April 26, 2010 issue
Counterweight to distortion
Extremism and distortion, staples of American politics, thrive with special intensity today. Tea partiers are up in arms figuratively, rogue militias literally. Fear and anger stake out large domains on the radio, Internet and television. Politicians and pundits declare the end of the world as we know it.
Christian peacemakers must reject the exaggerations that inflate disagreements into epic battles and turn fellow citizens into enemies. Principles of honesty and charity require us to base our beliefs on facts and turn away from the lies that flourish in an overheated political and media environment.
Part of the problem is that some people will believe anything. Last August an NBC News poll showed 45 percent of Americans thought health care reform would give “death panels” power over end-of-life decisions. Or consider this fringe idea gone mainstream: According to a Harris poll in March, 14 percent of Americans, and 24 percent of Republicans, think President Obama might be the Antichrist.
No wonder political compromise is dead.
Sadly, one can see how the Obama-as-Antichrist theory could make sense within an apocalyptic worldview of political paranoia and fundamentalist end-times theology. Some other fantasies don’t have even that much to go on. One that has gained some popularity asserts the president wants to turn U.S. sovereignty over to a “one-world government.”
Hard as it is to imagine world unity breaking out, some people apparently do worry about it. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors extremist organizations, describes the rise of “patriot” groups, including 127 militias, “that see the federal government as part of a plot to impose ‘one-world government’ on liberty-loving Americans.”
Some ideas hardly merit a response, but sometimes a good rebuttal is worth the effort. One example is the reaction to Fox News commentator Glenn Beck’s attack on churches that preach or practice social justice. He warned that those churches promote Marxism and Communism. Jim Wallis, president and CEO of the progressive Christian organization Sojourners, wrote on The Washington Post’s On Faith blog that Beck’s comments sparked valuable discussion.
“Ironically, because of Beck’s nightly assaults, I haven’t seen such a national conversation in years about the meaning of biblical social justice,” Wallis wrote. “Several heads of church denominations have called to tell me that their pastors are actually preaching more about social justice because Glenn Beck told them not to.”
Wallis concluded that God must have a sense of humor. A lighthearted response can indeed be good for the soul. One nice line about death panels was that they’re nothing new. In the ’60s they were called draft boards.
Partisanship that slips across the line to extremism and distorts the truth cripples our ability to solve the nation’s problems. Christian peacemakers must refuse to let the overblown battles of politics and culture define us or guide our conduct. Let others argue about who the “real Americans” are. Better to be real Christians who speak our beliefs simply and honestly.
Comments
-
I take strong exception to Editor Schrag’s criticism of the TEA partiers, Glenn Beck, talk radio, etc.
In Mexico, thousands have died and continue to die in recent years from drug related violence, yet Editor Schrag expresses deep concern regarding the increasing influence of the TEA Party movement, Glenn Beck, FOX News Channel and talk radio. It was Hillary Clinton, before the election who, in a speech, strongly supported dissent of certain political issues. If it was OK for her, it should also be OK for the TEA Party, Glenn Beck, FOX News Channel, and talk radio to exercise freedom of speech to express dissent.
I frequently watch Glenn Beck on TV and am in complete agreement with his comments on Social Justice as a flawed religious principle. Glenn Beck has a separate phone line with the White House that the Obama administration can immediately call if at anytime he misstates any information. In addition, I watch FOX News Channel and listen to talk radio as I consider them as reliable sources of news information. I also receive emails from Jim Wallis and the Sojourners, his religious left organization. In short, I don’t consider the religious, political and media left as sources of reliable information.
Death panels are not a joking matter as Wallis concludes. First, 50 million innocent unborn babies have violently died because someone determined they were sub-human and ‘removing’ them was no more serious that removing a gall bladder. It was Hitler who determined the Jews were also sub-human, therefore it was legal to kill them. When the costs of this healthcare legislation are fully realized, I can assure you medical cost savings will be implemented that will result in premature deaths of the elderly, critically ill or seriously injured who will not receive needed medical attention in a timely manner as our current healthcare program provides. So, the religious left may spoof at the term ‘Death Panel’, but a rose by any other name is still a rose. Further, within the recent healthcare legislation, I believe a patient’s name will be entered into a government data base at the hospital or doctor’s office. From all related info in that person’s data base, a decision by a government employee can be made as to approved medical treatment. Why should citizens have any confidence in having a government employee approving or rejecting needed medical attention if cost or political party affiliation may become a factor? In this administration, promises made are frequently promises broken.
