The Language of Faith

The most economically impressive, politically stable, socially integrated and universally powerful country in the world is as rent with religious affiliation and dogmatism as the most backward of the world's economically bereft, politically dangerous, socially unstable countries of the world. Isn't that a conundrum?

Not really; it's an expression of basic human need, and human proclivities. Yet for a country that boasts more Nobel laureates and greater scientific and technological break-throughs than any other on earth, one whose 17th Century founders deliberately determined there should be a separation between Church and State, there seem to be more churches in every town and city in the United States than there are libraries, post offices, banks and fire stations.

Only the ubiquitous presence of gas stations outnumbers that of churches, it would seem.

This is indeed a godly people. From moderates to born-agains, evangelicals to televangelists, the United States of America is representative of every mode of worship to the Divine that can be imagined, reflecting their diverse population, a multitudinous mix of peoples derived from countries around the world, gravitating to America to find their fortunes, live their dreams. Or, at the very least, escape the oppressive regimes from whence they originated.

Faith is in the very air that American breathe. Not necessarily the immigrant hordes, with their own quiet observance of foreign-to-America religions, but the old-time faith that the founding peoples brought with them and elaborated upon, giving them an authentic "made in the U.S." stamp. It's been said, and with reason, that anyone can become President of the United States; any of its people can aspire to that grave station.

Oops, atheists and agnostics need not apply. Forget other credentials, nothing, just nothing at all: Nobel award, elevated scholarship, mastery of the fine techniques employed in diplomacy, wizard of economic theory, sociologist extraordinaire; nothing can compensate, even remotely, for the lack of theistic embrace.

For the populace will not have it. Sans godliness there is nothing remotely tolerable let alone acceptable about any candidate for high public office, however talented, however blessed with genius. Talk about cheek!

Any candidate running for office in competition to rally support, must be capable of demonstrating his or her suitability for that post by indicating, unmistakably, their personal pact with God. The successful candidate will prevail upon the voting public by relating their personal and very deep and abiding faith.

Once that has been established, it's smooth sailing to proving to the electorate that their binding faith is superior to that of their opponents. The ability to emote charismatically cannot be overstated.

And here's Barack Obama sweeping the nation with his faith-inspiring call to change. "We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."

To those curious onlookers not swept off their feet by the sublime and sweet aura that Mr. Obama exudes, the thought might intrude that there is change, after all, each time a new administration sweeps to power with their unique agendas.

Mr. Obama promises a new kind of change, obliquely, without substance in reality, nor need for explanation; calling, like a true believer, for faith.

That skeptical onlooker might construe the statement "We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.", to be trite prattle. What, exactly, does that mean? It has a mysterious, mythic, promising sound, an empowering premise, and as such wonderfully effective on a matter of faith.

It just doesn't parse so well as an intelligible statement of fact and reality. The messianic message of change; simply have faith, in the deliverer of the faith message, and all will be done as one would wish it.

It's the mass hysteria of born-again politics in a country whose population cleaves to the doctrine of Divine faith as the answer to all of the country's vexing problems, foisted upon them by an inadequate, albeit faith-filled administration.

Good luck.