I am not against polarization. It is built into the nature of the universe. It bestows balance and keeps our planet in proper orbit.
I am against polarization for the wrong reasons. I am opposed to opposition for the sake of opposition.
I am opposed to vitriolic utterances against our opponents just because they have differing perspectives.
I am opposed to almost every political ad I see in opposition to the other side. First, one caricatures ones opponent and distorts his or her viewpoint. Then, one attacks that person's character.
And all this is done with cliches and lowest common denominator appeals to our sensibilities with the assumption that we are unable to think for ourselves.
And it works!
I am opposed to good people being mean and nasty to other good people.
I am opposed to the over simplification of complex issues.
We are in a dangerous place in this nation and in the church. It is not because of any of the reasons that cited by opposite poles of opinion. We are in a dangerous place because of the number of people on either side who completely miss the point.
The point is that there is not always a point. Sometimes there are dull edges and gray areas of ideology that need to be discussed intelligently and respectfully. We are becoming increasingly unwilling to do so and, we are missing the real point.
I speak to Christians here who are polarized by competing ideologies. Christians, in our zeal and desire for truth, miss the core truth and the core command of our Master - the call to love at all costs and to love supremely.
What would it mean in and to our nation if we really loved God and other people as we are commanded to do?
We would not blindly surrender our differing perspectives. We would not glibly gloss over our viewpoints. We would not be silent about our convictions. But we would meet our neighbors differently. We would greet our opponents with greater grace. We would look our adversaries in the eye and we would listen to them.
We would speak respectfully to them and of them.
And we, the church, would set the example and lead the way to a more civil society.
And we would find solutions to some of our deep and pressing problems.
Even more important is the possibility that we would actually point the way to Jesus rather than obscuring the view for those who are seeking authenticity.
If we do not learn to love and practice love, I believe that this polarization can destroy our nation. More than any perceived threats from the right or the left, incivility and polarization will destroy us.
Our core problem is that we are operating with a love deficit.
The call to God's people is to create a stimulus package - to stimulate love in our world by practicing love.
It is called being salt and light.
Will we?
