I happen to be at a clergy conference this week. It has been very interesting, relaxing, uplifting, etc. I could probably use several more adjectives and be fully accurate. But, that is not what caused me to reflect today. This was the week of the final debate between Hillary and Trump. It was considered so important that yesterday the retreat talk was scheduled to finish by 9:00 so that all could watch. A TV was set up and chairs were comfortably arranged.
What pleased me most was the atmosphere. We have priests and deacons in every possible political camp, from strong Trump supporters to strong Democrats. Interestingly enough, none of us (and I include myself) were strong Hillary supporters, but many were planning to vote Democrat, which meant to vote for her. We have Jill supporters, and we even have a couple of conscientious objectors who do not believe they can vote this election and not sin.
Yet, in spite of all this, during the entire conference there has been an atmosphere of peace. I do not mean of artificial peace. I mean real peace and brotherhood. Some of us cannot believe how others of us could even consider voting for [NN.]. But, we are brothers first and always. No, we are not perfect, we sometimes even fight like family. But, that is the bottom line. We are a family whose bonds are stronger than our disagreements. We are a family that can speak safely and without fear of being ostracized or told that we should go to some other country. This is particularly important because we have Greek, Middle Eastern, and even Cuban priests along with American-born priests.
I find that my wish for this country is that we could learn how to behave a bit more like family. I do not mean that we cannot disagree. But, we need to stop speaking in ways that imply ostracism, or even condemnation to hell. No priest or bishop here believes that voting Democrat or Republican makes you a partner in a major moral fault. Whatever may be portrayed in the news (whether liberal or conservative), neither Orthodox bishops or priests are making declarations of for whom you must vote based on moral reasoning. We need to learn to do the same as well, in our country.
This does not mean that there are not moral considerations to take into account. This does not mean that there may not come a time when the Church will have to make a clear and unequivocal voting expert. But, it does mean that that time has not yet come, regardless of what various partisans on both sides are proclaiming. Trump is not a Hitler/Mussolini. Hillary is not Nero/Domitian come to destroy the Church and morality. You may wish to believe that, but you would have no backing from this conference of bishops, priests, and deacons. Now, if you are simply having a good strong political argument with moral overtones, well, then, yes, come on in, we have done plenty of that last night. But, make sure you come out still speaking to each other, still being American citizens together.
The final debate is over. The election will take place. We have gone through eight years of divisive and dangerous rhetoric. I pray that we can recover from that and remember how to argue, how to disagree, how to properly oppose one another. But, I also pray that we can remember how to live together, how to reach compromises, and how to live together as fellow American citizens without trying to claim that those who disagree with your group are not truly patriotic. It is time to be Americans together.
In this conference, I have been reminded of what is important, both in my spiritual life yet strangely also in my politics. I pray the same for you.
You’re a good man, Ernesto.