Her.meneutics: Schwarzenegger, Strauss-Kahn, and Power

back to Christianity Today

RSS Feed | Help

e-mail to a friend

twitter updates

Follow Her.meneutics on Twitter

What Is Her.meneutics?

The Christianity Today women's blog provides news and analysis from the perspective of evangelical women. We cover news stories and books related to international justice and evangelism, pregnancy and sexual ethics, marriage, parenting, and celibacy, pop culture, health and body image, raising girls, and women in the church and parachurch.

Her.meneutics is edited by associate editor Katelyn Beaty and online editor Sarah Pulliam Bailey.

interests

books and media

church life

justice and politics

relationships and family

sexuality and health

spirituality

theology

women of note

writers

More ...

Free Newsletters

books we're reading

blogs we're watching

« A Sketchy Ad from Skechers Shape-Ups | Main | A Horror Film about Childbirth »

May 23, 2011

Schwarzenegger, Strauss-Kahn, and Power

Why power is so often spiritual poison.

Sharon Hodde Miller

American news outlets have been aflutter with conversations and questions about the messy relationship between power and sex, catalyzed by the coinciding revelations about Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s and former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s sexual indiscretions. Although the two cases are categorically different — Strauss-Kahn is accused of assaulting a hotel maid, whereas Schwarzenegger’s misdeeds, though morally repugnant, are nevertheless legal — both men compel us to look closely at the potentially combustible mix of sex and power.

Sadly, Strauss-Kahn and Schwarzenegger are only two of many powerful men to come before them. Following the likes of John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and John Edwards, Strauss-Kahn and Schwarzenegger perpetuate a sick pattern in which powerful men live as though the rules don’t apply to them. Given this trend, cultural analysts have been asking two key questions. First, what is the cause of this pattern? Why are so many men in power sexual cads? And second, how should we classify these sexual relationships between powerful men and powerless women? When a woman is economically or socially dependent on a man, is the relationship every truly consensual?

On a recent episode of NPR's On Point, Time magazine executive editor Nancy Gibbs responded to these questions by citing a new study on the effects of power in a business setting. According to the yet-to-be-released study, “The higher they rose, men or women, the more likely they were to consider or commit adultery." Social scientists theorize that this trend could be due, in part, to increased opportunity, but they also suspect power breeds a particularly blinding arrogance that borders on entitlement.

As these scandals continue to appear in the news, it would be easy for Christians to stand at the edge and look down. After all, any ideology that divorces one’s public and private lives is bound to fail. Perhaps the American public (as well as the French one) is getting what it asked for.

Then again, Christians are really in no position to judge. Not only is it common to hear about the moral failures of pastors and other church leaders in positions of power, but a pervasive addiction to pornography among Christian men and women is also symptom of it. In a country of free information, free time, and virtually unlimited access to technology, many Christians help fuel an industry that exploits women who are often poor and sometimes underage. To be sure, that is an abuse of power.

How, then, should we respond to this turn of events? Abraham Lincoln once wrote, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” Lincoln’s words, when read alongside the above cited study, remind us that worldly power is not a neutral entity. It has the potential to change an individual in the most fundamental ways. It can distort our vision by perverting the way we see ourselves and those around us. This means that Christians are to handle power with fear and trembling. Worldly power is not beyond the redemptive work of God, but it is a great seducer that has ruined the lives of men and women throughout history. We cannot be naïve to that reality.

Realizing that each of us is vulnerable to the trappings of worldly power, Christ offers Christians an important example. When tempted in the wilderness, Jesus rejected Satan’s offers of worldly power, opting instead for the invisible yet everlasting power of God. And in a scene that many theologians consider to be the clearest display of Jesus’ divinity on earth, Christ forsook his right to worldly power to hang on a cross instead.

Does this mean that Christians should not be people of influence? No. But it does mean that there is a crucial difference between the power of God and the power of man. The power of God does not create hierarchy and injustice. It does not require the trodding over of the weak for the exaltation of self. It is not threatened by the strengths of others and it is not a zero sum game. In the kingdom of God there is no scarcity of blessing and freedom. And the power of God does not require the slavery and subordination of others.

Christian theologian and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer once challenged the believers of his generation with the indictment, “Christendom adjusts itself far too easily to the worship of power.” Christians today do well to heed his warning. It is difficult to attain worldly power without being self-serving along the way. It is not impossible, but it is unlikely. That is why power manifests itself so similarly wherever it is found, both in the halls of national leaders and in our homes, both inside and outside the church.

