The Vote for Apathy

20 January 2008
1 Samuel 3:1-20; James 1:19-27
Sermon by Carrie Eikler
Epiphany 2

When I was pregnant with Sebastian, Torin did the boldest, most loving thing any husband could do for his pregnant wife. He told me that anytime I had a craving—you know, the whole pickles and ice cream thing—anytime I had a craving, he would get me whatever I wanted. No matter if he had to trek all the way across town to get it, he would do it. Under one condition…I had to specifically ask for it. Now this might not seem like a big deal to you, but what Torin was trying to protect himself was my incessant tendency to be vague and say (whining) “I’m hungry…I want something sweet…or salty…or chewy…or crunchy.” He was not going to put up with ambiguity. He would help me figure out what I wanted, but he wasn’t going to do the guess work for me. And after all of that, you should know he only had to go out twice on a food run during the pregnancy. But, they did happen quite late at night, and I think I even had him get out of bed once to go to the supermarket to get me some “Hot pockets”…thankfully the store was right behind our house.

I wonder if it was with a similar loving duty that Samuel had for Eli that kept Samuel bounding out of bed at the various moments that he hears a voice calling his name. After all, the young priest in training Samuel did have obligation to attend to his elder and quite sight deprived teacher. Three times Samuel hears his name and assuming it is Eli, runs into his room, all-ready to accommodate whatever sweet or salty or chewy or crunchy need he may have…to only be turned away. It wasn’t Eli who had summoned him, but the voice of the Lord, something that Samuel wasn’t used to experiencing…something not many people were used to experience. Not in these times—these times were quite void of any hint of the Lord’s working, of people’s interest in communing with the Lord. Our story is set right away by describing the climate of Israel: “the word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.”

So Samuel probably just settled back on his mat in the temple, stretched, sighed, and closed his eyes one more time when he was summoned once more—but this time he was ready. Eli told Samuel that if it happened again, it was likely the voice of the Lord and he should respond, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” And the call of the Lord on Samuel’s life had begun. No longer was he simply hearing his name called, or hearing the words spoken by the priests above him, or even hearing the voices of those outside the temple who called out for money, or bread, or healing, or blessing. Now, Samuel began to listen, and God unfolds for him a vision that “will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.”

We are hearing a lot these days, aren’t we? Now, fully in the midst of presidential primaries there are many voices who are calling out to us, imploring us to see them as the best candidate to represent a particular party, the best candidate to lead our country. I have to say that I have been more interested in this election more than any other since I turned 18. And why not? We have a woman, a Mormon, a black man, a Prisoner of War, a peacenik, the former mayor of New York City, a man with a $400 haircut, a Southern Baptist pastor, and an actor. It certainly looks different than any election I have been a part of, which rightfully acknowledged is not all that many. And in some regards it might sound a little different than what I have heard in the last 10 years. But I wonder, in all that we are hearing, and there is a lot to simply “hear,” how does our “listening” make a difference to how we interpret and make these important decisions.

And the candidates know who are listening. Since the Regan Administration politics has sought to corner the Christian vote by appealing to Christian morals and ethics. Personal opinions on the separation of church and state aside, it is at least correct to say that we have seen the power that politics and religion have on influencing one another, and it’s not one that I feel I quite have a handle on. I strongly believe that the tenets of my faith direct me to see the world in a certain way and see the possibilities for addressing the world’s problems in a certain light which then translates into favoring certain political decisions. I think this is something everybody be they Christian or Muslim, Buddhist or Jewish, even atheists and secular humanists share: our ethics all come from somewhere close to us and we seek to live those out in the many realms of life, including the realm of our political citizenship.

Candidates know this. It’s not a partisan appeal, but part of a bi-partisan rhetoric. Historically Republicans have spoken more about faith and politics than Democrats, but in this race both sides are using religious talk and are hoping Christians are hearing what they say. Here are just some of the highlights made by presidential frontrunners (in alphabetical order, just to quell any accusation of priority)

Hilary Clinton – states that her Methodist faith has created in her a primacy of the golden rule which is something that encourages us to act. She has also quoted the book of James that states, faith without works is dead, and speaks often to the social messages of the gospels, and Jesus’ overwhelming concern for the poor and the marginalized

John Edwards – Southern Baptist/United Methodist who has been a bit more reticent about his faith, although publicly admits that a private faith is very important to him. He said “People are naturally skeptical of any politician who talks at length and openly about their faith, because they assume, just like with a lot of things, that they do it for political gain,"

Rudi Guiliani -Born and raised a Roman Catholic, he was educated in rigorous parochial schools, Giuliani says he even seriously considered becoming a priest "at least twice." But the thrice-married former prosecutor now declines to talk about his religious beliefs, calling them a private affair. However, on the campaign trail, he drops frequent references to the Almighty, even crediting God with preparing him to cope with 9/11

Mike Huckabee – a Southern Baptist Conservative with a Social Gospel inclination, he speaks of the inherent worth of each individual, which has led him to speak more about care of the poor than some Republicans. But he still carries his evangelical zeal on his sleeve: “When I first started running for office, a lady asked me, 'Are you one of those narrow-minded Baptist ministers who think only Baptists will go to heaven?'" He replies, "Actually I'm more narrow than that. I don't think all the Baptists are going to make it."

