Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worhsip the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'” – Matthew 4:7-10 ESV
this revolution is necessary, therefore, not only because the ruling class cannot be overthrown in any other way, but also because the class overthrowing it can only in a revolution succeed in ridding itself of all the muck of ages and become fitted to found society anew. – Karl Marx, The German Ideaology
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. – Jesus Christ – Matthew 6:24
Lately I’ve been considering the nature of power and in particular I mean worldly power which is largely to say political power, but to be clear politcal power also relates very directly to monetary power, demographic power, and geographic power too. In short when I refer to political power I am referring to all of these types of power as they are encapsulated in one greater power – namely worldly power. The nature of power is very interesting to consider, but the more I seek to understand the more I see it as essentially never-changing. Worldly power appears to be skipping on an infinite loop effectively going nowhere and yet most everyone appears very eager to seek it, obtain it, wield it, and “change the world” with it.
I certainly can relate. I recall when I was an early freshman studying at University I told my professor that I wanted to “change the world and make it better.” A seemingly noble gesture and aim and one that I think is very common among the youth certainly of today but perhaps of all ages. And to be clear it is a most worthy aim and goal to improve whatever position or circumstance one finds themselves or others – this is a good and noble intention and worthy to act upon. The question of course often becomes what is good, what is right, what is proper, what is possible, the list goes on and on and is the story of many a tale and the ethical dilemma we all struggle with and grapple. However I do not wish to speak on any particular change or suggestion from any particular “side” of things in regards to worldly power and positions in the world. We all have our points of view and ultimately everything will be worked out in the end of times. Instead what I do wish to discuss is the inherent nature of worldly power itself, how it appears to be structured, and what exactly we can or cannot do about that.
Recently I found myself reading up on the old Whiskey Rebellion of 1791 where George Washington and the nascent United States of America marched to battle against old Revolutionary War veterans out in Western Pennsylvania over a dispute regarding a new federal tax on whiskey which apparently negatively impacted the western colonials more than the eastern. It was interesting to read, because it immediately reveals the circular nature that appears to be inherent within worldly power. Not even 10 years from winning the Revolutionary War was the newly created United States already marching on its own citizens over a political dispute. Indeed the great George Washington himself marched against people who very likely fought alongside him just a few years prior over the most important battles for the nation. Again – let us not discuss whether the nature of the dispute was justified or not for there can be many opinions about that – but rather let us consider how precisely can such a seemingly inherent contradiction occur so very rapidly upon achieving power.
I quoted above Karl Marx proclaiming what he viewed as a need for a revolution in order to raise up one class over another more ruling class. Marxism, whether for good or ill, is a very popular political system of thought which has influenced millions upon millions of people in just a few centuries. Again – not discussing the merits or nature of the ideas of Marxism itself – but rather just the influence it has had – it is impossible to conclude other than it speaks to a large number of people very profoundly and significantly and has for many many years. Such an idea can only have such power if there is some type of truth to it. The question I’d like to discuss today is precisely what type of truth is that and how shall we relate to it.
I have also recently found myself reading up on many of the great minds and thinkers of the Englightenment Age – Voltaire, Descartes, Newton, the list goes on – and how they themselves chose to view and relate to the world around them. I hope to discuss more of this in detail separately in further writings on my Modern Metaphysics, but suffice it to say here that it seems to me these great minds were largely working in a reaction towards the then ruling class of the Catholic Church and the power and influence it exerted over their thoughts, ideas, and practices in regards to understanding and thinking about the world in which they lived. Again – for better or worse – these appear to largely be the motivations that were driving these great thinkers along with a genuine passion and interest and excitement about their observations and considerations of the universe, the planets, and the world around them. The Catholic Church, a type of Christian ruling class, and the general ruling ideas of the day, were largely antagonistic to these ventures and by exercising the worldly power they wielded, sought to stifle them, curb them, re-direct them.
Now today those very scandalous ideas of the Englightenment reign supreme and occupy the seat of worldly power and are the ruling ideas now in much the same way as the Catholic Church was back in the days of Newton, Voltaire, Galileo, etc. The question then becomes are those in power today behaving any differently than those in power in the past? The further question then becomes is it possible for those in power to behave any differently ever? Admittedly I do not hold the definitive answer to these questions, but from my understanding and consideration of the matter I wish to argue that it is not possible for those in power to behave differently. Granted power can take different forms – one can be Catholic or Muslim or Aetheist – one could be Marxist or Capitalist or Monarchist or even Anarchist – but those forms are merely the patina coating over the structural frame that is worldly power. Worldly power can take whatever form it wishes – it does not matter the grand standing ideaology which leads one to worldly power – once obtained one no longer has worldly power, worldly power has you.
