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Conscious Evolution: The Christian’s Purpose
The Christian’s purpose is “conscious evolution”? Huh?
You have probably given some thought about what it means to be a Christian, and the concept of conscious evolution probably never occurred to you. Allow me to explain, and in explaining you might be surprised that I am going to first talk briefly about geology.
Geologists have divided earth’s 4.5-billion-year history into time periods called epochs. The most recent epoch has been called the Holocene. It follows the Pleistocene epoch which spanned from 2.58 million-years-ago to 11,700 years ago and was the earth’s last ice age. The Holocene began when the climate warmed and ice sheets melted. It was the beginning of the Neolithic revolution in which our hunter-gatherer ancestors settled and took up agriculture and domestication of animals. Civilizations developed. Knowledge evolved. Technologies were invented. Prior to the Holocene, humans were just another species of animal. During the Holocene, humans took over control of the planet.
This is reflected in the book of Genesis:
And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
This revolutionary shift occurred only in the last ten thousand years, which is only .0003% of the time that there has been life on this planet!
Many scholars now believe that we have entered into a new geological epoch which is being called the Anthropocene. Historian David Christian writes:
In the twentieth century, we humans began to transform our surroundings, our societies, and even ourselves. Without really intending to, we have introduced changes so rapid and so massive that our species has become the equivalent of a new geological force. That is why many scholars have begun to argue that planet Earth has entered a new geological age, the Anthropocene epoch, or the “era of humans.” This is the first time in the four-billion-year history of the biosphere that a single biological species has become the dominant force for change.
Major emergent events in homo sapiens’ evolution from being just another animal species to becoming the dominant species on the planet include the incredible growth of the hominin brain beginning about three million years ago, the development of symbolic language about 160 thousand years ago, the invention of the printing press allowing for widespread assimilation of ideas and information, and the industrial revolution when human productivity increased tremendously due to the energy obtained from coal, steam engines and mechanization. A second industrial revolution occurred a century later with petroleum replacing coal, and then a third industrial revolution came about with the harnessing of nuclear energy.
Fareed Zakaria in his recent book Age of Revolutions writes about three other highly significant human revolutions:
- Digital Revolution: “Technology in prior revolutions changed the physical world; the digital revolution would change the mental world, expanding information, knowledge, analytic capacity and with it our definition of what is means to be human.”
- Artificial Intelligence: “A new revolution is on the horizon- when artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence and forces us to reassess our own place.”
- Biotechnology Revolution: “For more than three billion years, evolution was steered only by the forces of natural selection, which led some mutations to survive and others to die out. But today, humans are taking control of nature.”
Homo sapiens have gained incredible powers. My fear, however, is that humanity’s emotional, moral, and spiritual development have not evolved sufficiently to be able to wisely control these powers. While we now have the capacity to boost the evolution of humanity and the biosphere, we also have the power and capacity to destroy it all. Will we solve the climate crisis? Will we eliminate poverty? Will we defeat racism, misogyny, homophobia, and all the other isms? Will we end war and violence? Will we create a world where people have the freedoms to live out their dreams? Or will greed, lust for power and hatred continue to rule the day?
The Hebrew prophets envisioned a future in which hatred, violence, and greed would be no more, and that peace and brotherly love would reign. The prophet Isaiah reportedly said:
They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift sword against nation and they will no longer study warfare. (Isaiah 2:4)
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat…They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-9)
The Hebrews believed that a messiah would come to establish this new Godly age. While I believe that such an age will likely eventually come, I do not believe that there will be a savior or messiah that will bring it about. I believe that it is we who need to bring this dream to fruition. The Hebrew prophets inform us about what’s required to bring about paradise: to love God and to love others.
Some thought Jesus was the promised messiah, but Jesus’ message was about worshiping God, not about worshiping himself. Jesus taught that the kingdom of God had already begun;
Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.” (Luke 17:20-21)
The kingdom of God is not only among us, but within us. In the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas, Jesus was quoted to say:
“If your leaders say to you, ‘Look, the kingdom is in the sky,’ then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, ‘It is in the sea,’ then the fish will precede you. But the kingdom is within you, and it is outside you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are the children of the living Father. But if you will not know yourselves, then you are in poverty, and it is you who are the poverty.”
