The push to fast for Romney's campaign exemplifies a religious psychology that I don't really understand. Actually, let me restate that right away--I can empathize with the psychology. But the theology implicit in the proposal doesn't make sense to me.
I understand the psychology of fasting to give one's prayers a particular intensity of intention: "I am so committed to mindfulness about this concern, that I'm going to deny myself food. Every time I feel hungry, I will remember the concern." I get that.
I also get the psychology of fasting as an act of penitence: "I want to show you, God, how badly I feel about what I've done by punishing myself with hunger." It's like sending yourself to your room without any supper. I get that. I'm not convinced God actually wants you to do that to yourself, but I can empathize, at least.
But how do Mormons fasting for Romney think that this is supposed to work? What does the proposal reveal about their understanding of the character of God, or of the way God works in the world?
What is the logic of this exchange? "God, if enough of us sacrifice food for 24 hours, will you reciprocate by making sure our candidate wins?"
Do the economics of that transaction make sense? Is going without food for 24 hours enough of a sacrifice to secure a presidential election? If so, it seems like Mormons imagine God sells elections rather cheaply. I mean, Ghandi had to fast a lot longer than that to secure Indian independence. Moses had to fast over a month just to get God to print out a new copy of the Ten Commandments.
Or is it the number of people fasting that God is looking for rather than the length of time spent fasting? If so, what is the minimum threshold that the number of fasting Mormons has to reach before God will grant their wish?
And what exactly do these folks imagine that God is going to do to intervene on behalf of their candidate?
And if this kind of thing works, why isn't there a grassroots Mormon movement afoot to fast for, I dunno, world peace?
To end on a more generous note: If the point of this initiative is to say, "We want people to fast to make themselves mindful of the need to make sacrifices of other kinds--time and money--to support the campaign of the man we believe represents the best option for governing our country"--I get that. But if the logic is, "If enough of us go without food for 24 hours, God will be moved to intervene in the election"--we have pretty different ideas of who God is and how he operates.
3 comments:
I appreciate that you begin talking about a subset of Mormondom - those who are fasting for Romney - which allows me the right to place myself outside that subset, which I am. So, I'm pretty sure you forgot to insert the word "these" when you said that Mormons imagine that God will sell elections, because I am not part of that subset either.
Otherwise, I agree with you.
Though, I think of fasting differently. I don't ever think of it as a bargaining chip with God, or a form of self-punishment. I think it's merely a matter of telling the body, "You're not the boss of me." I fast when I need my spirit to have greater influence.
Not sure why you doubt the theurgic power of fasting? Another method is to stand in a circle and promise not to budge until the desired effect is achieved. A Talmudic rabbi got rain very quickly this way.
Anyway, if they would do a ~44 day hunger strike for Romney, it'd be sure to get lots of press, right?
I'm not sure you're being very charitable about this supposed movement. I had't heard anything about this, but upon Google inspection saw that an email had been circulated asking people to fast for Romney to do well in the debates. That's not a very polarizing or ambitious goal and it makes allowance for any electoral outcome. Romney could kill the debates, still lose and these people would probably assume God wanted it that way, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.
I find this constant nitpicking between right and left Mormons to be tiresome. I can only imagine how God feels about it.
Post a Comment