From reading MWR, it is OK to attend protests of war, but unacceptable for citizens of the US to peacefully protest political issues that are of deep concern to them. Social Justice as promoted by the Religious Left is nothing more than spreading the wealth agenda of the Obama administration covered with a religious cloak. Further these wasteful entitlement programs supported by the political and religious left are nothing more than expansion of government that is corrupt and inefficient. Our early forefathers come to this country seeking religious freedom. They did not come seeking universal healthcare and other entitlement programs that the religious left supports and considers a right.
A number of years ago, a former Mennonite and a long time acquaintance of mine told me Mennonites worship regularly at three altars: Pacifism, Anabaptism and Horizontal Relationships. In more recent years, it is obvious Mennonites have embraced and erected the fourth altar, Social Justice. In the November 18, 2008 issue of The Mennonite is a two page article titled An Evangelical Peace and Justice Church. In those two pages were 20 references to the words peace, justice and social justice in various combinations.
In conclusion, the political and judicial left tell us the US Constitution is no longer relevant and needs to be interpreted in accordance with current issues. The same with the religious left who say interpretation of certain portions of the Bible need to be changed to correctly take into consideration today’s issues.
-
When you know the Truth, the Truth will set you free. Dale, you write like someone in bondage. I wonder if you might change that bondage into freedom if you would read your Bible with an open mind, believing it, as much and as long as you watch TV and listen to talk radio.
Might you be bowing at the altar of Glenn Beck and others like him? Their views are mostly what you repeat--and your opinions about them and their views. When you refer to the Bible, it is usually the OT. Might there be a reason why we have the NT? It is the new covenant. You do not write of Christ being the supreme revelation of God. "If you had known me, you would have known my Father also . . ." The teachings of Jesus, the sermon on the Mt, the inspired writings of Paul, Peter, John, etc. supersede the OT. The value of the OT is that we see the fall of man and the inability to continue following God without the belief in Jesus Christ and allowing Christ and His Holy Spirit to guide our lives. I pray that you might more reflect the teachings of Jesus rather than the teachings (lies, divisive and inflammatory remarks) of Glenn Beck. Yes, that is what they are. If you do not read the Bible to see if "these things be so", you will follow Glenn, not Jesus. We are called to do what is called the Great Commission in Matt. 28:18-20. If we do what we are called to do, we would not have time to watch Glenn Beck. Two couples from our area were on vacation recently and they did not watch the news once all week! Do you work with and relate to the elderly 5-6 days a week? I do. And that is a simple fact, not putting me above others. It gives me a reality check. "our current healthcare program" results "in premature deaths of the elderly, critically ill or seriously injured who will (do) not receive medical attention in a timely manner". I can quickly name 10 patients who who have died in the past 3 months because they did not get timely care. And that is all in one county. How many nation wide if we had the compassion to notice and care? The simplest one to refer to is the woman who was "coughing constantly for 3 or 4 days" according to her husband before the facility sent her to the hospital with pneumonia. She was immediately put in ICU and died 4 days later. She was walking on her own up until that time. It weould be more Christian to write from experiece than opinion and claims of future happenings that we really don't know, but are scare tatics, i.e. the cost of future health care. Why are people from other countries living longer and at less cost who have had government managed health care? They have their own Dr. In France it is all on computer from the pharmacist to the Dr. And their information is secure. This information is from someone who toured a number of other countries to check out their health care systems. He went through the procedure, not just being told. Most of your post is unfair criticism, opinion, and not true. It is true that too many fetuses are aborted. But look at all the pain and suffering from lack of medical care, injuries in war, in auto accidents, because of use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, by guns, etc. Remember the Good Samaritan. Maybe we should get out and walk the "roads" of our culture and society and be Good Samaritans rather than listening to people that do not reflect the grace, compassion, and speech of Jesus our Savior. you mention a "decision by a government employee". No, all decisions will be made by you or your family and your or the patient's Dr. Read the law. Peace! Trust in God, not humans. -
Dale, I do not recall peace demonstrators, or organizers of peace rallies blatantly and willfully distorting facts. I have not seen violent rhetoric at peace demonstrations, nor have I seen signs that read, "We Came Unarmed... This Time," or "The Tree of Liberty is Watered with the Blood of Patriots."
Rhetoric such as this really pushes the envelope of what could be considered a "peaceable assembly." What would it be like if the group bearing these signs and this rhetoric were African Americans? Arab Americans? Ku Klux Klan? Communists? Anarchists? Would this be considered harmless?