The apostle Paul adds:
For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
How do we attain this heavenly future prophesied by the Hebrew prophets, Jesus, and others? First of all, I think we need to stop looking for a messiah to make this happen for us. For most of the history of humanity we have put our trust and hopes in charismatic political and religious leaders who more often than not are motivated by their own cravings for power and money and not for promoting the common good.
What is required is the further evolution of humanity, and for humanity to evolve, various individuals need to evolve first. As more and more individuals evolve, cultures evolve, and as cultures evolve, humanity evolves.
What does it take for people to evolve to a higher level of consciousness? Knowledge for one thing. For me it was important to critically examine the beliefs in which I was indoctrinated in my early life. I had to deconstruct my previous worldview and then construct a new worldview which was informed by ongoing education in various disciplines. Of particular importance for me was to learn about the history of the development of the Biblical canon and the study of big history, which involves learning about the integrated history of the cosmos in its entirety.
When growing up I was taught to believe that the most important task of life was to have a personal conversion experience. I later came to believe that conversion is a process and not an event. Even later I came to believe that personal conversions are not what is most important, as I came to disbelieve that God would ultimately judge us with resulting rewards or punishments. What I have come to believe to be of most importance is the evolution of all humanity, of the whole world, and indeed eventually the whole cosmos. The kingdom of God.
Humanity has achieved great powers which have given us great abilities to affect our world. Now what is needed is the wisdom to use these powers for the good. All of the problems of humanity are solvable if we can evolve to the point of recognizing that it is our selfishness, egocentricity, and cravings for power and money that are restricting humanity’s progress.
To put it succinctly, humans can now participate in cosmic evolution, and this is accomplished with love.
Christian, David (2018). Origin Story: A Big History of Everything. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
Zakaria, Fareed (2024). Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Dr. Craig Vander Maas is a neuropsychologist whose research and writing interests are the intersection of religion, science and politics. More information on the topics of this article can be found in his recently published book Beyond Religion: Finding Meaning in Evolution.
Make Lying Wrong Again: A Reflection of a Neuropsychologist (Craig R. Vander Maas)
I recently have noticed this slogan on bumper stickers and t-shirts, and I very much appreciate the sentiment. Our society seems to be devolving; lying and its cousin, cheating, seem to be okay, unless one is under oath and subject to punishments for perjury. What’s more, lying and cheating have become particularly prevalent in politics, where truth and justice are most paramount.
Curiously, cheating seems to be more anathema in sports than in decisions that affect the lives of millions of people and the future of the world. Take for example, “deflategate,” in which quarterback Tom Brady received a four-game suspension for arranging to have some air removed from footballs, and University of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh receiving a three-game suspension for allegedly having scouts figure out opposing team’s signs. These incidents made big news! We are at the point where lies by politicians hardly make any headlines at all.
This past Thursday I viewed the presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. President Biden performed horribly. Potential voters have long been concerned about Biden’s age and increasing apparent feebleness, and his performance in this debate greatly elevated the concern, and in fact has been causing panic by Democratic party officials. I join in this concern. Many Democratic party members are now suggesting the search for a new nominee to replace Biden.
I also have concern about the other participant in this debate, the former president, Donald Trump. While he demonstrated much greater vigor and vitality than Biden (he is only three years younger), he spewed almost nothing but outrageous lies. Yet no one from the Republican party is calling for him to be replaced with another candidate.
My occupation is neuropsychologist, which is a clinical psychologist with additional training in cognitive assessment. Clinical psychologists assess personality and psychopathology. Neuropsychologists assess these issues as well, but also assess cognitive functioning such as memory, attention, concentration, intelligence, cognitive processing speed, verbal fluency, and more.
The reason for neuropsychological evaluations is to assess for pathology such as sequelae of brain injuries and dementias. The evaluations are not just for diagnostic purposes, but also to evaluate competency for occupations, as well as many other things.
I have not evaluated Biden (or Trump) and so I do not know if there is evidence of dementia (for either one). What I do see with Biden, though, is normal deficits of age; slower cognitive processing, losing train of thought, and word finding difficulties. These are not deficits I would think would affect his ability to perform as president, although they are deficits that likely will affect his ability to garner votes.
What are the qualities and skills necessary for a good president? Intelligence, knowledge (current events, history, political philosophy, science and so much more), emotional maturity and stability, honesty, altruism, empathy, humility, and self-sacrifice (the desire to be a servant leader).
What would be the worst traits for a president to have? Lust for power, selfishness, willful ignorance, lack of intellectual curiosity, dishonesty, instability, lack of empathy, and lack of a conscience.