Let us therefore reject the lie that worldly power is more effective than sacrifice. It is tempting to accept the world’s way of doing things because power has proven effective. But as long as our measure of faithfulness is pure pragmatism and not conformity to Christ, we are sure to hear many more stories of men and women who fall victim to the powers and principalities of this world.

Comments

And, sadly, believers are not immune to the seduction of power and control. Who among us has not seen this played out in the boards and committees of our churches, in the parking lot after a congregational meeting, in seductive words guised as "prayer requests."

The more wounded we've been along the way the more likely we are to want to control everyone and everything around us, in hopes that we will not be hurt again. Power turns out to be a defense mechanism.

The power hungry morph from mean girls and bully boys as children to adults who wield insatiable control in their homes, churches, and workplaces.

I would suspect that Arnold and Strauss-Kahn were not nice people before they became powerful. Being in power and having money just gave them more opportunities to exhibit their poor behaviors. It's beyond me why anyone would think that actors and actresses in Hollywood would be role models/decent citizens for any of us. None of them live in a real world.

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It appears Christians are not exempt!

This article is subtitled "when power is so often spiritual poison" even though neither of the men it speaks about were ever known to be "spiritual" in any sense of the term.

The fact is that the average U.S.A or French citizen seems not to want their state or financial governors to be too "spiritual" since their are elected mainly to "terminate" political and economic problems.

Arnold was a two-term governor in spite of publicly admitting that he was not a "moral" person. Strauss-Khan, although a well known "playboy", was still tipped to be the next French President.

Our societies wants its Bill Clintons who can "get the job done" and are often more than willing to accept the Lewinsky's of this world as colateral damage.

Then there are the financial wizards, the Ken Lays and Jeff Skillings, economic gurus like Maddof, and high priced bankers who "bail" out with their million dollar bonuses leaving people without the homes they worked hard to acheive and their lifetime savings?

None of these are "spiritual" and all are "morally repugnant", but these are nevertheless the people to whom society entrust both power and wealth. And they are not all men either!

Ms. Miller makes the very strong (and disparaging) claim that "Christians are really in no position to judge"?

She is more philosophical, and more true, when she says "It is difficult to attain worldly power without being self-serving along the way." The reason for this may be that we too easily forget the words of Jesus when he said "my kingdom is not of this world".

"Does this mean that Christians should not be people of influence? No.But it does mean that there is a crucial difference between the power of God and the power of man. The power of God does not create hierarchy and injustice."

I am impacted by these words...good piece.

How sad that we continue to hold up "those most popular, in power and higher profile as "examples".."that"-- breeds arrogance to others and of God's laws & ways. This is so sad and a commentary on our times when few pulpits even use the word "sin" in context of daily life decisions...while our children and younger adults assume because we no longer talk about sin or identify it, new social/cultural mores are ok. Satan has certainly used "judge not lest..." and we have even forgotten what discernment is by capitulating to political correctness and the new times! All we hear anymore is Grace abounds & Love one another, which is certainly true...however what about the rest of that scripture/story...loving our Lord God with all our mind, body & soul...do we ever identify "how" we are supposed to do that? More sad than having to read about the "stars' immorality as a norm"...is having to experience a Pastor & Deacon's families being dissentigrated before our eyes so some starry eyed confused woman can find that it is "never too late for happily ever after". We all stand accused, but God have mercy on those of us who are held more accountable because we "really" know better but have to follow the lies of Hell so that our selfish ways can be fed. We in the Church should wake up and realize His Holy "10" are not just suggestions but Commandments BECAUSE He loves us so much....& thereby identify and abide by them accordingly.

"The power of God does not create hierarchy and injustice. It does not require the trodding over of the weak for the exaltation of self. It is not threatened by the strengths of others and it is not a zero sum game. In the kingdom of God there is no scarcity of blessing and freedom. And the power of God does not require the slavery and subordination of others."

What beautiful and powerful words! And, dare I say, this is why we shouldn't assume that uncontrolled capitalism is ordained by the Lord.

This is a good piece. Power corrupts. It is the wise man or woman who is placed in a position of power to seek God all the more. I think God shields so many of His children more from power and wealth than we realize. He knows us better than we know ourselves.

