A Reflection on Elections

If you’re reading this blog to find out my political views, you may as well close it now. I have political views, but I think they’re best expressed over a cup of coffee, not the internet. Sorry!

No, this blog is to express my reflections and observations on the election itself, specifically the way that people have been responding to its issues. 

This election has become a platform for a vast spectrum of controversial topics- how best to manage the economy, how to respond to the crisis of missing and murdered Aboriginal women, and who should be welcomed into this country as a Canadian. But how are we doing when it comes to discussing these topics respectfully and fruitfully? How can we be doing better?

A Note to Christians

I am a Christian, as are many of the people in my life. Still, I know that many of my friends who ascribe to other religions or worldviews have observed or been part of the controversial election debates too. If that’s you, feel free to read on!

Christians, here’s the reality. It’s ok for us to disagree with each other. On every relevant election issue, there are a variety of viewpoints that a Christian can hold. Most of these issues are not critical or central to our faith. In case you are not certain of that, let’s review the Apostle’s Creed, widely accepted as a comprehensive statement of what Christians believe: 

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

I’m not saying this is all-encompassing. There are a lot of issues that are important to Christians that are not covered by the creed. 

At the same time, I would say that NONE of those issues have a universally accepted “Christian” perspective on them. We disagree on Biblical interpretations, severity or urgency of the issue, and the most effective response. And that’s ok! Diversity is a good thing, not something to be feared. It is through the exploration of diverse opinions, understandings, and viewpoints that we can challenge ourselves and grow.

By creating the hostile, arrogant environment that I have seen countless times since the election was called, we are driving a wedge between ourselves and others. I have to ask: to what end? Are we that certain that our current opinions are (capital T) The definitive, flawless, righteous viewpoints that Christ commands us to take? I know I personally have altered and in some cases reversed my views as I have continued to study the Bible and experience the world. God and His word don’t change, but our understanding of both should as we continue to seek a mature faith. 

Even for views that are a little more cut-and-dry, do we really need to fight tooth and nail, even to the point of alienating our own family and friends? In my observation, that has proven to be more unproductive and divisive than thought-provoking and edifying. 

A Lesson in Grace

I think the lesson to be learned this election is grace. We need to have grace for each other, grace for ourselves, and almost especially grace for the politicians. Is there any other way that we can be transformed into a productive, loving, unified nation?

I am reminded of Paul’s words to the Galatians, a standard to which I genuinely desire (and consistently fail) to adhere:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

When reflecting on your own personal views, I encourage you to challenge them with the grace check I have set up for myself:

1. Why do I believe this? What combination of Biblical teaching, fact, and lived experience contribute to my perspective?
2. Do I need to express my perspective? Why or why not? If I do, what is the most edifying and effective way to do so?
3. How can I be contributing to the Kingdom of God in this circumstance? How can I make the world a better place?

God help us all!

Sometimes, being special sucks.

What Glee fan can forget the intense moment before Season 1 Sectionals when Mr. Schuester has to convince Finn to compete with New Directions right after he finds out that he’s not ACTUALLY the father of Quinn’s baby? Despite the slight inclination to yell at the dopey teenager for not realizing that he could not possibly have been the father, you can’t help but sympathize with him. He’s under continual pressure to be the coolest, nicest guy in school. He’s football captain, the head cheerleader’s boyfriend, and emerging star of the glee club. That’s a lot for a 16-year old to handle!

Sadly, Cory Monteith’s off-screen life was no easier than his character’s. The entire Western world was interested in who he was dating, where he was singing, and ultimately, the substances he was abusing. He was constantly in the public eye, and seemingly couldn’t do anything without the paparazzi picking up on it.

It’s the same old story. We hear it all the time, but yet we never change anything about it. Celebrity gossip magazines are still a billion-dollar industry, with no sign of changing. Now, with the advent of social media, Monteith’s tweets and goings-on can be monitored by any teenaged girl with a computer.

However, this post isn’t about criticizing contemporary society. There are enough social scientists, journalists, preachers and critical thinkers writing about that. What I’m concerned about as a follower of Christ is the turmoil Cory must have gone through in the last few years of his life.