John McCain­-raised an Episcopalian, he has for years attended a Baptist church in Pheonix. McCain is not baptized and claims that he is “not born again,” and describes himself as just a Christian. Nevertheless, he speaks of a deep faith in God that he credits with getting him through his toughest moments as a prisoner of war: During his imprisonment in Hanoi, "there were times when I didn't pray for one more day or one more hour, but I prayed for one more minute," he says. "So I have very little doubt that it was reliance on someone stronger than me that not only got me through, but got me through honorably."

Barrack Obama – a member of the United Church of Christ, Obama is the democratic candidate who speaks most about faith. He talks about becoming a Christian "…kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side of Chicago, I felt God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth." He often speaks of being his brother’s keeper and what we do to the least of these. Incidentally, Obama recently had a smear campaign against him because of Islamic history in his family’s past.

Mitt Romney – Quietly, proudly Mormon, Romney has had to take the heat on his faith, particularly in light of many anti-Mormon incidents. In the same vein of Kennedy’s Roman Catholicism, Romney insists that a candidate shouldn’t be elected because of his faith, or not elected because of his faith.

Instead of being in a time, like Samuel, where the word of the Lord is rare and visions not widespread, it seems like now everywhere you look people are invoking the word of God, creating visions of bright and beautiful futures, of a country where the most faithful person will reign supreme. I try to listen to who I feel is actually professing what James speaks of: if their faith will promote a world in which the needy are cared for, where the marginalized are brought into the center, where care for each individual is paramount. But the difficult thing is, is that many candidates speak of these things. It’s not as if there is a clear front runner in the category of “doers of the word,” because all we have now are their promises, and we sit back and simply hear all these things and hope it all turns out for the best, we tentatively sit back and pray that whoever wins the race at least won’t mess things up too much.

I hear all these things, they way people promise change, which seems to be the catch word of this election. But honestly we have heard all these grandiose visions before. Which is the problem. Candidates have enticed me into their visions and I support them with my votes and I wonder: where is this better country, better world that is spoken of? Aren’t we supposed to see the clear visions of the Lord all around us? I don’t see the land of milk and honey around me, or even a glimpse of it coming in near future. I assume I will be hearing the same thing over and over in a different package, and I become apathetic to the process. In my apathy I don’t think it will make a difference who I vote for, because they will likely disappoint me anyway. I would love to think that I am alone in these feelings. But I bet I’m not alone.

I have often heard, and I’m sure you have too, that the opposite of love is not hate, but apathy. Hate is a strong emotion, just like love is a strong emotion and one can more easily move from hate to love because of the similarity of passion that is felt. Apathy is nothing. Apathy means no longer caring. Could apathy be the antithesis to the gospel of Love?
As we enter into this time of deciding who we each feel is the best candidate, the book of James tells us that apathy is not an option, especially if we are to be faithful Christians. In fact, James is pretty skeptical about the “outside” world in general, skeptical about those who claim one thing and when the votes are in, pursue nothing of the kind. James has a critique particularly important for people of faith in Western democratic nations such as the United States: Being a doer of the word is not simply voting for who you think can be the best doer of the word. If that is all we believe our faith requires of us, or our democratic responsibilities demand from us, then it is no wonder we become apathetic. I think when we vote our values, which is inevitable and something we should do, and expect that to be that, we wash our hands of any responsibilities of being more engaged doers of the word.

Apathy comes when we have our high hopes that things will change, that the word might be made manifest, that the poor in money and the orphaned in opportunity might be tended, and often…inevitably…our hopes are dashed. When our faithful response to a broken word is the simple action of voting on who we think should take care of the problem, is not only apathy to the political process, it is apathy in ourselves, and in our faith. It’s merely a response to what we hear, it is like looking into a mirror and seeing so clearly our own hopes in our elected officials and with one punch in the ballot box, we remove ourselves from the equation for another four years. We forget who we are to be as faithful doers of the word, and put our faith in solely in politicians. I believe that voting is important, but I don’t think it relinquishes us from the job that is yet to be done. And in finding even the smallest places that one can engage the hurting world is more than a hundred votes for the “right” candidate.

But, sigh, politics will remain politics and still an institution we must engage. But we can do it not by just hearing what the politicians are saying, but listening carefully to how their decisions and goals affect our world. We can step up and say--I am listening, and here I am to not be a leader of the world, but a servant to the world, to be a doer of the word, not simply a hearer, who watches the world spin out of control with tired resignation. Here’s the relationship I can rebuild, here is the new learning I can engage, here is the cause that needs more support, here is person who needs my encouragement, the movement that needs my energy.

Even in the midst of doing the word, we will be temped with apathy because the forces seem so much larger than us. “But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.” James encourages us to persist in doing the word because in every act we will bless the world, and every act that we decide not to do because what difference will it make anyway? it denies the world that small blessing that can cause transformation, more than any program, or policy, or political agenda can bring about. In his newest book The Great Awakening, Jim Wallis speaks about the need for what he calls a revival: “Revival is necessary, because just having a new and better political agenda will not be enough. Getting to the right issues isn’t enough. Having the right message isn’t enough. Finding the right program isn’t enough. The real question is what will motivate and mobilize the kind of constituencies that will move politics to change. I believe that will require the energy, power, and hope that faith can bring. People acting out of their best ideas and values is a good thing, but people acting out of their deepest wells of faith can be even more powerful.”

It may seem like we are jumping out of bed, awakened by voices calling us only to return back to bed confused, wondering, questioning our own sanity. But if we keep listening, keep responding, and keep preparing ourselves to serve God and those who need us, our energies will not be wasted. We will be part of a plan that will tingle the ears of the world, and the world will notice. “Be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves…But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.”
May it be so.