Character is important in sports. It is important for teachers, CEOs, doctors, lawyers, judges, pastors and psychologists. It is important for every single one of us. It is particularly important for our leaders, and most certainly the leader of the free world. In fact, I can think of nothing that is more important than character. Neither could Jesus.
Dr. Craig Vander Maas is a neuropsychologist whose research and writing interests are the intersection of religion, science, and politics. He recently published his fourth book Beyond Religion: Finding Meaning in Evolution
Cosmic Evolution: God’s Logos (Craig R. Vander Maas)
When people hear the term “evolution”, they think of biological evolution, the theory made famous by Charles Darwin. Cosmic evolution includes biological evolution, but it is so much more. I, and others, contend that evolution has been an ongoing process ever since the birth of our universe with the “big bang”. It is cosmic evolution that my recently published book Beyond Religion: Finding Meaning in Evolution is about.
One of the earliest proponents of the concept of cosmic evolution was Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a French Jesuit priest, paleontologist and geologist. Teilhard theorized that the universe since its beginning has been evolving toward an eventual convergence of everything into a final unity that he called the Omega Point.
Harvard astrophysicist, Eric Chaisson, also has written extensively about cosmic evolution. “Scientists are now beginning to decipher how all known objects- from atoms to galaxies, from cells to brains, from people to society- are interrelated.” Like Teilhard, he theorizes that the big story of the history of the universe is constant evolution and increasing complexity.
Usually when we study history, there is a focus on a particular place or timeframe, such as American history or the Renaissance. But recently there has been growing interest in studying what has come to be known as “big history”. It is about looking at the history of the universe in its entirety to determine movements and patterns. When we look at big history, we see the “big picture”, including the realization that the universe is not made up of separate things but that everything is related. I think we also see that there is evolution in terms of ever-growing complexity, and in the course of this evolution “emergent” events occur that are completely unexpected and which completely revolutionize reality.
Let me take you on a brief tour of the history of the universe to show you what I mean. The first “emergent event” was the “big bang”. Out of nothing came everything. All of the energy that would ever exist in the universe came into being in a microsecond 13.8-billion-years ago. It was the birth of energy. Amazing!
Shortly thereafter subatomic particles formed from energy, and then somewhere between thousands and a million years later subatomic particles clustered into atoms by electromagnetic forces. This is the beginning of another emergent event: the beginning of matter- the beginning of material things. Wow! From pure energy came stuff!
Then a mysterious new force appeared in the universe now known as gravity. This force was responsible for hydrogen and helium clumping together. So, gravity is responsible for yet another emergent event: the formation of galaxies and stars. From microscopic particles to stars and galaxies!
Stars have lifespans. They all eventually die. Some stars burn out only after a few million years, and some stars can live for billions of years. It is through the destruction of stars that the other atomic elements were created. The deaths of stars brought in the era of chemistry, and as a result the universe became much more interesting. This is another emergent event. Just about everything, including us, are made up of atoms that were created in exploding stars. Wherever you happen to be while reading this, look around at your surroundings. Everything you see is the result of matter that was created by exploding stars. Who could have imagined that pure energy evolved into all this!
Not only at this time did the atomic elements come into existence, but then various elements combined to create compounds. The results were unexpected and remarkable! Who could have imagined that by combining oxygen (a gas) and hydrogen (a gas) that we would come up with this new substance now known as water, that has this new unusual property of wetness? Who could have dreamt that by combining sodium which is an alkaline metal with chlorine, a poisonous gas, that we would end up with salt?!
Then another great emergent event occurred: Life. Most of us intuitively perceive a qualitative difference between that which is living and that which is nonliving. There is now very strong evidence, particularly due to modern genetic research, that all life evolved from a single source, known as LUCA which stands for “last universal common ancestor.” So, we now know that not only are humans and apes related, but we are also related to the potato. The evolution of life here on the earth again radically and fundamentally changed the planet.
Perhaps the most incredible emergent event of all then evolved: consciousness. Homo sapiens developed the ability to think, to be an experiencer of life including the ability to appreciate beauty, and to have a sense of a me that is able to do all this. Human beings developed the ability to know and experience God.
Many philosophers and theologians of history (e.g. Plato, Augustine, Aquinas) conceptualized basic properties of being or of God as being truth, beauty and goodness, known as the transcendentals. It is through the process of ongoing striving for these ideals (truth, beauty and goodness) that consciousness evolves and that we grow closer to God. It has been very upsetting to me that in my own religious tradition of Christianity, the “evangelical” sector has eschewed these ideals.
