Jul
27
The Idolatry of Politics
Aristotle once said, "nature abhors a vacuum," which came to mind recently as I reflect on how politics has become a religion for far too many, particularly during the heat of a presidential campaign.
In the absence of God, human nature tends to turn to what St. Thomas Aquinas identifies as the four substitutes for God—wealth, pleasure, power, and honor. These substitutes can also manifest as various forms of idolatry, including unhealthy attachment to people, possessions, careers, or even my own case—my son’s baseball career, the New York Mets, or politics.
It’s ironic. After leaving my 30-year-career in news in 2022, I made a conscious decision to distance myself from the daily news consumption.
In the absence of God, human nature tends to turn to what St. Thomas Aquinas identifies as the four substitutes for God—wealth, pleasure, power, and honor. These substitutes can also manifest as various forms of idolatry, including unhealthy attachment to people, possessions, careers, or even my own case—my son’s baseball career, the New York Mets, or politics.
It’s ironic. After leaving my 30-year-career in news in 2022, I made a conscious decision to distance myself from the daily news consumption.
