Coronavirus rising again. Another police killing of a Black man. Hurricane Zeta and ongoing wildfires fueled by climate change. Final frenzy toward the Nov. 3 voting day.
Election marquee
Photo courtesy of the General Board of Church and Society.
Yes, our heads are spinning as we try to make it to the final day of U.S. voting on Nov. 3. It’s no longer appropriate to call it “Election Day” because we won’t know the results definitively until days or even weeks after ballots are cast. Once again, we’re trying to look at the significance of these events through the lens of Christians living in the 21st century.
‘Souls to the Polls’ make up bulk of electorate
As we head into the final days before the U.S. presidential election, the Pew Research Center reports that “Christians account for the majority of registered voters in the U.S. (64%)” in an article, What the 2020 electorate looks like religiously. The article continues:
“But this figure is down from 79% as recently as 2008. The share of voters who identify as religiously unaffiliated has nearly doubled during that span, from 15% to 28%. Around eight-in-ten Republican registered voters (79%) are Christians, compared with about half (52%) of Democratic voters. In turn, Democratic voters are much more likely than GOP voters to identify as religiously unaffiliated (38% vs. 15%).”
What the Pew research doesn’t show is how Christians apply their faith to their votes. We’ll have to wait for the results to see whether Jesus’ teachings affect U.S. governance in the future.
‘It’s not politics – it’s science’
That’s the election word from The Climate Beat, the weekly newsletter of Covering Climate Now, co-founded by Columbia Journalism Review and The Nation. United Methodist Insight is a partner in Covering Climate Now, “a global journalism initiative committed to bringing more and better coverage to the defining story of our time.”
The Climate Beat says: “Let’s get one thing straight: If humanity is to have any chance of avoiding the worst of climate change, America, like the rest of the world, must transition away from fossil fuels. That’s not politics—it’s science.
“The United Nations climate science panel says humanity needs to cut emissions in half by 2030, and reach net-zero emissions by 2050, to avoid catastrophic climate breakdown. Accordingly, a speedy transition away from fossil fuels has been central to all serious climate advocacy for years. Such a transition, via heavy investments in clean energy, is central to the climate plan Biden put forward in July.
“Nearly 80 percent of Americans favor investments in alternative energy over fossil fuels, according to a 2020 poll by Pew Research, with two-thirds saying the government should do more to fight climate change”
The United Methodist Creation Justice Movement is providing a monthly newsletter of tips “to equip church members, families, and individuals to respond to God's call to care for creation and do justice with our neighbors. For more about the UM Creation Justice Movement and to sign up for the newsletter, go to umcreationjustice.org."
Here are a couple of tips from the November newsletter:
- “Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends. They too will be missing being with you. Find ways to connect without emissions. Try a gathering via Zoom with all your usual celebrants. Planning ahead gives everyone a boost knowing that the day is coming. Sure, it’s not the same. But it’s possible. And uplifting! (Consider setting a less traditional time to avoid an internet rush.)
- “Scan your lists of friends and family for ones who are alone due to COVID. During the holiday season, reach out. You can Zoom, do Facetime, create a video, send an email or card, write a note, or make a phone call, minimizing emissions. If you have been doing a gratitude list, you may have awakened to a new sense of the blessing those individuals have been to you. Now is a good time to express your thanks to them."
Calif. Wildfire 2020
LAKE HUGHES, CA: A mailbox is seen near burning homes in Pine Canyon during the Lake Fire on August 12, 2020. The wildfire exploded to at least 10,000 acres in the first few hours with no containment, destroying several homes and out buildings in Pine Canyon. California wildfires have been more severe in 2020 because of prolonged drought and extreme heat. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
Triple whammy ignites wildfires
What caused the 2020 fire season to become so extreme? Three scholars – Mojtaba Sadegh Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Boise State University; Ata Akbari Asanjan, Research Scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center; and Mohammad Reza Alizadeh, a Ph.D. Student at McGill University in Canada – explain the situation in their article for The Conversation, Wildfires force thousands to evacuate near Los Angeles: Here’s how the 2020 Western fire season got so extreme:
“Fires thrive on three elements: heat, dryness and wind. The 2020 season was dry, but the Western U.S. has seen worse droughts in the recent decade. It had several record-breaking heat waves, but the fires did not necessarily follow the locations with the highest temperatures.
“What 2020 did have was heat and dryness hitting simultaneously. When even a moderate drought and heat wave hit a region at the same time, along with wind to fan the flames, it becomes a powerful force that can fuel megafires.
“That’s what we’ve been seeing in California, Colorado and Oregon this year. Research shows it’s happening more often with higher intensity and affecting ever-increasing areas.”
Be sure to read the full story from these scientists and engineers to understand the escalating threat of catastrophic wildfires. It’s important to become familiar with the situation because United Methodists are directly involved, whether escaping wildfires or helping communities to recover from them.
Spiritual practices improve mental health
In a recent article, Study links daily spiritual practices to improved well-being and mental health
Jeff Brumley of Baptist News Global writes: “A national study conducted by sending text messages to smartphone users demonstrates that consistent spiritual practices can serve as a buffer against depression and boost overall well-being, social scientists say.
“This study is unique because it examines daily spiritual experiences — such as feeling God’s presence, finding strength in religion or spirituality, and feeling inner peace and harmony — as both stable traits and as states that fluctuate,” said study co-author and Baylor University sociologist Matt Bradshaw.
The study, published in The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, employs a process developed by SoulPlus, a John Templeton Foundation project on religion, spirituality and wellbeing.” Check it out
Latest on the ‘Rona
In closing this column, a personal note: I am awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test after having been exposed to a health care worker who has tested positive for the coronavirus. As someone with multiple risk factors (age, weight, diabetes), I have been scrupulous in sheltering and practicing good hygiene, and yet I am still now at risk for developing a disease that could kill me. My situation is only one among thousands of Americans touched by this plague despite all our efforts to avoid it.
Public Religion Research Institute “data show that about three in four Americans (76%) think shutdowns, mask mandates, and other steps taken by state and local governments since the coronavirus pandemic began are reasonable measures to protect people, compared to 23% who say they are unreasonable attempts to control people.”
Please think of others. Wear a mask, keep your distance, wash your hands, sanitize.
Media Mentions as of Oct. 27, 2020
Fraught election puts faith leaders through a political test – The Associated Press
The preacher who might finally turn Georgia blue – Politico
Two New York Times journalists talk about the challenges of covering religion during a pandemic in a campaign season – The New York Times *
Against the darkness: Remembering Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life shooting – Religion News Service
Your dread of the 2020 election and coronavirus will end. What will you obsess about then? – Religion News Service
Two years after Pittsburgh shooting, solemn anniversary marked online – Religion News Service
1,000-plus faith leaders call for ‘free and fair election’ – The Associated Press
Poll chaplains plan to bring a ‘prayerful presence’ to precincts this Election Day – Religion News Service
Death toll rises to five in 143 cases of COVID-19 linked to Charlotte church events – The Charlotte Observer *
President Trump's Q&A with Religion News Service – The White House
White Christian America built a faith-based safety net. What happens when it's gone? – Religion News Service
For a growing number of evangelical Christians, Trump is no longer the lesser of two evils – The Conversation