The universe continues to grow and evolve, and so in all likelihood there will be more emergent events in the future that we cannot possibly imagine!
It seems evident to me that there has been cosmic evolution. There are parts of the universe that have become more and more complex and evolved. Why would this be? This would not be expected according to the laws of thermodynamics. I won’t get into the details of this here, but I do discuss it in my recent book.
So, what is the explanation for this movement of cosmic evolution in the direction of increased complexity? This process of cosmic evolution is the best evidence to me for the existence of God, although a much different god than the anthropomorphic god I grew up with as a child. The term “anthropomorphism” means attributing human characteristics to another type of being, such as God. I no longer think of God as a being but agree with theologian Paul Tillich that a better description of God is the “ground of being”, the ground of all beings.
To quote the late author Paul R. Smith, “God is in everything, and everything is in God. God is more than us and yet also very close to us. God is within us and we are within God.”
Physics tells us that the universe is not a collection of individual things but rather is a single entity. All of the energy/matter that has ever existed came into being with the “big bang”. Since then that energy/matter has never died but has continually reconstituted itself into various forms.
Similarly, we have recently learned that all of life on planet Earth has likely originated from a single source. Instead of thinking of life has having beginnings and endings, we might reconceptualize life as being a single entity (perhaps something like a virus) that moves from beings to beings. Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins authored a book titled The Selfish Gene in which he makes the point that it is genes that are close to being immortal, and that our bodies are merely temporary vehicles for the genes to propagate and evolve. If some catastrophes were to occur on earth in which all of life was wiped out, it would require specific conditions to occur on the planet to create the chemical conditions necessary for life to emerge once again.
There are some who hypothesize that consciousness evolves similarly, i.e. that consciousness has emerged in stages and that there now has evolved what Russian geologist Vladimir Vernadsky called a noosphere, a shared realm of mind and information that continues to evolve. Teilhard also famously wrote about the noosphere.
The force responsible for cosmic evolution perhaps is similar to the idea of a divine “logos”- a divine blueprint or creative spirit, as was conceptualized by Hellenistic Jewish philosopher, Philo, who later influenced the writer(s) of the Gospel of John.
Scholar of ancient philosophy and Philo, David Runia, wrote “The Logos is…presented as God’s instrument both during creation and in the cosmos’ providential administration. In the most general terms, it can be said that the Logos represents the face of God turned towards reality. Sometimes the Logos is talked about in terms of an independently existing entity (a ‘hypostasis’), sometimes he is more like an aspect of God.”
I rather like the term “logos” for the force responsible for cosmic evolution. I believe it is the will of God that the universe evolves, and further, I believe it is the primary responsibility of Christians to participate in the universe’s evolution. I will discuss this in a follow-up article titled Conscious Evolution: The Christian’s Purpose.
Dr. Craig Vander Maas is a neuropsychologist whose research and writing interests are the intersection of religion, science and politics. He is the author of the recently published book Beyond Religion: Finding Meaning in Evolution.
Christian Nationalism is not Christian or Patriotic
I have written previously about benefits of democracies- governments of the people for the people, as opposed to autocracies-governments ruled by a dictator or elites. Democracies are governments dedicated to freedom, equality, and the rule of law. Democracies have led to increased peace, happiness and liberty, while autocracies have led to oppression and injustice. Democracies bring us closer to the “kingdom of God”, the vision of Jesus.
Jesus was not crucified for telling people to love God and our neighbors. He was killed for challenging the authorities of that time. He challenged the Jewish authorities, and he challenged the Roman authorities. He challenged autocratic domination systems. Jesus’ message was both spiritual and political: to grow in relationship with God and neighbors, but also to confront systems of oppression.
Jesus was a Jew, and the Jewish people had a long history of being oppressed by autocratic empires. The Israelites were oppressed by Egypt and later liberated by God. God later liberated the oppressed Israelites from the Babylonians. At the time of Jesus’ life, the Jews were oppressed by the Roman empire.
