LKBIQ:
In politics, absurdity is not a handicap.
Napoleon Bonaparte

TILT:
A mondegreen is a misheard or misinterpreted phrase, usually in a poem or song. For example, “all of the other reindeer,” can be heard as “Olive, the other reindeer.”