I write this piece from the perspective of one who believes in God and who tries (and fails regularly) to follow Christ. I do believe, however, that what I will convey may be relevant to those of different faiths or none.
As we move toward the election on Nov. 5, I encourage and implore each person not to demonize or hate those who disagree with her or him politically (or religiously, or in any way). Whatever our differences may be we all share much in common.
While we may differ on how best to govern, most of us are very grateful to live in the United States. We all want health and peace for ourselves and our loved ones. We all hope to have sufficient means to be able to live comfortably with enough food to eat, a wholesome, safe place to live and access to healthcare. We all want our children and grandchildren to have opportunities to follow dreams. Of course, many do not enjoy these blessings. But we all desire them — conservatives, liberals, moderates, and both believers in God and those who do not believe.
One of the most frequent things Jesus says in the gospels is, “Do not fear.” I believe fear (of people different from us, of ideas foreign to us, etc.) is a primary cause of the divisiveness in our country. Forces from both sides of the political spectrum frequently play on our fears, exacerbate our differences, ignore our commonalities, and make it easy to characterize those we disagree with as our “enemies.”
This negative and confrontational way of interacting has to stop, and I hope, pray, and believe that it will dissipate in time. I believe most people are sick of the constant barrage of negativity and vitriol rife in our society. The move toward civility needs to begin with each one of us. We must refrain from lashing out at or mocking those we disagree with. We must not laugh at cruel (if seemingly clever) barbs directed at conservatives or liberals or atheists or Christians, or…In short, we must practice common kindness. I have friends who will not vote as I do. And I have friends who do not share my religious beliefs. These are good people who love me and who I love. Maybe you also have friends or family members that you love with whom you disagree politically or religiously.
If you feel inclined, I encourage you to share your deeply-held convictions — political or otherwise — with others, both privately and in the public arena. But that can be done without being mean-spirited, and denigrating and demonizing those who hold differing opinions or beliefs. Not only is that the respectful and civilized way to make your views known, it also constitutes the best chance of others actually hearing your thoughts and perhaps reevaluating their own standpoints.
Jesus instructs his listeners — and us — to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Mt. 5:44). For those sincerely trying to follow Christ he does not offer this as a suggestion. With animosity as pervasive as it is in our world, this may seem a very difficult or even impossible teaching to follow. But I would suggest that to “love” does not mean to “like” or “to agree with.” When we love others we wish them well and hope for their peace and well-being. As for praying for those we dislike or disagree with, it can be a transformative experience. It is hard to demonize or hate another (or a group of “others”) when we wish them well from our hearts. I encourage you to give it a try.
Wishing all peace in this election season and always.
• Tim Spengler is a parishioner at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. He has a spiritual direction practice and is a hospice chaplain. “Living & Growing” is a weekly column written by different authors and submitted by local clergy and spiritual leaders. It appears every Saturday on the Juneau Empire’s Faith page.
