Check out this letter to the editor that was in the Tribune today.
I don't know how to handle it sometimes when Christians spout nationalism and self-righteousness. I don't want to love this guy. I hate what is being said in the name of our savior, I hate what is happening to everyone out there who already thinks Christians are a bunch of racist loonies. I hate that good friends of mine move farther from the gospel when these guys take their pulpit.
It really bothers me that he quotes the "anger in the temple" passage in scripture to justify his tirade, because I once had a frustrated church member use that as his justification for ripping into me for 30 minutes straight.
But with all of that, I know that the gospel is there to somehow restore him too. (right? part of me wants to be wrong on this one)
I'm not sure - what should our response be to stuff like this? I'm thinking about writing my own letter, but I'd really like some opinions, because I am a little bit lost, and I am sure this is equally frustrating to all of you. What I don't want to be is another biased and bickering Christian with a slightly different perspective.
If you want to know what made this pastor so bothered, it was when someone asked him to sign this, called a "Pledge of Respect":
"I pledge that as I take positions and enter into dialogue on the issue of immigration that the tone of my discourse and the choice of my words will reflect the respect I have for the sacred humanity of those about whom I am speaking and with whom I may disagree."
I'm not sure that this pledge is going to bring about world peace, but seriously, how angry do you have to be to go on a rant about such a harmless and well-intentioned paragraph?
Tim and Heather's poem was beautiful (please post it) and it really displays an amazing hope for this place.
I just get discouraged - I feel like that ugly article was the exact opposite of that poem.
Sorry for the rant, but seriously - Where do we go from here?
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3 comments:
"Where do we go from here?"
It's also the title of one of MLK Jr's books. It talks of community building. Because he wasn't fooling himself, he knew that things would have to change on such an intimate level before any change happened.
I read the article in the paper today. Quite honestly, Aaron, it would be cool if you responded with the wording of the petition, and then make your point about world peace. Because it's a good one, and the Trib would certainly publish it.
I'm not excusing people's racism in the next bit. I just want to share with you the history of Greeley to help you maybe understand where it all comes from.
Greeley was founded as Union Colony in something something of a year. It was actually founded as Union Colony, and the adjoining Spanish Colony. Built for those who had come here to labour as farmers alongside those white farmers. Racism in our community was started with this separate/equal ideology and continues to be a very HUGE issue. On both sides. Those who lived in the spanish colony were very proud of their little city of opportunity.
Again, I don't say this to excuse, but to say that these two cultures have been trying to coexist here for over 100 years, and change is very very slow, and very hard. Especially when we live in Colorado where "nobody is a racist."
All this to say...take heart. The same Gospel which has the power to offer you an exit door is the One which has the power to redeem people's opinions and feelings of condemnation (whether it's we who condemn, or others who condemn.)
Here's to the day when we drink out of the crystal sea.
~H
I could punch that guy. Seriously I know him. I go to school with his daughters. I think that would be rash. You want to know who he is like? Jesus Camp! Eric can vouch for me; this movie is intense and all about hard-core-right-winged-conservative-evangelical christians. Steve Grant is one of them, and while I think his opinion is ludacris, it is also just that: his opinion. You can rant about this dude and how wrong he is, but what good would that do? If a person thinking about becoming a christian read that, and then read yours, what would he/she do? It would be a turn off for me, I know. Just a thought, but he is a good guy I promise. We have to cut those republicans some slack lol.
yeah. as ben said, i do know this guy, and know his kids. hmmm. i'm trying to figure out what he even means by some of this stuff. i disagree with his mixing the "American spirit" with Christianity and a lot of his stuff... But I don't think he's not a lunatic. (I don't think you do either.)
would adding to this public discussion by writing a letter make it more peaceful or less? i have no idea. i guess that's a question to consider.
Hmmm. We should all talk about this tomorrow.
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