What is worldy power exactly and does everyone have it or only a select few? Worldly power seems to be that which is the power of nations and those businesses and insitituions which correspond directly with it and as such although many people can be indirectly affected by worldly power (indeed all of us are to varying degrees), a very small few people relatively in a given nation actually wield or have worldly power. I suspect the inherent truth within the idea of Karl Marx lies in this fact that worldly power truly does rest in the hands of a given few, and that worldly power, as we shall see further here, is simply insufficient for man’s greater happiness, well-being, and spiritual fulfillment. As such there is within us a natural affront towards it as well as an interest in worldly power. It is not unlike the forbidden apple upon the tree of knowledge – as soon as we cannot have it we wonder why, consider what it would actually be like to have it, and then imagine the splendors and wonders we could have and do if we in fact did obtain it. As satan stated in his third and final temptation to Christ – he will give Him all the “kingdoms of the world.” The power of the kingdoms themselves then were in fact the temptation and perhaps even more interestingly satan is apparently able to provide that power to those who worship and serve him. Worldly power then rests not in the hands of Jesus Christ but rather in the hand of satan. We must be mindful of this. Now each one of us no matter what class or position or status in the world we may find ourselves – each one of us is tempted by satan, and we are all called upon through Jesus Christ to overcome those temptations. We likely will fail in this regard, but hopefully, ultimately, through the Grace of Jesus Christ the Son of Man and God, may we find our ultimate salvation and return to the Father just as He has returned to the Father. This is a personal, spiritual process we each are fully engaged in on a daily and regular basis. And this applies to all those in positions of worldly power as equally and as much as those of us not in positions of worldly power. Through Christ Jesus – the one and only King of Kings – we find true equality and spiritual oneness with all. However what about the nature of the structure of worldly power itself? If for example, due to the inherent architectural structure of worldly power itself, it doesn’t matter what idealogy gains more or less worldly power among the nations of the world, then does it matter at all who is holding such worldly power? What is the margin of difference available within the power of the world?
It seems to me that in the world at this time, perhaps not forever, but at this time, the world itself is structured in such a manner that all worldly power rests in the hands of satan. Just as spiritually all the good and right and true and just paths one could take ultimately lead to Jesus Christ, so too do all the worldly paths lead to a seat of power which rests with satan. I think that this is the natural framework of the world, and that it is impossible to avoid at the structural level of power itself. For example – let’s consider a good Christian nation or party that overtime rises to power in a nation. Eventually, power dynamics being what they are, those individual Christians in those positions of power will be confronted eventually with difficult choices to make – choices that are between worldly power and spiritual power. Now personally for each one of those individuals, just as for each one of us in our lives too, those decisions matter and even if / when we fail we can and will continue to return to those lessons to learn them and understand them and ultimately choose correctly. But in that moment in time, those decisions matter and will have impact either upon their own souls and conscience or upon the nation and the seat of worldly power. This is an inevitable fact for all those who hold seats of power – there are always others circling around who are more than willing and able to take your seat, overthrow you, and wield the power as they see fit. And so what occurs is that by design as those individuals in power make choices that are not of this worldly power, they will also be naturally removed from those positions of worldly power for it is inherently built into the structure of power. It is as Jesus describes in the quote listed above – one cannot serve two masters – and eventually each person in power is tempted to choose which master do they serve – one that is of worldly power or one that is not of worldly power. Naturally as one chooses away from that which is worldly power they are also naturally removed from that same worldly power, which means that those who remain in the seats of worldly power, over time, are by and large those who have chosen to serve worldly power instead of spiritual power. Many of the great figures in history found themselves in this very position – people like Sir Thomas Moore, Socrates, Joan of Arc, Nicodemus, Cicero, the list goes on.
Plato discusses this very issue in what he referred to as the Philosopher King dilemma. The Philosopher is one that is best suited to be King for he is the most removed from the influence of worldly power, however as such he also will never become King precisely because he is removed from that same influence of worldly power. Conversely, those people who are attracted to worldly power will become King, however unfortunately, those people who are attracted to worldly power are also those who do not greatly consider the true weight and severity of power itself and do not seek to find the right, the true, the just in regards to the ethics of power. In short they are simply not actually fit to wield worldly power even though they may polish their rhetoric, grand stand, appeal to voters, or simply take power through dishonest means. Frankly this is the story of the history of the world in very large part. Rare are those men who withstand the inherent corruption of worldly power AND wield that same worldly power for a given length of time. There are a few perhaps, but none that I can think of who have ever been able to wield that power through any significant amount of time let alone for generations without being eventually largely corrupted, killed, or removed from office, etc.
