I am growing weary. Actually, I think many people are. We are growing weary of loud voices taking extreme positions that drown out any healthy dialogue on important conversations. There are huge issues in our country including racism, homosexuality, religious beliefs, and more that impact real people in very personal ways that are being treated like stones to throw at others with damaging intent.
I can not go on-line without seeing people offended, angry, and militant about issues that could easily be a conversation instead of a shouting match. I watch people who have the same beliefs I do and people with beliefs different than I do treat each other in the most vicious of ways. I see people choosing to be offended instead of responding with a sense of humor or grace at the smallest infractions. I marvel that many ignore starvation, killing, poverty and war to focus crusades against conservatives or liberals.
We could blame the media. They certainly have done their fair share to raise what they think will get people watching more than reporting the news anymore. Many times when you read comments after a “news story” on-line, it is full of people amazed at how sensitive and/ or mean people have become. At the same time, there is still a fair share of commenters that jump on the band wagon and start trashing others.
I believe it is a “rubber band” effect. For a long time, there are many that did not have a voice. Now that they do, (in some areas) it’s yelling instead of conversation. For a long time, others were the only voices. Now that they are not, (in some areas) the talk has become defensive trying to protect their ground.
How I pray for more common sense, common decency, and common respect.
Tolerance is a word thrown around a lot now a days. I don’t see a lot of it in the loud voices on either side. Even some will brag about how tolerant they are while at the same time trashing on conservatives because their views are different than their own.
You do not have to agree with my beliefs for me to be your friend. However, we are losing the art of that.
Since I have been ranting on…. I’ll give you an hypothetical example that will probably get some mad at me.
Let’s say, I went to a caterer wanting them to do an event to celebrate my son’s baptism. I did not know the owner was muslim until he says, “I appreciate you thinking of us but as a muslim, I just don’t feel comfortable. I’m not the best fit.” Once I heard this, I would understand, thank him for his time, and go to another caterer. He didn’t act in a negative way towards me nor did I to him. We left with mutual respect.
It would never cross my mind to sue him, start a campaign against him, trash him on the news and yelp, and the like. I can respect his views and would never think about forcing him to serve my beliefs.
I also would not take the approach that the best way to show my anger that this man would not do business with me because our beliefs were different by championing others to pull their business from him because his belief was different than me. At the core, it’s the same action.
We can have different beliefs. (We can think the other is wrong on an issue without disrespecting one another on it.)
We can have the same tolerance and love for one another as we discuss our differences, experiences, and emotions.
We can not trash on one another and then pretend we are the victim because not one is listening anymore.
Again, random thoughts that have turning in my head for a bit….. Time to let them out.
Pastor Tom Hypes
theshepherdsfellowship.org
About Tom Hypes
