If one should take a narrow view of the current situation, one would be forced to conclude that the country seems to be in a pre-revolutionary state, with deepening divisions among the political elite, growing social unrest etc, etc. However what makes this situation much different from a pre-revolutionary situation is the containment or the non-presence of any force capable of exploiting the situation for political; purposes. In many ways, one is at the final stages of a game of Shaq (a Somalian game), with all forces in line and the isolated pieces being taken up one by one.

 The fact, that all forces are now recognizable means that it is possible not only to establish but also to maintain lines of communication between then, to prevent the more adventurous elements from the various sides form acting as they would like to.

 Is this situation new to the Church? Firstly one must remember that political parties and their leadership are all bastard children of the Church itself. Political parties and their leadership came into being with the blessing of the Church, it is not the political elite nor the political parties that gave birth or life to the Church. In short the Church when its speaks, it speaks with the authority of a parent addressing wayward and mischievous children.

 At this m0oment in time a reading of Black Baltimore, by Harold A McDooglas , Main Street on the Middle Border by Lewis Atherton is very instructive. The current situation is not new to the Church. The Church needs to go back into its own history, in order to be better able to guide the country through these rock seas.

Filed under: Religion

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