red fish, blue fish; one fish, two fish -- world

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Subject: red fish, blue fish; one fish, two fish

Author:
krz

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Date Posted: 11/11/04 8:25:28pm
In reply to: pa 's message, "red and blue is mostly purple" on 11/10/04 8:19:02pm

I think what I liked most about the u-mi site is that it attempts to show that we are a complicated and blended culture. I am frustrated with the post-election media (remember I'm an NPR junkie - so this is really an NPR critique) who are attempting to reduce this to a red/blue issue. Interesting, that after the election, I think I'm more positive of our ability to come together than I was prior to the election.

In listening to some of the people who are labelled as 'right wing Christian' or 'evangelical', I hear in their complaints that of which I am guilty. On 'talk of the nation' on Tuesday, I listened to a Baptist minister from ND, Rick Warren (author of A Purpose Driven Life), and a PhD researcher in Religious Studies from (somewhere).

(the link for anyone who wants to listen to the show)
http://www.npr.org/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=5&prgDate=9-Nov-2004

The host kept asking each of them - what's the mandate - what's the agenda - what's next? I expected to hear commentary like a new push to restrict abortion, a push to define marriage as between a man/woman, restrictions on stem cell research, the media standard. The answers of each surprised me - almost without exception they said (paraphrase) that the issue isn't an agenda, but of respect. Respect for the inclusion of ideas from people who value and practice Christianity in the communal discussion. A sense of being dismissed by the left simply because of their religion, rather than being included and then challenged to defend their perspective.

I'll be honest and admit that I saw some of myself in that conversation; dismissing those of strong religious conviction because of what I perceived to be a limited approach to complicated social issues. Made me think.....

Also made me really comfortable. I still am concerned about using religion as the ONLY basis for decision making (my critique of 'evangelicals')- but am not at all concerned with including a relgious view as one point in the complicated discussion. I also think the left has failed to understand the role religion plays in community building - and of the role churches play in providing opportunity for groups to come together for discussion, communion, friendship. My sense is we are longing for opportunities to come together - rather than sesarching for ways to differentiate.

We really are purple.

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Replies:

Subject	Author	Date
the sneetches	pa	11/12/04 2:42:30pm