Many modern human beings do not believe in God or disagree with the idea of a higher power who has the ability to change the world. Once someone denies the existence of a higher power, s/he is left to rely on other human beings to implement change. Standing alone, an individual cannot produce wide-ranging, substantial change unless s/he is exceptional (e.g., founders of Google, etc.).
However, most of us are not exceptional. Therefore, most people who do not believe in a higher power rely on groups of people to create change. In practice, groups of people solicit their government to implement change via government programs. In short, modern human beings seem to have replaced God with man-made governments.
The idea of God required humans to be beneath a higher power and to accept certain limitations; in contrast, the idea of government as a change agent places human beings in a similar role as an omniscient or omnipotent God.
"And if an epitaph be my story, I'd have a short one ready for my own: I had a lover's quarrel with the world." -- Robert Frost
1 comment:
Progressives range from the religious to atheists. I don't think you can pigeon-hole progressives into one category.
I'm a progressive and in no way do I compare myself to a God-like figure.
I also don't think that the average progressive thinks that the government is a substitute for God. Yes, government can make change happen. However, government is not omnipresent.
It doesn't have the power to prevent natural disasters. It cannot solve all of our issues. For example, the government doesn't have the power to solve alcoholism, eating disorders and drug abuse.
Yes, it can penalize those who engage in unwelcome behaviors. However, penalties have their limitations. Ultimately, change in a person must come from within.
An alcoholic will not stop drinking unless he or she surrenders himself/herself to a higher power. The same holds true for those who suffer from eating disorders and drug addiction.
And I think my philosophy is shared by most progressives. We aren't looking to replace God. We understand our limitations as human beings. Ultimately, our existence depends not only on good and fair government, but also on a higher power.
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