The Shadow of the Fear-vangelicals
This is a really important article for Christian people in the climate we have today. I really like at the end of the article when Skye Jethani writes:
The question is, how do you primarily view the “other”…as a threat to your safety or as a person worthy of your love?”
I actually see this trend in both the church world and in the mainstream culture. We really don’t know how to have the ability to listen to one another. I really love the chart I pulled from the blog below.
Do you see yourself on either side of this chart?
Yesterday I read a few articles on both gun control in the US, and Ontario politics as we head towards an election. The “Fight” side of the chart was alive and well in all the articles and blogs I read. Both sides calling each other names like stupid, brainwashed, uneducated as well as comments that bordered on racist, homophobic, and sexist. None of the articles I read really even talked about opinions and were more just slamming the other side and how “dumb” they are. I think we actually call these “red herrings” where we don’t even argue the actual topic anymore.
I see the other side of the chart in our Christian world where we continue to create a safe “side culture” where Christians run from the society we are in and circle the wagons waiting for impending doom.
Rob Dreher in this article is quoted as saying:
But doesn’t the Bible tell us that perfect love drives out all fear? What happened to the evangelical tradition, a movement that was noted for its robust engagement in the world, to turn a significant section of it into such a fearful bunch?
There has to be a better way. Each time I do one of my talks I address that fact that we might have differing opinions, and that is ok. If we can stop attacking and running from each other maybe we can start to find more common ground. Let us spend more time listening to each other and having a posture of openness and see where it takes us.
Please take a few minutes to read this article. Well worth your time.
