I realize that like most people right now, my Facebook and Twitter feed automatically shows me the things that I am interested in and agree with. Since most of my church friends and theatre peeps feel a lot like I do, I see a lot of the same side of things. I try really hard to find articles that show both sides or even the opposing side to issues, because I want to be able to find the truth somewhere in there. I want to see all sides. It is difficult.
I carefully pick my news outlets and read articles, trying to avoid the comments. Sometimes they either pop up live and are hard not to see. Sometimes I see the beginning of one that has more information and I scroll down only to then be hit with another comment that is full of venom and curses.
If we can’t have a calm, intelligent conversation without hatred and name calling, how are we supposed to ever solve anything?
I am confused.
We have always heard that we are all different. It is what makes life wonderful and it is what makes pretty much everything work. We all have our parts to play. If we are going to shun people who are different, and we are all different, then how is life supposed to work?
I am confused.
If one side quotes out of context scripture to prove their point and says that they are right because the Bible supports them and then the other side cherry picks other out of context scripture to prove their point and says they are right because it says so in the Bible- who’s side is God really on?
I am confused.
When my son saw the movie “The Founder” which portrays the life of Ray Kroc, the man who supposedly founded McDonalds, his major complaint was that Kroc cheated everyone, came out on top and then the movie ends. My son knew it was a true story, but somehow he still wanted a happier ending. He at least wanted to see how they made their hamburgers or something uplifting! I had to remind him that the good guy doesn’t always win. As we talked I realized that in a way we lie to our kids when we tell them to do the right thing, it will all work out for the best in the end. When we tell them that bad behavior won’t be rewarded, that right wins over might, that doing the right thing will have its reward, are we being honest and realistic?
A local radio personality had their daughter come out publicly recently. In the article that followed the parents said they would not accept that and that they did not care if she was happy or healthy, that their only concern was with her salvation. That was a harsh statement to read from a parent and it really stopped me in my tracks.
From a lot of the people who agreed with those parent’s sentiment I now hear in response to the immigration ban that we have to protect ourselves, even if Jesus asks us to open our hearts to strangers. That it is a different world and we have to take measures to watch out and put ourselves and our safety first. So now they are no longer worried about their salvation, but about staying safe, happy and healthy?
I am confused.
I see people on both sides who complained about things past elected officials did, but now that someone from their party is doing something egregious they accept it because it has their party or their group’s name on it?
I am confused.
How are we ever going to move forward, make progress, get anywhere if we can’t talk? If we accept things from some people we would never accept from others, we tell our children and ourselves lies, profess things we don’t really believe, don’t look at things objectively and won’t look at or see anything but our side of discussions? How are we ever going to unite if we vilify people for being different and if we forget that we are all human?
I am so confused.
I can’t quote you 57 verses of scripture to prove any point I have, ever. I guess I have spent too much time learning lines and music and not enough time memorizing Bible verses. The only things I thought I really needed to learn when I became a Christian in my later life was to love one another, not judge others and to do unto others as I would have done to me. I thought that was pretty much the basics. If those things are no longer true, I wish someone would tell me. And I have to say, if that isn’t the truth anymore I am beyond confused- I am destroyed.
