The New (& the Old) Evangelization The admiration of dictators: a growing phenomenon, part two

Jan 20, 2012

As for the reasons behind this troubling admiration, there are at least three:

1. Traditionally, the secular-liberal strain has been strong among intellectuals, celebrities and politicians. As such, moral absolutes have never been well received by them. Hollywood celebrities in particular are not known for their chastity, marital fidelity and long marriages. That’s why they rarely make movies which hallmark these virtues. Even Tim Allen’s rendition of Santa Clause is divorced and remarried. Imagine that!

Is it any surprise then that personal sin is not a topic of emphasis in Hollywood or even Washington? If actors or even politicians cannot see themselves as faithful spouses, if they opt in favor of an abortion because of an unwanted pregnancy, and if their personal sins go unresolved and therefore unforgiven, then human guilt must be atoned for through something.

And that something - that substitute - is usually their investment in social causes like environmentalism, animal rights activism and anti-capitalism protests. Perhaps, this is why they tend to see people more in groups rather than as individuals.

Hate crimes against homosexuals or ethnic groups take on great importance under such an ideology. But a high price often comes at the expense of the dignity of individual. Unfortunately, the violation of human rights as it pertains to the individual person is overlooked.

After all, isn't homicide wrong because a human being has been murdered and not because the victim was black or white, or homosexual or heterosexual?

The point to be had is this: When we are blind to personal sin then social sin and political causes takes on an exaggerated importance; so much so that we become blind to the moral evil dictators are guilty of. If the plank (personal sin) is left lodged in our eye, then not only will we not be able to remove the speck from our neighbor’s eye, as our Lord commanded, but the much bigger planks in the eyes of political leaders will go unnoticed too.

2. Secondly, when we dethrone the true and benevolent God of the universe from our hearts, the idols that we replace him with are never as kind. The Jews of the first century found this out when they rejected Christ as their King.

“And he [Pilate] said to the Jews, ‘Behold, your king!’ They cried out, ‘Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your king?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar.’” (John 19:14-15)

It just so happened that forty years later, Titus, the general of the Roman army, under Caesar's leadership, destroyed Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple. This changed the Jewish worship and way of life for centuries to come. The words, "We have no king but Caesar" came back to haunt them in a formidable fashion. "Their king" eventually betrayed their trust.

In our day, prominent supporters of secular-liberalism give the impression that they would rather be slaves of an all-powerful State, or even a ruthless Islamic theocracy, than be free in a Christian society.

Hatred can have this effect on the soul.

 Moreover, hatred among people can be so strong that it can drive them to embrace that which is positively harmful to them.

As Bishop Sheen said regarding Communists, “Those who feel individually impotent to vent their hate upon a person or a class or an institution feel that if they joined Communism they could find a corporate expression for their pent-up animosities and their dammed-up hate.”

Some even unknowingly forge alliances with the devil in order to team up against Christianity. Little do they know that sooner or later the devil will turn on them.

3. The third reason behind the admiration of dictators is more practical in nature. The fascination with celebrities or high profile people may be attractive at first but it gets old after a while. When you have throngs of people always taking your picture, wanting your autograph or stalking you, then the crowds of people become an annoyance. Those who enjoy the luxuries of power, fame and fortune begin to see people as sheep who are groping for a shepherd. And it also happens that politicians and celebrities begin to see themselves as their shepherd.

When this illusion of grandeur kicks in, then the sheep can easily be regarded as cattle to be manipulated. After all, people in the spotlight instinctively know that they do not deserve the adulation they receive on a day to day basis.

As such, the multitude who fawn over them are perceived to be dupes; and annoying ones at that. Perhaps this explains why intellectuals, celebrities and politicians often set out to impose standards and rules for people they themselves would not subject themselves to.

The admiration for dictators and the moral and spiritual reasons which lend to it, speak to an age old truth about God.

In Proverbs he said, "For he who finds me finds life, and wins favor from the Lord; But he who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death." (Proverbs 8:35-36)