Actions of an Unbeliever

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I consider myself a political atheist. I have been such for a couple of years. I distrust politicians, the political system and governments as a whole. Regardless, I have voted at elections before and did so again yesterday. (Yesterday, South Africans that are abroad could vote under certain conditions. The actual election day in South Africa is only next week.) Is there an inconsistency in my self-proclaimed political atheism, and my voting at an election? Maybe I am not a political atheist, but rather a political agnostic . . .

I really distrust governments. I mean, I REALLY distrust them; almost to a level of paranoia. Was it not for the very clear examples of governmental corruption and outright mistreatment of their own citizens all over the world I would have thought myself paranoid. The same goes for politicians. Even among the greatest politicians are the biggest con artists, lying deceivers you can imagine. And this is among the more noble ones. Maybe it is inevitable for them to fall. They are constantly exposed to all kinds of temptations, from power to money to who knows what else.

So why did I vote? Maybe its hope – like an atheist that attends church, not because he believes in God, but because he hopes . . . hopes that God exists; hopes that there is something more than the nihilism of materialism and evolution. I guess that is what I do, when I go to vote.

South Africa does not have a functioning democracy. It is a democracy in theory, yes; but in practise it is not. There is one ruling party with an unhealthy strong majority and for a democracy to function properly it should present a variety of opinions, represent a variety of nuanced voices. This, South Africa does not really have. I’m hoping that the coming election will alter this political landscape a bit.

Why should I hope thus, if I don’t believe in governments and the political system? Probably because I hope that a better democracy will slow down, hinder, partially prevent, the decay of the government. If you cannot stop them, at least you should not make it a walk in the park for them.

I don't expect any miracles.