Maravi

Politics is not a ‘dirty game’

Politics is not a ‘dirty game’
By Editor
Thu 22 Oct. 2009, 04:00 CAT

Bishop George Lungu is very correct when he says politics should not be seen as a dirty game.

Yes, politics does sometimes become dirty. But as Bishop Lungu correctly observes, it is human beings who make politics to be seen as dirty. And if this is the case, then the same human beings can be made to clean it up, make it as clean as it should be.

This reminds us of what Dr Kenneth Kaunda told a gathering of whites during the struggle for independence. One of them wanted to know why a clean man like Dr Kaunda was involving himself in the dirty game of politics. In response, Dr Kaunda asked him why politics which deals with people’s lives, nations’ destinies, should be a dirty game.

The political dimension is a constitutive dimension of human beings and a relevant area of societal life. It has an all-embracing aspect because its aim is the common welfare of society. But that does not mean that it exhausts the gamut of social relationships.

Far from despising political activity, the Christian faith values it and holds it in high esteem. Speaking in general terms, and without distinguishing between the roles that may appear proper to its various members, the church feels it has a duty and a right to be present in this area of reality.

For Christianity is supposed to evangelise the whole of human life, including the political dimension. So the Church criticises those who would restrict the same scope of faith to personal or family life; who would exclude the professional, economic, social and political orders as if sin, love, prayer and pardon had no relevance in them.

The fact is that the need for the Church’s presence in the political arena flows from the very core of Christian faith. That is to say, it flows from the Lordship of Christ over the whole of life. Christ sets the seal on the definitive fellowship of humanity, wherein every human being is of equal worth: “All are one in Jesus Christ” (Gal 3:28).

These are some of the reasons the Church is present in the political arena to enlighten consciences and to proclaim a message that is capable of transforming society.

The Church recognises the proper autonomy of the temporal order. This holds true for governments, political parties, trade unions and other groups in the social and political arena. The purpose that the Lord assigned to His Church is a religious one; so when it does intervene in the socio-political arena, it is not prompted by any aim of a political, economic nor social nature. But out of this religious mission itself come a function, a light, and an energy which can serve to structure and consolidate the human community according to the divine law.

In so far as the political arena is concerned, the Church is particularly interested in distinguishing between the specific functions of the laity, religious, and those who minister the unity of the Church – that is, the bishop and his priests.

We must distinguish between two notions of politics and political involvement. First, in the broad sense politics seeks the common good on both the national and international plane. Its task is to spell out the fundamental values of every community, reconciling equality with freedom, public authority with legitimate autonomy, and participation of individual persons and groups, and national sovereignty with international coexistence and solidarity. It also defines the ethics and means of social relationships.

In this broad sense, politics is of interest to the Church, and hence to its pastor, who are ministers of unity. It is a way of paying worship to the one and only God by simultaneously desacralising and consecrating the world to God.

So the Church helps to foster the values that should inspire politics. In every nation, it interprets the aspiration of the people, especially the yearnings of those that society tends to marginalise. And it does this with its testimony, its teachings and its varied forms of pastoral activity.

Second, the concrete performance of this fundamental political task is normally carried out by groups of citizens. They resolve to pursue and exercise political power in order to solve economic, political and social problems in accordance with their own criteria or outlook. Here, then, we can talk about “party politics”. Now even though the outlooks elaborated by such groups may be inspired by Christian doctrine, they can come to differing conclusions.

No matter how deeply inspired by church teaching, no political party can claim the right to represent all the faithful because its concrete programme can never have absolute value for all.

Party politics is properly the realm of lay persons. Their lay status entitles them to establish and organise political parties, using an outlook and strategy that is suited to achieving their legitimate aims.

In the social teaching of the Church, lay people find the proper criteria deriving from the Christian view of the human being. For its part, the hierarchy will demonstrate its solidarity by contributing to their adequate formation and their spiritual life, and also by nurturing their creativity so that they can explore options that are increasingly in line with the common good and the need of the weakest.

Christ’s gospel would not have had such an impact on history if He had not proclaimed it as a religious message: “The Gospels show clearly, that for Jesus, anything that would alter His mission as the servant of Yahweh was a temptation (Matt 4:8; Luke 4:5). He does not accept the position of those who mixed the things of God with merely political attitudes (Matt 22:21; Mark 12:17; John 18:36).”

It is therefore a great mistake for Christians to shun their political responsibility. Every Christian is called upon to play his or her part in the governance of our country. And they should play their roles conscientiously, that is, those with leadership gifts should present themselves and be ready to contest and serve the people in accepting office as a trust and service to the people and not as a stepping-stone for enriching themselves.

If a person has received the necessary talent by the favour of God, that person would fail in one’s duty for selfish motives if the person refused to take one’s share in public life and affairs. Any person who is qualified to become a leader is guilty if he or she refuses the task. The apathy of potential political leaders can bring anarchy to the country, by leaving all the responsibility to inefficient and unworthy people.

We have rights and duties as citizens and the love of our country urges us to act accordingly in all justice and charity. Christians have both the right and duty to participate fully in building a just and peaceful society with all the means at their disposal. The laity should infuse a Christian spirit into the mentality, customs, laws and structures of the community in which they live.

The laity brings many gifts to building a society of justice, peace and development. The presence of the laity in the social life is characterised by service, the sign and expression of love.

Christians should be carefully prepared for political, economic and social tasks through a solid formation in the Church’s social doctrine.

The participation of Christians in political life should be guided by gospel values of respect for human dignity, human rights, common good, social justice, solidarity, integral development, special concern for the poor and non-violence in resolving conflicts.

Clearly, politics need people with credibility. Their presence in the political arena can bring gospel values to the political process. Individual citizens are obliged to make their specific contributions to the common good and Christians can make a difference if they get fully involved in national affairs.

The laity’s mission is in the world as well as in the Church. The direct duty to work for a just society is proper to the lay faithful.

An authority is needed to guide the energies of all towards the common good. And political leadership is the means by which people co-operate together in order to achieve the common good. As such, Christians must be conscious of their specific and proper role in the political community. Politics is an area of great importance for promoting justice, peace, development and community among all. And Christians should regard politics as a vocation, a way of building up society for the common good and not look at it as a dirty game.

Politics is not a dirty game but is a genuine way of being at the service of others for the integral development of the country.

Labels: GEORGE LUNGU, GOVERNANCE, POLITICS

posted by MrK @ 5:38 PM