December 10, 2022

"In Sinema’s 2009 book... she described giving up shrill partisanship, which was making her unhappy, for a vaguely New Age ethos..."

"... that prized inner tranquillity. One chapter was called 'Letting Go of the Bear and Picking Up the Buddha,' with the bear representing fear and anger. 'Picking up the Buddha (becoming a super centered political actor) makes you a stronger, more effective you,' she wrote. 'To be your most fabulous political self, you’ll need to learn to recognize the bear and learn to let go of it in your work.' Transcending fear and anger is an excellent spiritual goal. But becoming a more centered and fabulous person is a political project only when it’s directed toward aims beyond oneself. With Sinema, it’s not remotely clear what those aims might be, or if they exist. (Another chapter in her book is 'Letting Go of Outcomes.')"

Writes Michelle Goldberg in "Kyrsten Sinema Is Right. This Is Who She’s Always Been" (NYT). 

I had to look to see if Sinema is a Buddhist. She's not, so I'm giving this post my "cultural appropriation" tag. "Picking Up the Buddha" — is that an expression, some New Age cant? Or did she come up with this image of picking up and putting down entities that are not, if real life, picked up and put down?

 

Here's a NYT article from 2012, "Politicians Who Reject Labels Based on Religion"

Although raised a Mormon, Ms. Sinema is often described as a nontheist — and that suits the activists just fine....

But a campaign spokesman rejected any simple category for Ms. Sinema. “Kyrsten believes the terms ‘nontheist,’ ‘atheist’ or ‘nonbeliever’ are not befitting of her life’s work or personal character,” the spokesman, Justin Unga, said Thursday in an e-mail. “Though Sinema was raised in a religious household, she draws her policy-making decisions from her experience as a social worker who worked with diverse communities and as a lawmaker who represented hundreds of thousands.”

Furthermore, Ms. Sinema “is a student of all cultures in her community,” Mr. Unga said, and she “believes that a secular approach is the best way to achieve this in good government.” In rejecting not only religious labels but irreligious labels, too, these politicians resemble the growing portion of Americans who feel that no particular tradition, or anti-tradition, captures how they feel about God, or the universe, or what the theologian Paul Tillich called “ultimate concern.”

45 comments:

Dave Begley said...

She’s a Maverick. Big ego, giant personality and a kicking fashion sense.

Kate said...

The Destroy Sinema Project has begun. They're calling her selfish. It would take too many words for me to describe how repugnant their definition is.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Walk the line, little missy. The left are all up in her business now. Mormons, like most Christians, are a targeted group by the left.

Unless you're a fake Catholic like Pelosi... or a fake Christian like Obama... or a fake everything like Biden... (which is OK wink wink)

You better shed your religious faith for the One True Religion. The State.
Watch your back, Sinema.

Lurker21 said...

In the modern world, bears are thought of as cute and cuddly.

And what is politics about but fear and anger?

In Sam Rayburn's or Lyndon Johnson's world all the deal-making might have had rational, real world objectives.

In Nancy Pelosi's or Chuck Schumer's world there is a lot of appealing to emotion and acting out emotions.

~ Gordon Pasha said...

Her body, her choice. Not seeing a problem here

wildswan said...

There's group of people in this country who will cancel, slander, blacklist, limit on Twitter/Facebook, insult in restaurants, chase into bathrooms, even find other people guilty or not guilty of crimes, based solely on whether the Dems want this group of mental serfs to conduct a personal pogrom against another person, a fellow American citizen. And today we see another example of mental serfdom in action - Senator Sinema leaves the Dems and instantly an NYT serf jerks into action, asking whether the Senator has any real beliefs. What the Senator thought didn't matter as long as she was a Dem vote. Now faces are grave and serious as they study the New York Times. Perhaps a Senator is a flake. Or worse, a Senator might be thinking for herself. Perhaps a personal pogrom, mobbing the Senator wherever she goes, will teach her a needed lesson about the righteousness of whatever the Dems happen to be thinking at any given moment. Bow to Fauci. Forget Fauci. Vote for Sinema. Hate Sinema.

cassandra lite said...

Politicians do political things which are political even when they look apolitical and Buddha-like.

The last politician I can remember who may not have been from the same mold was Tony Beilenson, my former congressman who announced in early 1996 that he'd be leaving Congress after 20 years. (The loathsome Brad Sherman ran for, won his seat, and is still there.)

Not long after his announcement I happened to run into him at the post office and asked him why he was leaving. "The corruption is beyond anything you can imagine," he said. "I can't take it anymore."

Tom T. said...

"If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him."

n.n said...

Politicians who adopt labels based on alternate religions, and JournoLists who offer apologies through obfuscation, projection, and all manner of games. A religion is a behavioral protocol: morality in a universal frame, ethics its relativistic sibling, and law their politically consensual cousin. Whether the philosophy is sourced from God, gods, or mortal gods is less relevant than its underlying principles/axioms. Secular religions, second only to theistic Islam, have been first-order forcings of catastrophic anthropogenic global climate change, and aside from Obama's World War Spring series (e.g. second Iraq war instantiated and funded) from Tripoli to Kiev in progress, are the primary causes of progressive human viability, [catastrophic] [anthropogenic] immigration reform, and collateral damage, albeit on smaller scales.

chickelit said...