The Bible teaches, a tree is known by its fruits. At the end of age the reapers (angels)will come and the tares (UNBELEIVERS) will be cut and put in fire, but the GOOD SEED (BELEIVERS Mathew. 13:36-43) will be gathered eternally SHINING AS SUN to be with LORD JESUS.
LORD JESUS turned down the offer when satan offered in the wilderness. Many take that offer, especially when seen with their EYE @ from top of a pyramid!

PRAISE THE LORD JESUS.
Seby.

The more these stories of sexual misconduct and/or assault by people in powerful places come up, the more I start to question the idea that power itself is non-neutral, i.e. that "power corrupts", and how easily we use it both as a figure of speech and a rationale. For one thing, I believe that mindset fuels and encourages anti-authoritarianism. After all, if we believe that being in power will unfailingly corrupt someone, because that's just what power does, it's okay and even good to not respect authority, and it's certainly a good reason to not provide help and support to our leaders. In some ways, that's the basis of contemporary anarchist movements. For another thing, how many of us see, in ourselves or others every day, situations in which people give in to temptation because an opportunity presents itself? To simply say "power corrupts" strongly implies that the temptations given into by Schwarzenegger and Strauss-Kahn were *caused* by coming into positions of power - which I find ironic, because that stance which so many news outlets and commentators are taking denies any claims of personal responsibility that Mr. Schwarzenegger at least is making. We blame these scandals on power, while still demanding that the people caught in them take responsibility for their actions, and then often refuse to believe the sincerity of any such apologies...because they've been corrupted by power, so of course they're not really sorry for what they've done. Does that make any sense?

The article writer brought up the problem of pornography in the church. Simple online viewing isn't something anyone needs to be powerful in order to do - can you imagine how the porn industry would suffer if everyone who was average or disenfranchised stopped viewing? Shall we then say that weakness corrupts? Of course not. But the weak still seize opportunities to act on temptations, sexual, criminal, and otherwise. Think of how often you've heard of someone committing a crime because they acted out of desperation. Weakness, I think, is as strong a motivator for crime and sin as power is. The only difference is that it's easy and normal to feel pity and compassion for the weak - but the powerful are equally deserving and needy of it. But we can't believe that they are unless we get past the mindset that power corrupts. I believe it's a mindset that is ultimately based on contempt or resentment, and that it provides an excuse to ultimately dehumanize those in power by reducing them to the product of corruption instead of viewing them as, you know people.

It is more an issue of accountability for men and women. The post almost absolves women of their responsibility. In all of these cases - we have Men AND Women... Moral failures only emphasize the more how much we need God. And to mention Arnold with Strauss-Kahn undermines the seriousness of his criminal act - a very poor analogy...

I believe Elly has the truest handle on this issue. I do not believe power is inherently evil-anymore than weakness is. It is neutral. And there are different kinds of power and those "kinds" may not be morally neutral. If a dictator strives for military and repressive power, it is evil. If a man longs to have power to influence for good, bring justice to the oppressed, that is good and Godly in its desire. I believe the church needs to first truly understand what power is and what it is not-personal power, community power, small group power, etc. The church needs to do some hard work in admitting its own failings and struggles with power and finally, need to have an open dialogue and discipleship in this area. What I often see is a jealousy of powerful and rich people (even though power can easily exist without wealth). When was the last time you invited the richest person in your church to your home? Are you ashamed to offer them your hospitality? Let's talk more about this.

Elly, in response to your thoughts on pornography, it is important to remember that as American citizens with access to internet, in addition to the free time we enjoy since we live in an affluent country where we do not have to work constantly in order not to starve, the addiction to pornography is indeed a sign of power. In countries without unlimited internet access, where families barely work day and night simply to put food on the table, the viewing of pornography is not an option. Indeed, it is countries like ours that primarily fuel this industry, and we are naive to deny that the middle class man who views underage women from his computer at home is not abusing the power afforded him by his station in life. He may not be powerful by our nation's standards, but in comparison with the rest of the world he is among the powerful elite.

In response to Kevin's claim that I have all but absolved the women in these circumstances, I would like to direct your attention to the points in the article when I mention both men AND women as being vulnerable to the effects of power. Now, I assume you are referring to the woman's role in an adulterous affair, but in the context of these 2 cases that is not the most relevant point. Strauss-Kahn raped the woman in his case so she clearly bears no responsibility. But in Schwarzenegger's case the waters are muddy. When an employer has an affair with an employee, it is often difficult to know to what degree the woman felt she had to comply in order to keep her job. That is not to say that women in power never pressure their employees in the same way, or that female employees aren't sometimes willing adulterers, but in this instance a man was in a position of economic power over the woman and Schwarzenegger had a history of harassing women in positions below him. When there is a hierarchy between the two parties involved, we need to be cautious about blaming women without knowing all the facts.

