I think the piece below is well done (thanks to Fr. Colin for sharing it with me), and so no need to recreate the wheel by writing something myself. A few comments from me at the end though, which I hope provide some value.
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American politics is NOT divided as people claim, it is a SINGLE hellmouth that is devouring us all.
We use the term "spirit" to describe movements so often that we don't think of the meaning of the word. American spirit, team spirit, holiday spirit. A spirit is something that acts upon us and leads us to actions that are not directly related to us as individuals, to act on behalf of a collective.
When it comes to matters of spirit, there is no moral neutrality, a spirit can only be aligned with God or against God, and we can discern the spirit based on the impact it has on the world. A spirit that moves us towards God by inspiring selflessness and humility is a Saint or an angel.
But a spirit that guides one to act upon, what St. Augustine called the libido dominandi, "lust for power", is ALWAYS a fallen spirit. When a crowd is motivated to storm the Capitol, it is a fallen spirit. When someone shoots a public figure that they falsely believe is their enemy, it is a fallen spirit. When people mock a murder or call for revenge, it is a fallen spirit.
The most dangerous and demonic lie in America today is that the other side is a threat to you. The people on the other side of the aisle will take away our rights and harm the innocent. We have judged them culpable, and we must put an end to them before they put an end to us.
But we "wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." No man is ever truly your enemy, they are being led by a fallen spirit just like any of us are. Donald Trump is not your enemy, Gavin Newsom is not your enemy. Neither are Netanyahu, Elon Musk, Zohran Mamdani, and neither was Charlie Kirk.
The ones who bring you to court or even kill you are not your enemies, just as Christ didn't see us as enemies when we tried and crucified Him.
Your enemy is the spirit of MAGA, the spirit of progressivism, the spirits of the Democratic and Republican parties. Your enemies are the spirits of Wall Street, Marxism, Zionism, antisemitism, white nationalism, Critical Race Theory, revolution, conservatism, feminism, the manosphere...
When you place your faith in any of these things you are acting like the Grand Inquisitor in Brothers Karamazov, who told Jesus Christ "we don't need you anymore, we have made something better". All of these ideologies and theories are attempts to impose our own will and our own vision on the world, our libido dominandi. "Humility, Love, and Beauty will not save the world, our schemes will, we just need to devour anyone in our path".
There is no division in American politics, all sides are offering you the exact same thing, the world in exchange for your soul.
By Louis Marx
Shared by Fr. John Hogg on Facebook
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Perhaps this excellent piece could only be improved by a short addition from C.S. Lewis’ posthumously published “Christian Reflections”:
“There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan.”
Let us then fight only for the ideology that is truly existential, the only party we have as Orthodox people: Christ. If Christ is not driving the narrative of our lives, something needs to be corrected - in us. And if we are not striving to have Christ abiding solely in our hearts, how can we share Christ with others? Historically, mankind is tempted to idolatry. To put something – anything – between us and God. For Christians, who know idolatry is wrong, the idolatry of kings is particularly tempting. We know not to bow down to a statue, but to bow down to worldly power seems harder for us to resist.
Let us remember those who have died that the Lord makes us aware of. If He allows us to know their names, like the name of Charlie Kirk who was assassinated yesterday, then it means He is calling us to pray for them. If they are not Orthodox, let us remember them in our private prayers. Ours is to pray and ask the Lord to give what is best for the salvation of all. He will take care of the rest if we can focus squarely on Him and… “Trust ye not in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.” (Psalm 145)
Asking Your Prayers,
Fr. Gregory
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