“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
Jesus’ words in the New Testament should be read by every person involved in the political right. It should be read over and over again until the truth of that brief-but-powerful statement sinks in.
It’s a truth that is immensely relevant now, because the movement is, in reaction to recent electoral losses, in peril of selling its soul.
In the 1966 Oscar-winning film A Man for All Seasons, based on the hit play by Robert Bolt (who also wrote the screenplay for the movie), the erudite statesman and philosopher Thomas More is confronted by the moral dilemma of whether he will take an oath acknowledging King Henry VIII, whom More had served as Lord Chancellor of England, as the Supreme Head of the Church in England.
More, a believer in the authority of the papacy, rather than national governments, over the Church, refuses to take the oath, leading to his political persecution and ultimately his execution.
In the film’s climax, More, on trial, is confronted by a former young acquaintance, who has now been made Attorney General for Wales in exchange for committing perjury in order to convict More.
More chastens the ambitious young man, future Lord Chancellor Richard Rich, saying, “It profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world. But for Wales?”
It’s apt that the play and film are titled A Man for All Seasons, for More’s story of conscience and character is one to be learned from in this season.
Today, far too many Republicans and conservatives are on the verge of selling theirs, the party’s, and the nation’s souls seemingly for a bit of political expediency. Instead of gaining Wales, they want to gain an election or two.
Ever since the defeat of Republican Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Daniel Kelly last week, Republicans have largely decided that the party is on a losing streak (pointing to the results of the 2022 midterms), and that abortion is the cause.
In the eyes of many observers and pundits, the reason the party is losing elections is (a) Roe v. Wade’s reversal sparked a backlash, and (b) Republicans’ insistence on pursuing abortion restrictions now that Roe v. Wade is gone is further alienating demographics the Right needs to win, including young people and suburban women.
This entire mentality is short-sighted and senseless. It is the result of thinking in terms of party politics instead of thinking in terms of principles and objectives.
You have to say to the people who are regurgitating the “abortion hawkishness is killing the GOP” talking point:
Big government is popular with the same voters whom you say are being turned off by abortion. So are high taxes. Gun control. Trans propaganda. Critical race theory. Amnesty for illegal aliens. Are you going to adopt all of these policies just so you can be electable? Let’s assume you’re even successful doing this. You’ve won the elections. Now what? You’ve completely forsaken everything you said you stood for. You might as well be a Democrat at this point.
The appeasement mindset is precisely the type that has been the hallmark of the weak Establishment GOP for so long. Trying to win for the sake of winning, but never accomplishing anything of significance because they think the only way to win, is to be a “Democrat Lite” party.
These are the same types of people who thought Ronald Reagan was too extreme, then became his biggest supporters when he went on to win the presidency in a landslide. These are the same people who said Donald Trump was “too extreme” and “could never win” because of his hard-line stance on immigration, and now adopt “secure the border” as modus operandi because they know it wins elections.
If anything, Trump, especially his handling of the immigration issue, should serve as an example of how you win — not by compromising and pandering to your opponents, but by holding firm to your convictions.
Before Trump, the mainstream talk about immigration, even from Republicans, was about “comprehensive immigration reform” — meaning amnesty in one form or another. It was about “keeping families together.” It was about “a path to citizenship.”
When Trump came out talking about deportation and building a wall, many thought it was over the top. But throughout the campaign, he didn’t relent or water his message down. Now, that stance has become the norm within the GOP.
The Establishment “conservative” pundits just don’t get it. They have no real principles, and thus they’re willing to change with the wind to win elections.
They don’t understand psychology or leadership. A true leader remains absolutely firm to what he believes; to his objectives.
There is a deeply ingrained psychological principle that when a person is firm in he convictions, he gains greater power to pull others to his way of thinking. Conviction is persuasive and contagious. The opposition of a detractor melts away when confronted by someone who believes more deeply in his cause than the detractor does in his.
Thus, conservatives should not be talking about changing course to appease the Left. Instead, they should be talking about how to make their platform — including protecting the unborn — more enticing to those who are not yet in the fold.
But the first step is for conservatives to reaffirm their belief in and commitment to the principles they espouse, rather than becoming obsessed with momentary electoral gain.
As Jesus said:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
