Abstract
This article describes attributes of the American Empire and addresses characteristic sins—pride, sloth, greed, and idolatry—that are necessary for maintaining the domestic and foreign policies aimed toward expanding the economic and military power of the United States. In particular, I claim that theo-political narratives and rituals extant in U.S. culture are internalized, structuring our collective psyches and shaping both our wills and actions. Pride, sloth, greed, and idolatry signify the distortion of will, giving rise to actions that result in harm and alienation. To address this reality, several pastoral strategies are depicted.
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Notes
It is not possible to address the interesting and important discussions about the sin of pride vis-à-vis feminist critiques of patriarchy. However, the basic elements (grandiosity, superiority, devaluation of the other) of the sin of pride are manifested in the thinking that attends patriarchy and the American Empire.
The beliefs and values associated with the U.S.’s special role in history are not simply linked to narratives or speeches. Civil rituals (e.g., press conferences, inaugurals, congressional sessions, 4th of July), cultural rites (e.g., sports events), and social entertainment (e.g., movies) are other examples of how values and beliefs associated with American expansionism are internalized and maintained.
This speech is readily available on numerous web sites.
I wish to stress that the sin of sloth does not mean that there are no good results or that a ``slothful'' person is completely or even characterologically indifferent. Sin is nearly always ambiguous.
Being prophetic is understood here as confronting people with their sins and reminding them of the covenant and their relation to God.
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LaMothe, R. Sins of the American Empire and Pastoral Responses. Pastoral Psychol 55, 459–472 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-006-0048-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-006-0048-8