Welcome to the Jeff Kaven show where we talk about the Bible, discipleship, and evangelization putting it all together in living as activated disciples.

This is show 296 Elections and the Power of the Church.

Ah, fresh off an election, isn't this wonderful?

Hello, I'm Jeff Kavens and I am so privileged to spend some time with you today post midterm elections, which is something that everybody has been talking about for the last several months and everyone's been putting their energy into it and, you know, prognosticating and, you know, talking about what they think this place will do, this state, this governor and so forth.

And it's been fascinating to be sure, but I'd like to talk about that a little bit with you today might not be exactly what you were expecting, but I would like to talk a little bit about the elections and then, and then I'd like to turn our attention to something that I think is a treasure in the church that really gives us the power to navigate in culture and to give us a better chance of experiencing the victory that Jesus

Christ has called us to. I've got some scriptures for you today. If you do want those, all you've got to do if you're not on them, the show note list, all you got to do is text my name, Jeff Kavens, one word, J E F F C A V I N S and text it to the number three three seven seven seven and we'll get you on board and we'll give you the scriptures that I have for you today.

All right. So let's talk about this a little bit. It's not going to be a real long show, but I do want to address this whole issue of the midterm elections. And I want to start off by saying listen, we as Christians have a duty, a right, a privilege of being a part of all of this. And that is a, you know, researching and finding out what various candidates are up to what they stand for. What are the issues at stake?

And I'm not talking about Democrat and Republican. I'm talking about just the issues and and the people I try to stay out of the whole politic discussion and start putting labels on things. But I do want to talk about our attitude about politics. And I think that the day after the midterm elections, a lot of people were very discouraged.

I don't think we need to be discouraged necessarily, but I think a lot of people were discouraged because the people that at least I hang out with are very pro life. And they have the abortion issue on their mind. They are fighting for the unborn. And they see it as a gross travesty, a sin to kill a child inside the mother. They're also interested in other things like the economy and inflation in the southern border and so forth. And I get that.

And I totally understand that. But here's what I wanted to share with you. I do think it's important to be a part of this whole process. My wife and I have been a part of the process for years. We try to stay informed. We vote. We're passionate about it. I get all of that. But I wonder if we put too much credence into politics. Now before you judge me or say, well, but Jeff, you just hear me out for a moment here.

I wonder if we put too much credence in politics. If we put too much emphasis on individuals. And we think to ourselves that, well, if we can get the right people into office, then things are going to go well for us. They're going to go very well for us. So we can just get the right people, our champions, our gladiators into the right positions.

Now, I think a lot of good stuff can happen by getting the right people in the right positions. Don't get me wrong. That's always a two thumbs up. That is always very, very good. But here's what I have been thinking about. And I have talked this over to several people that you know who are nationally known speakers and writers. And I think we all concur. And that is that the battle that we're really facing here. When we talk about abortion, when we talk about social justice and so forth.

Is not a matter of changing minds. Am I sound funny at first? It's not a matter of changing minds. I think rather it is a matter of changing hearts. That's what I think the battle is here. And if more of our attention is given toward changing minds, then we get into the debate. It's a reason. And maybe we can make some sense and win a debate or win an argument. Yeah, that's good.

But the problem with that is that the mind, the decisions of the mind, the way people think is often influenced by the condition of their heart.

Now what I mean by this is that their heart may be bruised. They might have wounds. They might have been experiencing rejection, anger, envy.

Who knows what's happened within the family that has made them think the way that they do. But my point is that the real battle I think is the heart. It's the heart.

Now that's going to be problematic for you and me as Catholics. And I'll explain that in a moment. It's going to be problematic because in some ways it seems easier to change someone's mind by arguing, quote unquote, facts, the facts of the matter.

Well, in my experience, I have not found this to be terribly successful in just arguing with people or trying to make sense out of the parts of the argument overall.

And the reason is is because something's going on in their heart that will not allow them to see the common sense of your argument.

And I've seen this over and over and over to where, for example, I can win an argument about abortion. I can get into biology and science and so forth.

And I think I can make a very good case. And I did in college, I actually wrote quite a comprehensive paper about this.

I think I can win an argument using Aristotelian logic for just going to be logical. I think I can win an argument. But what I found out after I thought I won an argument,

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