MICHAEL MEDVED

When politics trumps faith, marriage suffers

Aug 16, 2016, 10:05 PM

The New York Times Style Section recently ran a report called “UNEASY BEDFELLOWS,” describing marriages that reached the point of dissolution because of arguments concerning Donald Trump. When I discussed the subject on the air, one astute caller noted that none of the couples featured in the story seemed to share a religious outlook, and he suggested that if they did, they could far more easily handle their political disputes.

My caller makes a good point.

Unfortunately, far too many Americans now use politics as a substitute for faith, treating party loyalty as a matter of uncompromising identity that provides meaning, transcendence and a sense of morality.

Passionate partisans on both sides see political disputes not as choices of policies or values, but as the ultimate struggle between good and evil. If couples worshiped a higher power together, they wouldn’t need to sacrifice relationships on the altar of either Trump or Clinton, and might treat political quarrels as the ephemeral, well-intentioned disagreements they really are.

Michael Medved on AM 770 KTTH
  • listen to michael medvedTune in to AM 770 KTTH weekdays at 12pm for The Michael Medved Show.

Michael Medved

Gaza attacks...

Michael Medved

Medved: The sad, ‘crazy’ tale of a Gaza water park, and Hamas’ war against fun

After barely three months of operation in 2010, the dream of a fanciful facility to attract tourists and delight locals lay in ruins.

6 months ago

2024 presidential debate...

Michael Medved

Medved: Will 2024 be the year of crucial political debates on TV?

It’s not difficult to imagine either Biden or Trump uttering some inaccurate or incoherent combinations of words that could undercut any momentum.

6 months ago

medved populism...

Michael Medved

Medved: GOP heading to irrelevance as party fails to embrace demographic changes

The spreading speculation about a new civil war isn't based on regionalism this time, but on distinctions in education and identity.

8 months ago

biden...

Michael Medved

Medved: How Biden learned money misdeeds can hurt most of all

The doomed example of "Tricky Dick" demonstrates the way that financial wrongdoing and personal enrichment can upset the public more than sex scandals.

8 months ago

Trump...

Michael Medved

Picking the right running mate could powerfully boost Trump’s prospects

It’s impossible to forecast who Donald Trump will pick as his running mate for the upcoming election of 2024, but it’s safe to say who he won’t select.

8 months ago

trump campaign...

Michael Medved

Medved: Can a new Trump victimhood campaign win back the White House?

Facing more than a half-dozen hostile legal proceedings before next year’s presidential election, can Donald Trump mount an effective campaign?

9 months ago

When politics trumps faith, marriage suffers