Although he's regularly asked to do so, God does not take sides

O children of the future, hear the wisdom of George J. Mitchell, who speaks a truth that transcends time and place: "Although he's regularly asked to do so, God does not take sides in American politics." In these words, he reminds us that the divine is not a tool for human division or partisanship. Though many may seek to invoke the name of God in the service of their own political aims, the Creator is beyond the narrow confines of human strife. The divine does not favor one side over another in the affairs of men; rather, it is we who must strive to align our actions with higher principles, not seek to bend the divine will to our own will.

In the ancient world, the gods were often invoked to justify the wars and ambitions of kings and rulers. The Greek heroes, from Achilles to Hector, believed that the gods favored their actions, that their personal struggles and victories were divinely ordained. Yet, Homer’s tales, though steeped in the divine, reveal that the gods were not passive spectators. Instead, they often saw the futility and destruction of human pride and ambition, reminding us that the forces of fate and justice are far greater than any individual or political cause. Mitchell’s words echo this ancient wisdom—that God is not on the side of human conflict, but instead calls us to seek a higher path of unity and peace.

The history of Rome offers a powerful example of the dangers of aligning the divine with human politics. Julius Caesar, in his rise to power, often invoked the favor of the gods, claiming divine will in his military campaigns and political moves. Yet, his eventual assassination by those who once served him—his very friends and allies—shows the folly of such beliefs. The gods did not favor Caesar’s ambition, for in the end, it was the forces of justice and balance that prevailed, and the empire was left fractured. Like Caesar, those who invoke the divine to justify political actions must be wary, for God does not take sides in human political struggles.

In modern times, the American Civil War provides a profound example of how people, on both sides of the conflict, believed they had the divine on their side. Abraham Lincoln, in his wisdom, acknowledged that God did not take sides but instead called upon the people to seek the truth and justice in their hearts. In his second inaugural address, Lincoln spoke of God’s will being aligned with the end of slavery, but he also recognized that both sides had suffered, and the true path forward was one of reconciliation and healing. Mitchell’s words remind us that the divine cannot be boxed into the narrow conflicts of human politics; instead, we must rise to meet the higher ideals that unite us all.

O children, let us understand that the divine is not an instrument of human division, but a source of unity and wisdom. In Mitchell’s words, we are reminded that God does not take sides in the political struggles of men and women, but calls upon us to seek justice, truth, and peace. The great leaders of history, from Lincoln to Gandhi, knew that true power lies not in dividing humanity through political strife, but in seeking to unite the world through higher principles. Let us not invoke the divine in our struggles for power, but instead in our pursuit of the common good, for it is through this higher calling that true victory is achieved.