The Party Line
 
“And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, ‘Permit even this.’ And He touched his ear and healed him.” -Luke 22:50-51, NKJV The servant to the High Priest mentioned above was sent to arrest Jesus, is attacked by Simon Peter, and has his ear severed in the battle only to be miraculously made whole again by Jesus. The servant then assists his troop to take Jesus into custody before Pilate. Although this servant is mentioned in only a line or two of each of the Gospels, there are few biblical characters I’ve spent more time wondering about. The holiness and divinity of Jesus this servant has been direct witness to and beneficiary of, and yet he continues about the task he was set on which now clearly sets him against goodness, right and might. Who, in the Bible, is more like the modern voter? I know of no place on Earth blessed with the power to elect the government that is not also cursed with parties, that is, hosts, for each voter to align with. Increasingly lately but always the purpose of these parties is to offer its members a buffer of reason against the plainness of truth, to tempt the unallied to receive fellowship and to denounce those outside the conspiracy as traitors. Parties serve their purpose by declaring unquestionable what is only credible to someone with half the natural assessment of ears. Through partisanship, we may all be servants of the high priest and deaf on one side. It is by this dark power that a member of America’s Republican party can assert that the U.S. government is in capable plans in the face of comprehensive evidence to the contrary. And it is only by this mystique that Democrats can claim their party presents a describable alternative. An alternative to incompetence? To dissembling? To fabricated reasons for foolish policies? Did you see the campaign? Partisan talking points have grown more and more central to the citizenry’s misunderstanding of the world. In 1997, I was responsible for assembling a network of congregations to promote good health community-wide in Denver, Colorado. I contacted a conservative megachurch who’s Chief of Staff bragged of their “Welfare-to-work Ministry.” I also contacted an old, liberal church who’s primary outreach ministry was comprised of filling out applications for food stamps. And, as the people have grown more and more dependent on the high priests of the parties, the priests have grown less and less dependent on us. Through the magic of gerrymandering, the outcome of most prominent elections in the United States and outside the State of Iowa has grown terribly certain. The voter less and less provides guidance to government but now offers only an ear. The Prattler Wordbook BETRAYAL, n. Loyalty to another cause. DEMOCRAT, n. An American partisan committed to a centralized government of, by and for marginalized people. INDEPENDENCE, n. The doctrine of free thought. REPUBLICAN, n. An American partisan committed to a government to, at and on the people, SPIN, n. Piety. TALKING POINT, n. Education without information. ALREADY IN THE PRATTLER WORDBOOK: ZEAL, n. Urgent Enthusiasm as is felt by Republicans for governing, Democrats toward the next election or a herd of frantic lemmings for a precipice just yonder.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
The Betrayal, by Gustave Doré