One would think therefore that Christians would be strong advocates of democracy, but this has often not been the case. We are living in one of those times now. The current favorite presidential candidate of white evangelical Christians is Donald Trump, who has suggested suspending the constitution and being a dictator on his first day of office if elected for another term. He is also a man considered a convicted rapist by a judge, who has bragged about his ability to assault women with impunity, whose business has been found guilty of business fraud, who has credibly been charged with inciting an insurrection, who has credibly been charged with stealing top secret government documents, who mocked a disabled reporter, who joked about an 80 year old man being brutally assaulted with a hammer to the head, who wants a Muslim registry, who calls immigrants vermin who poison the blood of America, who wants the ability to do anything as president he wants (even to kill political rivals), and who has expressed admiration for some of the worst tyrants to have ever lived. I could go on and on!
How has this man, the antithesis of Jesus, an “antichrist” if you will, become a hero to the American Christian community?!
This is not an altogether new phenomenon. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow recently published a book titled “Prequel”- a prequel to the times we are living through, which occurred prior to WWII. During the rise of Adolf Hitler and Nazism in Germany, there was a movement in the United States that supported Hitler, autocracy, and antisemitism. And perhaps the most prevalent supporters of this movement were white evangelical Christians. They went by the names of the Militant Christian Patriots, the American League of Christian Women, the Christian Constitutionalists, the Defenders of Christian Civilization, and the Christian Mobilizers.
This was by no means a minor fringe movement. Maddow writes that the U.S. Justice Department asserted “that the Hitler government had been successful in its efforts to set up shop in the United States. And that a surprising number of Americans, including some in surprisingly high places, had colluded with the Nazis against U.S. interests.” This foreshadows what is currently happening in America. Once considered part of an “axis of evil”, Russia and Vladimir Putin now have significant support from a growing number of Americans including many in very high places and including many white evangelical Christians.
White evangelical Christians would appear to have a particular affinity for alpha male autocrats. While writing this article during Holy week it was made apparent to me once again Trump’s intention to capitalize on this affinity. He decided to start hawking a Trump edition of the Bible. On Easter a flood of statements by Trump on his social media platform suggested that he was a messianic savior.
There also was a popular alpha savior during the time of Jesus: Augustus Caesar, who was considered the “son of god” for bringing peace to the Roman empire through military conquests. Jesus presented a new type of leadership: peace through love.
There is a movement in this country known as Christian nationalism. There is misunderstanding by many about what this term means. Many mistakenly think it simply refers to Christians that are patriotic. In reality it is an ideology that seeks to force Americans to adhere to a certain fundamentalist version of Christianity. It is an ideology of oppression. We often hear conservatives talk about the importance of religious freedom, but what many really want is freedom for themselves, and the removal of rights and freedoms from other certain groups of people. White Christian nationalism is racism, patriarchy, and xenophobia in Christian guise.
Sociologists Philip Gorski and Samuel Perry in their book The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy write
The characteristics we link with white Christian nationalism could all be considered components of what’s commonly called “populism,” an orientation or ideology that pits corrupt “elites” against virtuous common folk. Its components are, among other things, scapegoating of minorities; distrust in science, the media, and “establishment” politicians; corresponding trust in strongman leaders; and conspiratorial thinking. White Christian nationalism unites all these elements. As a result, it is one of the strongest currents within American right-wing populism and one of the main drivers of political polarization.
White Christian nationalism is very similar in ideology to that of conservative Muslims who advocate Sharia law. Both are not only a religious ideology but also a political one. The goal is to force religious and cultural conformity.
The crux of the dispute in the American culture wars is differences in world views or stages of consciousness/spirituality. I write about this in my book Beyond Religion: Finding Meaning in Evolution. To simplify, there is a ” war” between those whose worldviews are based on traditions and self-interest versus those whose worldviews are based on empirical evidence and reason and the desire for universal human rights. It is not that there is a conflict between the religious and nonreligious, or between Christians and non-Christians. It is that there is a conflict between worldviews.
In my book I discuss seven levels of consciousness or world views: tribal, warrior, traditional, modernist, postmodern, integral, and transpersonal consciousnesses. Tribal consciousness can be characterized as self-centered; God is a means to an end. With warrior consciousness there is an “us versus them” mentality. The “Axial Age” from 800 to 200 BCE was a period of revolutionary change in religion where morality began to take center stage. This was a movement of increased compassion and care; it was during this time period that the “golden rule” in its various iterations came into being. Then with the Enlightenment the focus included the importance of empirical evidence and reason. With postmodernism there was increased emphasis on human rights and movement from ethnocentrism to worldcentric morality, i.e. concern for all of humanity and even for all of life.
