This has been inspired somewhat, albeit not entirely, by the events of last night - our first presidential candidate debate of the general election season. My aim here is not ultimately political; as we all know by now, I'm a fairly committed Green Party voter who finds equal numbers of things abhorrent in both parties, and who is a little bitter that the political establishment is unwilling to invite Gary Johnson and Jill Stein to participate in the debates.
But no, this is not about policy or politics, but rather politesse. While the history of our society is not exactly one written with the words of respectful dissent and compromise, I can't help but feel if we have arrived at a new low in terms of our ability to remain civil in our discourse. The last three elections cycles have progressively gotten worse in terms of the vitriol being spewed not only by the official campaigns, but by the average citizen. There's no need to name specific examples; I'm willing to bet we can all list them. I'm willing to allot plenty of blame to myself; I have not been charitable in my comments, public or private, about any of the Republican candidates. I hope I have avoided being hateful, but as I think back to thinks I've said about Perry, Santorum, and Bachmann, I'm reasonably sure that I've not entirely avoided that pitfall.
So, today, I repent. For the next month, while I will not abstain from criticizing the comments or policy positions of either candidate, I pledge to do so in a way that is critical of their comments or policy positions, not of their humanity nor that of their supporters. Neither Romney nor Obama are the anti-Christ. Neither of them are likely to be the sole, single individual who drives the U.S. over the cliff; let's be honest, take the long view, and act like reasonable, rational people who recognize that our ruination as a country, if it comes, will be the responsibility of a large number of people, both Democrat and Republican, and that every single one of us as citizens of this nation ought to be allotted a degree of that responsibility due to our collective sins of a variety of sorts. Obama is not an evil, communist monster set on forcing your grandmother into euthanasia while spending every cent of your child's inheritance; Romney is not a soulless, Mr. Burns-esque type who likes watching the orphaned poor be fed into an ore smelter on closed-circuit tv from the comfort of his marble-floored bedroom. They are people who have competing ideologies about how best to govern, what makes our nation great, and how best to guide it on the path to further greatness.
And, I will publicly repent from another sin today. I have, in various ways both public and private, mercilessly attacked sisters and brothers in Christ who hold to conservative, fundamentalist/"evangelical" beliefs. I've been provoked to do so both from their assault on those of my progressive Christian convictions (and of non-Christians who hold similar values), and by my own life experiences growing up in churches, schools, and a local society dominated by this brand of Christianity. Most of those life experiences were fairly miserable, laden with guilt, and have required what I would call nothing short of de-programming in order for me to become an emotionally and spiritually healthy Christian and person.
However, if I say that I've forgiven all those who have contributed to that reality, and if I say that I am committed to living in such a way that reflects Christ's love, then I have to cede my right both to revenge and to counterattack. I do not have a good track record on this, and I will be the first to admit it. Today, I'm committing myself to change. I will continue to disagree in matters theological and exegetical with my brothers and sisters on the Christian Right, and I will continue to write and talk about those disagreements, but from here on out, I am going to work my hardest to do so in a way reflective of our shared humanity in the image of God, and of our shared called to be Christ's Body in a world often hostile to its values and message.
It's going to be hard, though. I know I feel something gratifying about lashing into an opponent; I think a lot of us do. We enjoy the sensation of feeling like we've destroyed the opposition and made them look like fools. But, it's time to stop. I fear if we continue down the path of indulging ourselves that sensation, we will wake up and find both a ruined nation AND a ruined Church. So, today, I want to become part of the solution, and invite you to think about how you can do the same. God help us all.
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