Black and White?

Andrew Sullivan’s post here about Bush’s speech yesterday points out the two needs Bush has in his own head to perpetuate the “war” he insists on us waging: 1) there is no complexity, only black and white – we are the good guys, they are the bad guys and everybody, including the bad guys, know it and 2) if you conclude that things aren’t that simple and you aren’t interested in kicking some more ass because “these colors don’t run”, then you ARE the enemy and actively participate in hating the troops.

None of this is really news to us, of course. Except I also stumbled upon this article about Mother Teresa. Now here’s a woman whose name is LITERALLY synonymous with saintly works – if anyone in our lifetime had God’s email it woulda been her, no? Yet during decades of faith and good works, she spent every day dealing with doubt. Doubt about if there even was a God, much less if he was speaking to or through her.

Yet she never stopped doing good works, never stopped helping people, never stopped trying to get others to see the good in faith. Could it be it was BECAUSE of her doubt and questioning that propelled her – always seeking, always trying to please a being she wasn’t even sure was there? Hoping that there was a God, and that surely he would approve most of a base caring and helping of people. Erring on the side of humble goodness, even.

Obviously this is in complete juxtaposition with George Bush’s black and white world, which tells him there certainly is a God and anything that is to happen is in God’s hands. God is absolute, as is his relationship with Bush. This is not even in question. So whatever Bush does, whatever happens is right by God - no matter what reason, rationale or common human morality tells him. There is no reason for him to think otherwise. Such thinking gives him a perverted sense of freedom, “hey it’s in God’s hands cause I have total faith. I don’t need to read or think or listen, God’s on it, so do as I say.”

So on one hand, a person with doubt about her own faith that builds upon that doubt with a lifetime of good works and helping people. On the other, a person who uses his unwavering, unquestionable faith to bully those who would dare question him into doing his own want. Quite a difference.

Perhaps in the upcoming election we could spend less time obsessing over the strength of a candidate's faith and a little more time on his willingness to question.