Paging the Crack EmCee...please pick up the black courtesy phone.

Shouting Thomas said...

I’m tired of perverts and dopes who make up their own religion.

This isn’t new stuff. It’s the most ordinary, boring shit in the universe. Spoiled children.

Michael K said...

In 2012 she was an obvious nut with her "nonbinary sexuality" and some of her activities prior to the campaign. Unfortunately, Martha McSally ran an abysmal campaign against her. For one thing, McSally refused to debate her. I know Martha and she is very bright and able to explain serious issues. Who convinced her to run that campaign is a mystery but it sure looked like a dive if that had been boxing.

chickelit said...

Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker: : You better shed your religious faith for the One True Religion. The State.

Sinema: "L'état, c'est moins [sic]

Achilles said...

"Picking Up the Buddha" — is that an expression, some New Age cant? Or did she come up with this image of picking up and putting down entities that are not, if real life, picked up and put down?"

Atheists are a cult that is just as fervent and vicious as any Muslim or Christian faith.

She sounds like someone who just doesn't care about religion more than an atheist which is one way to deal with a mostly unsolvable problem.

Achilles said...

Sinema is still doing work for the Uniparty.

The borders in Arizona are still open partly because of her efforts.

Joe Smith said...

You don't have to officially declare yourself part of a religion to adopt some of the precepts you admire...

Achilles said...

Michael K said...
In 2012 she was an obvious nut with her "nonbinary sexuality" and some of her activities prior to the campaign. Unfortunately, Martha McSally ran an abysmal campaign against her. For one thing, McSally refused to debate her. I know Martha and she is very bright and able to explain serious issues. Who convinced her to run that campaign is a mystery but it sure looked like a dive if that had been boxing.


What kind of campaign advisors work in Arizona? What team are they all on?

I can think of a group of "Republicans" that did the same thing to Palin.

It was done on purpose.

Sebastian said...

"aims beyond oneself"

Inflation Reduction Act, keeping the border open, Ukraine billions, KBJ on SCOTUS, multi-$T debt, 93% Biden support: nice "aims," some "maverick."

Maynard said...

Sinema seemed like a real twit when she ran successfully against the lackluster Martha McSally. However, I am pleasantly surprised that she is not the raging leftist I expected. She seems to be a largely independent thinker on the left rather than a hive mind Democrat like many of our commentators here.

The problem in AZ is that the Republican Party is a joke. McCainites and Ducey RINOs are still the predominant force and they sabotaged the 2022 election for Kari Lake, et al.

If people expect Gallegos and Sinema to divide the lefty vote in 2024 and give the seat to Republicans, they are in for a sad surprise. The GOPe will sabotage any Republican candidate not in their back pocket and give the seat to Gallegos.

I have not voted for a Democrat in Senate, House or POTUS elections since 1984. However, I might prefer Sinema to whomever the AZ GOPe "nominates".

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Trump is more that, Chickelit

The left are - *la bureaucratie est dieu*

Temujin said...

David Begley said: "She’s a Maverick. Big ego, giant personality and a kicking fashion sense."

I agree with all that. And I like her. I know her for what she is: A progressive liberal. But she's shown herself to not be led by the nose of the Democratic Party. She will not 'serve' under Mitch McConnell, so she's not about to jump parties (none of you would serve under Mitch, either), but I don't care that she's a lefty Democrat. I want there to be opposition. But I want them to be people we can at least talk to, and that have some sense of right and wrong and know when to not follow the herd.

I'm fine with her. I'd rater 40 other Senators like her than like Chuck Schumer or Lisa Murkowski.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Yeah - It's interesting she does not feel at home on team D. but she will vote with team D. This is a move to keep her seat. We shall see if it works.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Fabulous is a fable, conjured up, made up?

The kind of made up that’s not fake.

The kind of made up that gets “Person of the year” award.

I get wound up just talking about it.

rcocean said...

She and Mitch McConnell are Best friends forever. Despite being against almost everything McConnell SUPPOSEDLY believes in.

Her "Maverick" image is a complete fake. Bernie and King (Maine) are independents too. And like her caucus with the D's, and vote with Schumer 95% of the time.

hombre said...

She's a smart nut. There's no solace in this, unlike Tulsi, she's still a diehard lefty.

Enigma said...

Sinema is a textbook example of the west coast generation X college crowd. They had the old left visions of feminism and general freedom/tolerance, and they also believed in mental illness (i.e., not cutting children to affirm potential delusions and not indulging reckless youthful passing fancies).

Her culture and generation are relatively grounded versus the woke, and thereby have a chance of pulling the woke back from the cliff. Biden, Pelosi, and Schumer are way too old to understand her, let alone the even younger and terribly fragile woke. So, the grandparents bowed down to whatever the woke said so they could hang on to power -- circa 2017.

I'm hopeful Sinema can become a leader and stand on her own, but I fear she's going to be pushed out in the 3 way Dem - Ind - Rep battle in the next election. Some on the left want to destroy her, so she either gains right / libertarian support or is doomed.