White Christian nationalism as a movement has strong elements of warrior consciousness. It centers on the need to retain power- white, male, heterosexual power. It is about maintaining privilege and minimizing rights of others. Because some do not believe in homosexual relationships, they want to ban anybody from having these relationships. Because some don’t believe in birth control, they don’t want anyone to use birth control. Although some want prayer in public schools, they only want it if it conforms to a God of their beliefs.
The main value taught by Jesus was love. White Christian nationalism is quite the opposite. It is an ideology of grievance, anger and hate. The apostle, Paul, writes about what Christian love is in the letter to the Corinthians. Although this passage is often read at weddings, it was written to inform us about what Christian love should be- how we should treat other human beings. Paul writes that “love is kind”; it is not kind to deprive others of rights and freedoms. Paul writes that love “is not proud”; it is arrogant to think that we have a corner on truth and that we should force others to conform to our beliefs. Paul writes that love is not self-serving; love is about caring for others and respecting their right to live their lives as they see fit.
Christian nationalism is not Christian or patriotic. It is not loving. It is anti-democratic. It is oppression by a group of people toward others who do not share their ideology. It is about power and privilege.
These are dark times in America that we are living through, but during this Easter season I am glad to be reminded about resurrection. After death comes life. After cultural setbacks come periods of further evolution. As Martin Luther King Jr. stated “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.” Progress is slow and it has its ups and downs, but in the long run we are moving forward- we are evolving.
I write about cosmic evolution in Beyond Religion. Ever since the big bang the universe has been in constant evolution moving forward in ever increasing complexity, perhaps moving toward something like an omega point as envisioned by French theologian and scientist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. This has included moral evolution. I also wrote in Beyond Religion about conscious evolution. It is only recently that human beings have developed the capacity to participate in the evolution of the universe. At this current point of history, we progressive Christians need to rescue Christianity from current corruptive influences and to save and promote democracy. God is not going to magically make Jesus’ kingdom of God a reality; we need to be the ones that help make it happen.
Dr. Vander Maas is a clinical psychologist who has interest in developmental psychology (especially spiritual development), evolutionary psychology, transpersonal psychology, and the intersection of religion, science and politics to find meaning in an evidence-based reality. He is the author of the recently published book Beyond Religion: Finding Meaning in Evolution.
Democracy is a Christian Value
Who could have imagined only a few years ago that there would be controversy in the United States of America about the importance of democracy? Yet here we are with a former president and presidential candidate who has suggested suspending the constitution and becoming a dictator (like the many autocratic world leaders he expresses admiration for). That has gotten me thinking not only about why democracy is important, but also whether or not as Christians we have the responsibility to promote democracy.
The founding fathers of our nation declared independence from the king of England in 1776. In the Declaration of Independence, they cited “a long train of abuses and usurpations” from the despotic and tyrannical king as the reason for forming this new government, a democracy. The founders went to great lengths to create a government with numerous guardrails to prevent power from consolidating in a person or elite group of persons. Our government was designed to be “for the people by the people.”
Autocratic rule by monarchs and dictators has been the norm ever since humankind’s earliest hunter-gatherer days, and unfortunately the norm also has been for leaders typically to be more interested in their own power and self-interests than for the common good. Like with other animal species, the history of human civilization is replete with examples of alpha males ruling over the rest of the populace who were powerless and inconsequential.
The late political scientist, R.J. Rummel, in his book Death by Government, investigated democide, which is murder by governments of its own people. Rummel estimated that 169 million people were killed by their own governments during the 20th century. He concluded from his research that autocracies are inherently violent, and democracies are not. He concluded that there is an inverse correlation between violence and freedom, i.e. the more freedom people have, the less violence. “The problem is power. The solution is democracy. The course of action is to foster freedom.”
Psychologist Steven Pinker in his book Enlightenment Now writes “A good government allows people to pursue their lives in safety, protected from the violence of anarchy, and in freedom, protected from the violence of tyranny. For that reason alone, democracy is a major contributor to human flourishing. But it’s not the only reason: democracies also have higher rates of economic growth, fewer wars and genocides, healthier and better-educated citizens, and virtually no famines.”
Thomas Jefferson declared in the U.S. Declaration of Independence that people have certain unalienable rights that were given to us by God, namely life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He asserted that “all men are created equal”. In addition, the preamble to the U.S. constitution states that the purpose of our government is to establish justice, ensure tranquility, promote the general welfare, and to secure liberty.
