Faith
Believing in something outside of ourselves can provide moral and ethical guidance
I define faith as a set of strongly-held principles that can guide us through life. For many, being a person of faith means being a member of a religion. Others believe in non-religious principles- morals and ethics, for example- a type of faith that allows society to function in a peaceful and harmonious manner. In either case, the principles of any particular faith are often, to borrow Hamlet’s words, ‘more honoured in the breach than the observance’: think of the scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention, or the hate speech that comes from certain pastors. Think also, of how the concepts that are the foundation of our democratic system are often twisted to suit the ambitions of particular individuals or groups.
The Constitution is a secular document, a work of philosophy rather than theology, an attempt to create a functional political order. Many of its authors were religious, but the document itself is a set of ideas that are not dependent of the practice of religion. There is an emphasis on civic virtue, a characteristic that…
… may in fact be defined as conduct that reflects universal principles of moral and ethical excellence essential to leading a worthwhile life and to effective self-government. For many leading Founders, attributes of character such as justice, responsibility, perseverance, and others were thought to flow from an understanding of the rights and obligations of men. Virtue is compatible with, but does not require, religious belief. (Source: The Bill of Rights Institute)
In watching the hearings of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, it is striking that a recurring theme concerns allegiance to the oath of office those in public service swear. The oath, of course, is a promise to keep faith with the ideals on which the Republic rests. The committee is presenting evidence that Donald Trump and others broke this faith by violating their oaths. They discarded their pledge to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” and embarked on a ham-fisted attempt to illegally keep Trump in office.
This is in stark contrast with the witnesses who have testified.
The last two public hearings (June 16th and 21st) gave the public the opportunity to see honor and courage exemplified by persons of deep faith. Both Greg Jacob, former general counsel to then-vice President Mike Pence, and Rusty Bowers, Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, both made clear their strong religious influences. Those beliefs are integral to an overall faith that led to them rejecting the corrupt urgings of Trump and his minions. And though he was not a witness, perhaps the same is true of Pence himself, who, while wearing his evangelical faith on his sleeve, could not break himself to violate his secular oath.
Former Federal Judge Michael Luttig also testified on the 16th and brought a different type of faith to the proceedings. A staunch conservative, Luttig emphasized his belief in the rule of law and the constitutional order. He warned Trump’s scheming to remain in office in spite of losing the election was a potential “civil war within a constitutional crisis”.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his top deputy, Gabriel Sterling, also emphasized their commitment to carry out their sworn duties during their testimony this week. In the face of threats of violence, they kept faith in their belief in the sanctity of our electoral system.
These were men in prominent positions, all Republicans, but the committee also understands the importance of the stories of people with whom the public might readily relate. At the first hearing on June 9th, we heard the testimony of Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards, the first law enforcement officer injured by rioters on January 6. In spite of her injuries, Officer Edwards remained on the line, assisting other injured officers. Such devotion to duty comes from being fully invested in the oath she took when she joined the force.
Bu the most emotional testimony came this week when the last witness of the day, Fulton County, Georgia election worker Wandrea' "Shaye" Moss, shared her story about what happened as a result of the Trump effort to overturn the election. Ms. Moss, a dedicated worker who took pride in helping the people in her community vote, was singled out along with her mother, for what Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani called out Ms. Moss and her mother by name.
American democracy depends of the efforts of people such as Shaye Moss and Ruby Freeman, of Caroline Edwards, as well as elected leaders like Rusty Bowsers and Brad Raffensperger, public servants Gabe Sterling and Greg Jacob, and legal thinkers like Judge Luttig. These are people of true faith, a belief in something that extends beyond their personal lives, a belief in the principles we should all hope this country continuously strives to attain.
Do we think that people like Donald Trump or Rudy Giuliani possess such faith?
168 newsletters are emailed on an unscheduled basis at least once a week. Newsletters are also posted to www.1hundredsixty8.substack.com. Visit the site to view archived newsletters.
If you would like to support my efforts here, please consider becoming a paying subscriber for $5.00 per month.
If you don’t wish to become a regular subscriber, please consider making a contribution from time to time by leaving a tip. Click below:
Aside from your comments- which are encouraged- if you would like to submit a piece of your own for 168, please email me at nicrosato2@gmail.com.