Trying to do good?

Grim's Hall links to a review comparing popular political philosophy and Christianity, noting the same thing I've observed before--for many people the state and politics are their religion.

I'm looking at the different ways people tried to be good. Billy Graham tried to tell good news about God, and concentrated on personal integrity--the famous "Pence Rule" and making sure he never managed the money or was paid outlandishly (unfortunately 1 Samuel 8:5 applies). He tried to concentrate on just one thing.

"Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner drank a glass of chocolate milk to demonstrate his belief in diversity." "It was one of two demonstrations at the event, both of which received ovations from the crowd.") True, it wasn't his idea, but he was applauded for a symbol of "diversity," which is not a good in itself but potentially a means to a good--or to disaster, depending on whether people manage to keep their eyes on the real prize or not.

To be fair, the governor's humiliation is just the first thing that appeared--it's no trick to find plenty of other posturing about "do X and we will all be happy," when X is only tenuously related to Y which might, with proper guidance, produce some happiness. But when the moral center of the universe is the state, these weak chains of reasoning get weighted with transcendental meaning.

"They constantly try to escape. From the darkness outside and within. By dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good."