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How I went from a Rush-listening Republican at 16 to a socially liberal leaning independent in my 30’s and on - the short version:
After 9/11 George Bush, a *Christian*, shared his thoughts at a national prayer service, "This nation is peaceful but fierce when stirred to anger...”
As a Christian pastor listening *live* I was struck by these words.
Basically: we want vengeance.
As a Christian pastor listening *live* I was struck by these words.
Basically: we want vengeance.
Vengeance is not a Christian virtue
But I watched as most of my Christian friends and colleagues jumped on the war train. Some even had watching parties treating the invasion, where thousands of humans died as reality tv.
I remember arguing with an older pastor in a Church staff meeting about the war.
My argument:
Vengeance is not a Christian virtue and bombs don’t have a history of solving complex problems - also Jesus doesn’t seem pro-war
His argument:
America is God’s hand in the world and our violence doesn’t count cause we are the good guys.
(My paraphrase)
Vengeance is not a Christian virtue and bombs don’t have a history of solving complex problems - also Jesus doesn’t seem pro-war
His argument:
America is God’s hand in the world and our violence doesn’t count cause we are the good guys.
(My paraphrase)
Him part 2:
“They have WMD so we have no choice but to be violent to them to prevent them from being violent
(Narrator: “the monkey has a sword! “you idiots we’ve all got swords”
Mine: WMD are scary, but fear is not a Christians virtue either AND the evidence seems shady
“They have WMD so we have no choice but to be violent to them to prevent them from being violent
(Narrator: “the monkey has a sword! “you idiots we’ve all got swords”
Mine: WMD are scary, but fear is not a Christians virtue either AND the evidence seems shady
Needless to say this went on for a long time - but for the first decisive time I saw the crack in my own parties narrative. There was a small crack between *following Jesus* and *being Republican*
Being the short version, I’m just going to pause here to remind everyone I grew up conservative Republican and conservative Christian and was a pastor in a conservative Christian church. I was part of the 81% before it was cool.
Fast forward to Obama’s first presidential campaign. At this point in my life, I have exclusively voted for Republicans for basically everything ever. And even though I was growing uncomfortable I couldn’t imagine voting for a “bleeding liberal lying Democrat”
The healthcare debate caught my attention: helping people *is* a Christian virtue.
And yet, here was my team (conservative Christian/Republican arguing that helping people was *bad*
“Love your neighbor as yourself” I quoted.
“They need to earn it, earning it is easy for me, so they must be lazy and just want free handouts”
Love is a Christian virtue.
Withholding help from those who need it is not a Christian virtue. Neither is pride or scapegoating
“They need to earn it, earning it is easy for me, so they must be lazy and just want free handouts”
Love is a Christian virtue.
Withholding help from those who need it is not a Christian virtue. Neither is pride or scapegoating
“Ok I understand you work hard + have a job with benefits - but do families not deserve care because they are poor? Aren’t we ALL created in God’s image and forbidden to show favoritism?“
(Narrator: there are verses for all these questions)
(Narrator: there are verses for all these questions)
“I’m so thankful I had healthcare growing up. Doesn’t loving my poor neighbor as myself mean wanting them and their family to have healthcare too?”
Virtues summary:
Christian virtues: love, compassion, helping people, faith, grace.
Not Christian virtues: vengeance, fear, scapegoating, withholding care.
Christian virtues: love, compassion, helping people, faith, grace.
Not Christian virtues: vengeance, fear, scapegoating, withholding care.
These two issues - war and healthcare - opened my eyes clearly to what I had missed in placing my trust so fully in a party and their narrative.
As I kept reading Jesus words + teaching the crack kept growing - and yes I am a liberal leaning person BECAUSE of my study of the life of a Jesus.
(Narrator: he’s also not any fun at suburban pool parties anymore)
(Narrator: he’s also not any fun at suburban pool parties anymore)
Thanks for reading!
Related threads: https://twitter.com/brandonjbrown/status/1030142876922118146?s=21
What does it mean be liberal - thread: https://twitter.com/brandonjbrown/status/1023211094016487424?s=21
More about my political growth:
https://twitter.com/brandonjbrown/status/1207674166192824321?s=21 https://twitter.com/brandonjbrown/status/1207674166192824321
https://twitter.com/brandonjbrown/status/1207674166192824321?s=21 https://twitter.com/brandonjbrown/status/1207674166192824321