What this means to me is that all of us are important and equal. We all deserve to have freedom to live our lives as we see fit. It means that we have the right to think what we think, feel what we feel, speak what we feel the need to speak, behave in the way we choose, and be who we are- as long as it does not interfere with the rights of others.
These freedoms, I believe, lead us to a “more perfect union” and a more perfect world. In fact, I believe it sounds very much like what Jesus talked about when he preached about the “kingdom of God”. New Testament scholar, Marcus Borg, said this was the central theme of Jesus’ teachings: “It is about a transformed world, a world of justice and plenty and peace, where everybody has enough and where, in the striking phrase from the prophet Micah, ‘No one shall make them afraid.”’
It is democracies, not autocracies, that create such a world. Millions of people have given their lives in pursuit of democracy. Democracies are worth fighting for. Democracies are worth dying for. Democracies promote evolution. Democracies bring us closer to the vision of Jesus.
Dr. Vander Maas is a clinical psychologist whose vocational specialties are neuropsychology and psychopharmacology and his research and writing interests are evolutionary psychology, developmental psychology (especially spiritual development), and transpersonal psychology. He is the author of the recently published book Beyond Religion: Finding Meaning in Evolution.
craigvandermaas.com
Our president is a psychopath, and our democracy is in peril
Many are aware that our president is narcissistic, but there is less awareness of psychopathy. Psychopaths are self-centered individuals who lack conscience. They care for nobody but themselves. One of the foremost experts on psychopathy is psychologist Robert Hare. He lists key symptoms of psychopathy as:
- Glib and superficial
- Impulsive
- Egocentric and grandiose
- Poor behavior controls
- Lack of remorse or guilt
- Need for excitement
- Lack of empathy
- Lack of responsibility
- Deceitful and manipulative
- Early behavior problems
- Shallow emotions
- Adult antisocial behavior
In the book “Snakes in Suits” Dr. Hare and co-author Dr. Paul Babiak report that classic psychopaths are experts in manipulation and bullying, and they list Stalin and Hitler as examples. They “surrounded themselves with obedient followers, and through them controlled much of their countries’ populations. Any sign of disobedience (often accentuated by a paranoid stance) led them to attack their direct supporters as well.”
I don’t think many would consider me histrionic, but I truly believe we are at a critical period in our national history, and our democracy is in great peril. The justice department, CIA and FBI are under attack, our Republican led congress is cowering in fear to our president, there is increasing control of mass media by the president, “fake news” is overwhelming facts, there are calls for locking up a former FBI director (James Comey) despite not being convicted of any crimes, there is a disdain for human rights, there is contempt for intellectuals and knowledge, flagrant lies are so prevalent that the media cannot keep up with them all, and morality (loving our neighbors as ourselves) is on the wane.
These are truly perilous times.
Craig Vander Maas, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist
Our Religious Beliefs Should Influence Our Politics
Craig R. Vander Maas
I recently read a Barna article about a survey on the presidential election. It indicated that religious beliefs were a major factor influencing the voting of conservative Christians but not progressive Christians. I found this surprising and rather dismaying. I am a person who self-identifies as a progressive Christian, and religious beliefs do have a significant impact on my political beliefs. I have heard from some that religion and politics should not mix. With that I strongly disagree. Jesus did not try to change just individual hearts, but also systems of oppression.
It is very important to me that our political leaders are not only smart and informed, but that they are also spiritually, morally, and emotionally developed individuals. This is important to me not only as a Christian but also as a psychologist. Character matters. In mental health we refer to people who are exploitive and self-centered as emotionally, morally, and spiritually undeveloped and at worst “personality disordered”.
In analyzing many animal societies we see that “alpha males” would become the leaders. These societies do not look for morally developed leaders, just strong, powerful and forceful leaders. For these societies, size matters, whether that be overall strength, size of horns, size of hands, or whatever. Alpha males rule by intimidation, strength and dominance. Might makes right.
Alpha males have predominated not only in the animal kingdom but also in human societies. People seem to be drawn to strong, confident, dominant personalities. It is these type of personalities that are popular on television and in the movies (e.g. John Wayne, Charles Bronson, Chuck Norris, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Clint Eastwood). We are drawn to these charismatic and strong personalities.