What then are we to conclude when faced with such a seeming dilemma? Firstly we can begin to understand why Karl Marx – for better or worse – is so popular with so many people. Through his analysis and focus of class warfare, has tapped into a truth that resonates with all mankind, but I don’t know if it’s a truth he himself understood fully nor do most of those who espouse his ideas. The ruling class dichotomy and revolution which is a major basis for all of Marx’s ideas, is actually identifying and exploiting the infinite loop of worldly power that is frankly inescapable for those who pursue it. As such Marxist thought creates a never ending cycle of destruction and mayhem upon a given nation and since that never ending cycle is also focused primarily upon worldly power, it is also a strong avenue for corrupting the spirit of those who pursue it. Worldly power is an inescapable infinite loop because it is ruled by satan who himself is also running on an inescapable infinite loop (sidenote – if you’re interested, I wrote about the important distinctions between that which is infinite and that which is eternal in this post here). And it is precisely because worldly power is resting on an infinite loop that we continue to see contradictions inherent within those wielding it. I am reminded now of the classic novel by Joseph Heller Catch-22 which seeks to use dark humor to highlight the circular logic and insanity that appears to be inherent within power structures. A glaring example of the contradiction of worldly power and how it relates to Marx’s ideas is how as soon as the Soviet Union came to power through violent revolution, they immediately killed and suppressed their own oppoosition forces even if they were also Marxist. Worldly power, once obtained, rules those in power, not the other way around.
This type of clear contradiction is obviously highlighted under nations that adopt Marxist thought as well as numerous other types of thought such as fascism, totalitarianism, anarchy, the list goes on. And although these contradictions can really be seen in all forms of worldly power, it appears some forms of power have a tendency to hold out against complete corruption for a longer period of time and often to a much lesser degree than others even if they too also ultimately become corrupted. For example, in the Whiskey Rebellion described above with President George Washington marching against colonial war veterans in Western Pennsylvania, it certainly grew to a rather intense fever pitch in that area, but was eventually calmed down with relatively minimal upheaval and political strife. Nevertheless, the seeds of contradiction and worldly power were clearly sprouting even then, not even 10 years after the successful birth of the nation. Likewise with the Enlightenment Age scientists and their issues with the Church as mentioned previously. We can clearly see the heavy hand of worldly power forcing itself upon a less powerful class, but even then it wasn’t as bad as it could be – Voltaire was arrested a few times, Galileo was put on house arrest, and Newton was encouraged to not make many claims about the nature of the heavens as a theological matter, etc., etc. It’s clearly a misuse of power but it’s also not the slaughtering of millions of innoncent lives and the destruction of an entire nation or people. The same can be said for England – a monarchy through the ages spread too thin by it’s own colonial expansion. Or for the Roman Empire – a citizen based empire taken over by its own mercenaries. The USA – a nation that sought to separate out its powers only to eventually find its power separating itself apart. The list goes on and on through the history books. All nations are made of men and all men are fallen ergo all nations are fallen. Just as the great writer F Scott Fitzgerald said, “Show me a hero, and I’ll write you a tragedy,” so too can we say, “Give me a nation, and I can reveal to you corruption.” History itself is largely a collection of the elite power structures and how they rise and fall through time all of it largely falling under the great wheel of fortune and the infinite loop of worldly power plays.
It therefore matters very little ultimately who does or does not take power – in the end it will corrupt those in power for that is the literal nature of power in the world – to corrupt those who wield it. Nevertheless and even still, it does matter within degrees of decades and often even centuries as well as degrees of the intensity of such persecution and violence, just who exactly does take power and the ideals and methods and means by which those choose to wield that power, but even then it too will fall and crumble only to be replaced again by the next rising star to worldly power, only to fall once again, similar to the great fall of man and Lucifer. Worldly power unlike temptation in general, is not a consideration for most if not all of mankind on the planet today, but we can choose to participate in it nevertheless. There is simply precious little any of us can do to actually influence those who reside in the seats of power and even when we can there is even less we can do once they occupy those seats. To take worldly power even for those with good intentions, is at best to chase at windmills, and at worst to fall into a dark quagmire of greed, lust, and ultimate ruin. Far better still would it be tend to our every day lives and closer cares whatever they may be, further cultivate and enjoy our own bodies, minds, and hearts, and to not concern ourselves with far away wars and high court dramas. And most especially we must look to our Good Lord and Sheperd and with Jesus worship Him and Him alone for He is the one and only we shall serve this day forevermore.