I fail to see what is so "messy" about the "relationship" between power and sex. As others have pointed out, power itself is not the issue; it can be channeled for good. The true decider is the character of the one holding the power. A humble spirit may still stumble, but he or she will likely stay further away from booby traps set by the tempter. A proud spirit will step boldly as it wants -- away from warnings, away from accountability, and away from anything that challenges its power (including someone who warns him or her away from a dangerous situation, for his or her own good).

As to "Christians are really in no position to judge" -- I hear this constantly across CT, and I bristle each time I see it. Certainly, we are human, just as anyone else is. And yes, we have seen our share of leaders succumb to temptation. But - we have the Word of God, and it is the plumbline against which we can judge -- yes, *judge* -- the actions of others, and, of course, ourselves. And thus we come back to my first point: humility is the key to handling power rightly, and judging rightly. Perhaps if we were willing to embrace this, rather than running away from “judgment” as though it (rather than sin) was the sole problem, we would see fewer problems in our churches.

My son just resigned from a church committee where the "leaders" on the committee each fights tooth and nail for his/her own agenda and ways of doing things. The whole experience was disheartening and exhausting. As a result, we've been talking and thinking about what authority, leadership, power, influence,etc. should look like within a Christian context. A couple of the paragraphs (the two next to the picture of Christ's being tempted in the wilderness) really spoke to the things we're processing through. Thank you for this great article.

Arnold was a scumbag looooong before he had political power. Read his Wikipedia article: he was in two long open relationships before leaving one of them for Maria Shriver when the other woman insisted her choose. He chose the "other woman"...Maria. His behavior has never been in keeping with Christian teaching on sexuality and marriage, and having power didn't change that.

I think power reveals true character, not that it corrupts, and I think good Christian leaders shouldn't avoid power leaving us with only deviants to "lead" us.

First off, Rape and affairs are more than just two separate categories. They are morally on different levels, and to place them together is pretty offensive. These are two completely separate issues (although it may be the case, given that she was his subordinate, that Arnold in some way pressured the woman he had an affair with). It is not just that rape is illegal while affairs are legal. Rape itself is an exercise in power, of taking a power one does not already possess and in the process taking power away from another human being. Rape isn't really about sex at all, that is just the weapon of choice.

As for Kevin's point, I hope you aren't claiming that the woman Strauss-Kahn raped had any responsibility for being assaulted. As for the woman Arnold had an affair with, while she does hold some responsibility, she worked for him. Therefore, in that sort of boss/employee relationship, she holds less responsibility.

Power itself, in my view, doesn't inherently corrupt. The problem is, because human beings are fallen, it almost always does end up corrupting a person. Even the most Christian politician/business owner/etc. most often finds themselves in some way being corrupted by the power they have been given.

“The power of God does not create hierarchy and injustice.” Injustice, certainly. But hierarchy? Are you sure? What about the centurion whose faith Jesus so admired, who expressed that faith by affirming his place in a military hierarchy? How about the hierarchies in creation, in the family, in civil government, which God either set in place or seems to approve of?

Or perhaps the author means something different by the word “hierarchy” than I would?

“Transforms hierarchy” — Now that, I could buy.

David,

God does not create inherent hierarchy in human beings. He created us all as equal. Some people take on leadership roles in various situations (Christian leadership, defined as servant-leadership in Scripture). But there is never anything that makes any of us inherently better or superior to any other. A government official or a military officer has been chosen by God for a specific situation where they are leaders of some and followers of others, but there is nothing inherently superior about them. And they don't lead in every single area of their lives, just in those specific areas that God has called them to serve in.

God does not define leadership the way people do. Biblical leadership is not about power. It is about responsibility. A leader serves others, not the other way around.

I absolutely love this article. I am passing it along.

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29

Hermenuetics

twitter updates

What Is Her.meneutics?

interests

writers

Free Newsletters

books we're reading

blogs we're watching

Schwarzenegger, Strauss-Kahn, and Power

Comments

recent posts

Archives

Hermenuetics

twitter updates

What Is Her.meneutics?

interests

writers

Free Newsletters

books we're reading

blogs we're watching

Schwarzenegger, Strauss-Kahn, and Power

Comments

recent posts

tags

Archives