Narr said...

Maybe "Working toward the Buddha" would fit . . .

Apostates rarely fare well, and most Americans still expect their pols to pay lip service to one of the major name brands--doesn't much matter which one, as evidenced by the overrepresentation of Jews among our solons, and the stubborn pretense to piety of most of the others. Even Muslims, who will subvert the system while profiting from it, are getting elected in some American shitholes.

Around here, D campaign literature almost always emphasizes the religious affiliations of the candidate as much or more as R stuff.

Trigger Warning!

As an atheist but not an apostate (I didn't give up or turn my back on my religious convictions and principles, I only gave up and turned my back on other people's religious conviction and principles) I don't see why this is much of an issue--especially given the lousy POLICIES Sinema favors.





Yancey Ward said...

This was a clever ploy by Ms. Sinema. Just a few months ago, no one in the liberal press would have written a complimentary essay about the Arizona senator after her refusal to ax the filibuster to pass court packing and federal election rigg...er...fortification. Now the press, like Goldberg, feels threatened enough to try to placate Sinema to keep her on the Dem team with this new party ID.

Narr said...

Credit where due: Blogger hasn't eaten my homework for days now.

Drago said...

Achilles: "I can think of a group of "Republicans" that did the same thing to Palin."

And the same thing to Walker...and to Cruz...and to everyone else forced to accept the dictates of the permanent GOPe consultant class.

Drago said...

Narr: "Credit where due: Blogger hasn't eaten my homework for days now."

It would be amusing if this were determined to be the result of The Elon Effect.

Mr Wibble said...

What kind of campaign advisors work in Arizona? What team are they all on?

I can think of a group of "Republicans" that did the same thing to Palin.


Trump didn't cost us the Senate in 2020; Kemp and Doucey cost us the Senate in 2020, with assistance from McConnell.

n.n said...

"Blogger hasn't eaten my homework for days now."

The Elon Effect.


Trust/monopoly busting. Alphabet [Umbrella Corporation]/Google/Blogger are on notice.

Grease - You're The One That I Want
h/t John and Olivia

You better shape up
Cause I need a [blogging platform]
And my heart is set on you

MadTownGuy said...

"...captures how they feel about God, or the universe, or what the theologian Paul Tillich called “ultimate concern.” "

"The Universe" is being used these days as a God substitute.

n.n said...

It's God, religion (e.g. evolutionary fitness/function, morality/ethics/law) on Earth, and extra-universal concerns. Alternate beliefs place faith (i.e. trust logical domain) in gods and mortal/secular gods in the universal frame of limited concerns.

Gunner said...

She voted for both of Trump's fake impeachments and against Amy Comey Barrett. She is as independent as Rachel Maddow. She just doesn't want to be a lemming of Chuck Schumer sometimes.

Achilles said...

Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker said...
Yeah - It's interesting she does not feel at home on team D. but she will vote with team D. This is a move to keep her seat. We shall see if it works.

It is just getting as many uniparty members elected as possbile.

Just like getting McConnell elected in Kentucky gives the Uniparty a seat from another republican heavy state.

Or Cornyn in Texas.

The uniparty is the problem. It is the republican traitors that need to be purged from the party.

Achilles said...

Drago said...
Achilles: "I can think of a group of "Republicans" that did the same thing to Palin."

And the same thing to Walker...and to Cruz...and to everyone else forced to accept the dictates of the permanent GOPe consultant class.

My biggest disappointment right now is that Desantis is letting them "handle" him now.

But his entire life has been about running for president so I shouldn't be surprised.

Lazarus said...

Letting Go of the Bear and Picking Up the Buddha

He ain't heavy. He's my Buddha.

Howard said...

Michelle Goldberg with no help from Malcolm Gladbag got her ass kicked at a recent Munk debate versus Matt Taibo and Dugless Murry.

Her voice is worse than the sound a flat head shovel makes scraping concrete.

Why pay attention to this version of brain damage?

Bob said...

"I'm spiritual but not religious" is how people like Sinema describe themselves in dating profiles. Usually means that either they practiced a religion in childhood at the behest of their parents and then gave it up when they came of age, or never had religion at all, but have vague, disorganized impulses in that direction. Many of them adopt ideology as their religion substitute, which is why so many political True Believers act the way that religious zealots used to, thinking in terms of heresy, apostasy, and punishment by auto-da-fe.

Michael K said...

Achilles: What kind of campaign advisors work in Arizona? What team are they all on?


Good point.

Michael K said...

Enigma: I'm hopeful Sinema can become a leader and stand on her own, but I fear she's going to be pushed out in the 3 way Dem - Ind - Rep battle in the next election. Some on the left want to destroy her, so she either gains right / libertarian support or is doomed.

What in the world would libertarians see to support in Sinema ?

Drugs, I guess.

chickelit said...

Gunner said...
She voted for both of Trump's fake impeachments and against Amy Comey Barrett. She is as independent as Rachel Maddow. She just doesn't want to be a lemming of Chuck Schumer sometimes.

I'd never vote for her for those reasons alone unless she sincerely recanted.