Drugs are not something addicts choose to wake up and do every morning. They take over your relationships, your thoughts, your hopes, and your life. They bring you to rock bottom, with little hope of climbing back up again.

At my church in Ottawa, I have had the pleasure of getting to know former drug addicts whose lives have been turned around by the power of Jesus’ love. Instead of having their lives controlled by heroin, cocaine or alcohol, they are friends of God, and as such are blessed with divine love, joy, peace, and hope.

Unfortunately, not every addict has the opportunity to experience such love in his or her lifetime. This, to me, is heartbreaking. I genuinely hope that Cory Monteith had the opportunity to know God, and that as he died, he knew that he was special not because of his talent in acting and singing (though sadly not dancing!), but because he was created and known by the Lord of the universe. I also pray that he knew he was not alone when he died, even though none of his friends or colleagues or even stalkers were with him in that hotel room.

What makes you special? What gives your life worth? For me, it’s my relationship with God. Psalm 139: 1-6 reads:

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

God knows each of us intimately, and wants us to take comfort in that. No matter what the societal, personal, and professional pressures that go on in our lives, we can always relax with our Heavenly Father. Isn’t that amazing?

Sometimes, being special sucks. This isn’t a post about the evils of the paparazzi, social media, or drugs. It’s a post expressing my heartbreak in knowing that a young man lost his life, maybe having never known God. I honestly will pray for Cory Monteith’s family and friends, and for all those who are still slaves to their addictions as an escape from real life.

Why I Don't Care About Controversial Religious Issues

Love.

It was radical when Jesus said it, but somehow, over 2000 years later, we still haven’t managed to get the point.

This week, Tim Thomas publicly announced that he believes in “traditional Biblical values” with respect to marriage. It follows, of course, that he does not believe in gay marriage.

I bet you think you know what I’m going to say in the post. At the very least, you think you’re going to read an article about my arguments about why I do or do not believe in gay marriage. The same would be true if I opened with a line about abortion, or pre-marital sex, or any of those divisive current issues in society. That is NOT what I’m writing about.

You know why? I don’t care. I’m not pushing any agenda to convince you to think like I do on any of those issues. Partly because, despite my Christian faith, I don’t really feel like I have a conclusive answer to any of those big questions. But MOSTLY because making laws to prevent people from getting married or ending their pregnancies or having sex before marriage is not going to show them love or compassion.

Jesus told us that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God, but that the second was to love our neighbours as ourselves (Matthew 22). He didn’t just talk the talk, either. He ate meals with tax collectors, He showed compassion to a woman who had already had FIVE husbands! He saved an adulterous woman from being stoned to death! Jesus genuinely loved every single person He came into contact with.

In my life, I have had struggles. It’s normal! The entire Bible tells us stories about people who weren’t good enough to live up to God’s standard. When I was stuck with thoughts about how much I hated my body, and battled with a 6-year struggle against an eating disorder, what if someone told me that what I was doing was immoral, and that they wanted to make it illegal? Would that have made me want to stop? Or would it have increased my shame and constant struggle with feeling inadequate?

If all of this is true… If Jesus wants us to love people, and I am not even close to being perfect, then what right do I have to tell people how to live? Perhaps it would be better to encourage young girls that they don’t have to have sex with their high-school boyfriends to be accepted, or to recognize that same-sex attraction is a confusing and difficult emotion for a lot of people. Maybe once we start actually loving the people around us, they won’t get so angry and alienated by us.

Ghandi said, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.” He wasn’t wrong when he said this, guys. If Jesus were here right now, I would be ashamed of how dissimilar I am from Him. 

So, what do I think about gay marriage? Of abortion? I think they are tough issues, and instead of choosing a “pro” or “anti” side, I’m just going to say this: I love gay people. I love the women who get abortions. Because that’s what Jesus would have done. And if I’m fighting for the law and losing track of Jesus, then what am I fighting for? The law will pass, along with all other temporary things in the world. 

God is forever. Love is forever. I choose that side.