Dale, when a man flew his Cessna into an IRS building earlier this year, conservative politicians joked about his anger against the IRS driving him over the edge. Would this have been a laughing matter if the pilot were a Muslim?
Les, I would disagree with your assessment of Dale as having been misled by the likes of Limbaugh and Beck. These men are self-professed entertainers, all about bringing in the ratings and the money. At least that is what they say in interview after interview. They are not about leading people. They are about telling people what they want to hear. Dale tunes in to Fox and right wing radio for the drivel he wants to hear about liberals grubbing for his cash to fund their outrageous lifestyles. Dale has a worldview to uphold, forget the torpedoes or the facts that stand in the way. [Previous sentence edited at author's request. — editor.]
Dale looks at the Bible and only sees what appeals to him and not necessarily with the interpretation that most people would have of a given verse. Were Dale not so focused on God's wrath, he would see that the merciful God of the Old Testament is ever faithful to His people, extending his helping hand through thick and thin, through stumble after stumble. The Father who sent his Son to demonstrate for us how to keep the law AND the humanity.
-
JPR, do I hear you correctly? Rush and others are saying that they are not telling the truth, they are just entertaining? I have better entertainment. There are too many that take the words of "news reporters" on FOX above the Biblical Word, to call it entertaining--at least for the serious Christian. It is not entertaining when they contradict themselves and each other and then say they did not say that, etc. We are worse off than I thought!
-
JPR, do I hear you correctly? Rush and others are saying that they are not telling the truth, they are just entertaining? I have better entertainment. There are too many that take the words of "news reporters" on FOX above the Biblical Word, to call it entertaining--at least for the serious Christian. It is not entertaining when they contradict themselves and each other and then say they did not say that, etc. We are worse off than I thought!
-
I agree that it is not particularly "entertaining." However, in interview after interview, Rush has said he is all about the money and ratings. Glen Beck has said similar. Bill O'Reilley has said frequently that he is just an act.
There are many who place too much authority on Fox News reporters, but there is way too much give and take to view it as simple brain washing. People subscribe to Fox because it sells them a message they want to hear. Kind of like wanting to read the same book over and over again. One likes the narrative. It brings comfort.
There is a lot of concern out there that things are bad today. The debt is sky high. The economy is in the tank. Our jobs are skipping the country. Education is not doing well. Health care does not reach everyone. There is much troubling about the world today, to be sure.
It is much easier to blame these problems on a vast liberal conspiracy of entitlement and sinful living than it is to look at consumer spending habits, deferred investments in infrastructure and education, and other areas that have myriad culprits. People want someone to blame, the simpler the better. (Consider the repeated posts by our colleague about the wrath of God against our society because of certain people in it.)
Fox is happy to provide such a narrative, reducing everything to talking points and adding some spin for good measure. Fox News works because it does not carry subscribers too far from their comfort zones with the added spin and conspiracy theories.
-
JPR, and do our posts hold them accountable so they lash out at us? How often do I hear, "I never did anything wrong"? The Bible does hold us accountable, because we are accountable as Christians. We are responsible beings, but if we can blame someone or something, then we feel good. Maturity means that we accept what we are responsible for. To repent is not the mood of the times. We see what we are looking for. I look for the positive. Some people see all the faults of others, but take no responsibility for their own conduct and faults. When people complain about abortion, I wonder what they are doing to change things.
The sad thing is that so-called evangelical Christians are more likely to be divorced than Muslims, Roman Catholics, Mormons, Eastern Orthodox, Hindus, and atheists. I wonder if that is true about abortion. Sorry about previous duplications. My computer says it was not sent, so I send it again. -
[Duplicate post removed at author's request.]
-
Paul, I really appreciated your editorial. I could find nothing wrong with it no matter how hard I tried! I could name several experiences that I have had that bear out the truth of what you wrote. Thanks so much for being willing in a gracious manner to speak the word with love and to the "powers" of the day. Someone recently told me that our President wants a "one world government". When I disagreed, he would not explain what he meant. In the future, I will ask after such a comment, "What do you mean by 'one world government'"? Anti-Christ simply means against Christ. The word is in the King James 4 times--never in the Book of Revelation--only in 1 and 2 John. And John writes that many anti-Christs have already come. So there never was, is not, and never will be one Anti-Christ. We know that someone who talks about an anti-Christ has not gotten it from the Bible. If we don't follow the Bible, are we following Christ?