There were alpha males in the Bible as well. King Rehoboam, the son and successor of King Solomon, was one such character. He boasted about being stronger, tougher and more macho than his father to intimidate his subjects. This caused the split of his kingdom into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah which he continued to rule. The writer of the books of Kings in the Hebrew scriptures makes judgments about each successive king in each kingdom- not about whether they were strong and successful leaders, but about whether they were faithful to God. Hebrew prophets began emphasizing the need to help the poor, children, widows, and the downtrodden (Amos, Micah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Trito-Isaiah). Issues of justice and inequality were stressed.
There was an alpha male that ruled the Roman empire at the time of Jesus, Caesar Augustus. He was considered a god and the son of a god. During this time period there was peace in the world which was referred to as Pax Romana; this was a peace brought about by conquest of various nations by the Roman empire. Theologian Marcus Borg discussed the domination systems of that time; these were societies ruled by the powerful few who used their wealth and power to shape the social system in their own self-interest. Jesus preached against this system and about a coming age in which domination, injustice and violence would be no more.
I am interested in a leader that reflects the teachings of Jesus, not Caesar Augustus or other alpha personalities. That is one way my religion affects my political beliefs.
Research by developmental psychologists has demonstrated that development does not need to stop once we reach adulthood. Hopefully we continue to develop emotionally, cognitively and spiritually throughout our lives. Developmental psychologists have identified characteristics of individuals who are the most spiritually developed. These are the characteristics that I want in my leaders.
I expect my national leaders to sacrifice for our country; not to ascend to power for personal gain. We have young people who serve in the military that we expect even to die for their country or for ideals such as freedom and democracy. I expect nothing less from our leaders. No, actually I expect even more.
From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded. (Luke 12:48)
Jesus gave his life in the pursuit of the kingdom of God.
Mahatma Ghandi gave his life in sacrifice for the Indian people
Martin Luther King gave his life in sacrifice for the rights of black Americans
Mother Theresa lived a life of poverty in sacrifice for the poor of Calcutta.
It astounds me that leaders throughout history and even today are often focused only on their own power and wealth rather than the thousands or millions of people for whom they have responsibility. Bashar al Asad of Syria is an excellent example. He is doing anything to remain in power- even to the extent of killing his own people. He will be known to history as a horrendous and dastardly dictator, but even this type of legacy apparently is worth the cost of remaining in power. So many leaders throughout history have had this moral and spiritual depravity. It is this that Jesus preached against.
I expect my leaders never to denigrate or put down people (only ideas or behaviors). Emotionally and spiritually mature people do not humiliate, denigrate or put down others. They do not resort to name-calling. We can disagree strongly with policies and even the way people behave without belittling and demeaning individuals as people.
Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. (Romans 12:10)
Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me. (Matt 25:40)
I expect my leaders to show respect for all people, The Golden Rule is a basic tenet taught by all of the world’s great religions. It means we treat others with love, kindness and respect.
In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. (Matt 7:12)
I expect my leaders to abhor violence. I believe there are times we need to defend ourselves physically when attacked, but I believe violence should be a last resort and only in self-defense. I want leaders who agree with this philosophy.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Matt. 5:9)
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matt 5:43-44)
I expect my leaders to look out for the poor, the downtrodden, the most vulnerable. I expect my leaders to advocate for the welfare of everybody, not just their “base” or those with power and influence. My expectation is that race, religion, sexual orientation, identity or social status should not matter.
Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh. (Luke 6:20-21)
Ah, you who make iniquitous decrees, who write oppressive statutes, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be your spoil, and that you make the orphans your prey! (Isaiah 10: 1-2)
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:25)
I expect my leaders to have humility. My hope is that our leaders realize that we are all people of equal value and that the common good is of more importance than personal glorification.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (Mat. 5:5)
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. (Phil 2:3)
I expect my leaders to be honest. I think we often make some excuses or allowances for politicians. For example, we say “that’s just politics”. I believe we should start demanding from our politicians honesty without “spin”, strawman arguments, evasiveness, and downright lies. It is absolutely unacceptable, and we shouldn’t stand for it.
Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity (Titus 2:7)
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. (James 3:17)
My religious beliefs greatly influence my political stances, and this includes my desire for individuals of great character who seek to live out the teachings of Jesus and all of the great spiritual leaders. I hope and pray that our president and all of our leaders govern with integrity, honesty, humility, thoughtfulness and wisdom to serve all of the people of this country rather than their personal self-interests.
(presented at Park Church on January 22, 2017)