Mimetic Theory

 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 - 𝑴𝒚 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

@lancejorton

I don’t like talking about politics much. I would like to attempt to explain my one position based on what Rene Girard called Mimetic Theory. Most of what I write on social media about politics is from this perspective. 

Political entities (e.g. Republicans, Democrats, Pharisees, Sadducees) collectively participate in lying and manipulation about others in order to stoke our fears and drive us towards believing only they can save us. 

As humans, we are vulnerable to such manipulation because we (as a culture) are collectively searching for a savior amidst a system that is desperately flawed. This system relies on the hero / scapegoat myth:

“All will be better when the hero vanquishes the evil scapegoat from our midst.”

This leads to figurative and physical violence. We witness figurative violence on social media regularly from both of our political groups. January 6 and the attempted assassination of Trump are each quintessential examples of the scapegoat myth carried out to its natural end: physical violence. 

As a Christian, I believe Jesus died sacrificially as the scapegoat to expose this cycle of violence so we could be “saved” from it. “Love your neighbor / enemies” ends this cycle. “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone” ends the cycle. 

I’m not saying one candidate cannot be better than another. But I think we put too much hope in them and too little hope in the truth. By correcting narratives meant to manipulate others (i.e. by being honest with ourselves and other), we can help expose the cycle of violence by shining a light on it, even and especially when the truth favors those we do not like. We can “save” others, both those who are throwing stones and those being stoned (e.g. the woman caught in adultery). 

This is the Good News or Gospel to Paul. You don’t have to murder (even in our hearts) and we can save those who would be murdered. We can leave behind the cycle of violence by trusting Jesus. We can live by grace (forgiveness replaces violence) with the peace of Christ in our hearts (love replaces hate). 

This is why Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. This is why to not believe in him means we are condemned already (John 3:16-21). The cultural cycle leads to violence. We must be “born again” to see the cultural cycle clearly and be set free from the cycle. And I want us all to be set free. 

More about Mimetic Theory: mimetictheory.com/mimetic-theory/