-
I wanted to simply note that Les and JPR seem to see spin and distortion only on one side of the debate. Apparently Jim Wallis has the monopoly on reason and truth and has accurately decoded the meaning of scripture. The posters go so far as to discount an entire "worldview" (note the trendy buzzword crossover) and news outlet as entirely false and apparently desrving of ridicule and satire. Seems that this type of attitude only inflames the debate further. Acting like others don't matter is not the same as being "truthful" or "speaking truth to power"....which in case you haven't noticed, the powerful have been non-Fox News people for some time now.
JPR also writes: "There is a lot of concern out there that things are bad today. The debt is sky high. The economy is in the tank. Our jobs are skipping the country. Education is not doing well. Health care does not reach everyone. There is much troubling about the world today, to be sure." I tend to think that many people have different ways of addressing these issues........certainly Fox News (or whatever demon exists on the right) don't have all bad ideas? Have the conservatives ruined education?
As to finding nothing wrong with Paul's editorial, it must not be hard given he 'attacks' or 'criticizes' only one approach to politics and faith......one Les seems to agree with abundantly. Balanced indeed. Am I the only one who sees the hypocrisy/humor in this?
-
Les-I agree with you. People do tend to lash out when their carefully constructed and protected worldviews are challenged or otherwise held to account. Though I also acknowledge it is possible to cause such a lash out when I am a jerk about challenging them.
The thing is, politics has always been a nasty thing. At the point where we take principles and decide how to put them into practice in policies, a chasm is leaped between intent and results. As a result, there can be much legitimate disagreement about which policies to pursue, since several seemingly different policy directions can work toward the same principle. Consider the heat surrounding Goshen College's decision to play the national anthem before some sporting events.
These discussions can get heated of course, but so long that there is a mutual respect between the parties, there is nothing wrong with this. These debates have helped to keep Christianity thriving and healthy.
What is different about the present situation, it seems, is that the mutual respect is gone. We have a system where we are really quick to call someone "un-Christian" or "un-American" because of political disagreement.
This is particularly the case as one conflates the abortion debate, as an example, beyond the question of whether it ought to be legal. Those who favor illegalizing it become misogynistic chauvinists; those who oppose illegalizing it become pro-abortion baby killers. There are fringes, of course, but both sides generally recognize the sanctity of human life. One side views abortion as irreconcilable with the preservation of life. The other side views abortion as an at times necessary evil in preserving a woman's life--either the woman would not be able to survive the pregnancy medically, or her psyche after a trauma such as rape or incest would be such that she would do something rash, killing herself and the baby. In short, with few exceptions one finds neither misogynists nor wanton baby killers.
The same polarization is present in many other issues, too. The important thing is that we recognize which principles develop from our faith as Christians, and which ones develop from other sources: wealth preservation, ethnocentrism, hyper nationalism, etc. And then it is important to recognize which principles from other sources stand at odds with our faith.
Of course it is infinitely simpler to assume that we are each ideal Christians and that everyone else has it wrong--though this line of argument tends to lead to much anger and few compelling arguments when challenged.
-
To Editor Schrag, you seem to be very cozy to Jim Wallis of Sojourners. What I find interesting is Daniel Berrigan, a contributor writer to Sojourners is a convicted individual who illegally entered certain facilities where he and others were charged with ten different felony and misdemeanor counts. As anti-war activists, Daniel and others damaged military items and poured blood onto documents and files. I wonder if Editor Schrag and Jim Wallis would be as considerate to Dr. Jim Dobson, a strong prolife supporter if he would illegally enter a Plan Parenthood office or an abortion clinic, destroy equipment and pour blood over files as an abortion protester. Do birds of a feather still flock together? The umbrella of religious Social Justice obviously welcomes religious, convicted law breakers. Perhaps this is the new Jesus way in Social Justice.
-
Dale, are character assassinations really necessary for your arguments? I suppose if you have nothing else to back up your side, a good attack on a person's character can be an effective ersatz, but really.
-
What troubles me in all of this is that there are legitimate conservative arguments to be made. I do not necessarily agree with all of them and I will not make them for someone else.
In defending hooliganism and responding with personal attacks, character assaults, and accusations of bias, these arguments are not made and polarization is hardened. The whole thing gets silly very quickly.
Comment on the article Counterweight to distortion
The purpose of comments is to engage in dialogue. We expect commenters to treat authors and each other as each would want to be treated. Respectful criticism is welcomed; offensive comments or parts of comments will be removed by the site administrator. Name and comment will be posted; email address is for follow-up only and will not be made public.
Download
Download a free PDF showing the populations of
Mennonite groups and other Anabaptists.
