Politics and religion

Sunday our pastor quoted one of John Wesley's own favorite quotations (which I believe may have originated with Augustine): "In essentials unity, in non-essentials tolerance, but in all things love."

And then this morning I opened my daily email from The Upper Room, and found this wonderful and much needed reflection: ( Read more... )

I usually feel that when the Lord calls my attention twice to the same idea in a short amount of time, it's something I need to pay attention to. I frequently have found my own thoughts less than charitable lately towards those who disagree with my POV, especially when they are in the political arena; yelling "idiot" at the TV screen is not good for my blood pressure OR my spiritual development, and even worse is "thinking" it at someone I know in person who is talking about his/her own opinions that are different than mine. While I hope I have good manners enough to be civil in person, I have to realize that uncharitable thoughts don't do much good either, and it's hypocrisy on my part to be smiling at someone while inside I am seething at them.

For some reason, I don't have the same problem with my online friends, whether they agree or disagree-- I suppose it's being filtered through the written word that helps me organize my thoughts, so that we can have a civil discussion without my getting emotional?

I do LIKE debate and civil argument. I just don't like feeling that some people will never listen to ANYTHING I say, or worse, twist my own opinions into something they can ridicule. And I don't like being told I can't be a good Christian if my opinions on certain political things fall closer to the liberal side than the conservative.

The most important part of the first quote above is "in all things love". I wish that our leaders and lawmakers on BOTH sides of the political divide would remember that part.

Politics and religion

Sunday our pastor quoted one of John Wesley's own favorite quotations (which I believe may have originated with Augustine): "In essentials unity, in non-essentials tolerance, but in all things love."

And then this morning I opened my daily email from The Upper Room, and found this wonderful and much needed reflection: ( Read more... )

I usually feel that when the Lord calls my attention twice to the same idea in a short amount of time, it's something I need to pay attention to. I frequently have found my own thoughts less than charitable lately towards those who disagree with my POV, especially when they are in the political arena; yelling "idiot" at the TV screen is not good for my blood pressure OR my spiritual development, and even worse is "thinking" it at someone I know in person who is talking about his/her own opinions that are different than mine. While I hope I have good manners enough to be civil in person, I have to realize that uncharitable thoughts don't do much good either, and it's hypocrisy on my part to be smiling at someone while inside I am seething at them.

For some reason, I don't have the same problem with my online friends, whether they agree or disagree-- I suppose it's being filtered through the written word that helps me organize my thoughts, so that we can have a civil discussion without my getting emotional?

I do LIKE debate and civil argument. I just don't like feeling that some people will never listen to ANYTHING I say, or worse, twist my own opinions into something they can ridicule. And I don't like being told I can't be a good Christian if my opinions on certain political things fall closer to the liberal side than the conservative.

The most important part of the first quote above is "in all things love". I wish that our leaders and lawmakers on BOTH sides of the political divide would remember that part.

Challenge stories are up!

The May Challenge stories are up at lotr_community!

This month's stories vary wildly, as they are all from plot bunnies submitted by various community members and watchers!

My own story, "On the Road From Isengard" was written to fill a plot bunny submitted by shirebound!

I hope you will check them out! And tomorrow, we'll be posting the Art for this month's Art Challenge, with the them of "Sky"!

Challenge stories are up!

The May Challenge stories are up at lotr_community!

This month's stories vary wildly, as they are all from plot bunnies submitted by various community members and watchers!

My own story, "On the Road From Isengard" was written to fill a plot bunny submitted by shirebound!

I hope you will check them out! And tomorrow, we'll be posting the Art for this month's Art Challenge, with the them of "Sky"!