Where Is the Dialogue?
There is so much going on in our world right now that, at times, a person can almost feel like giving up. The COVID-19 virus continues to spread with thousands of new cases being detected every day across America and the world. Yet, the death rate from that disease continues to drop. Some epidemiologists believe that the virus is weakening in strength. That would be great news for all of us. Others say that, with the reopening of society, that we are developing that "herd immunity" which is common with all viruses. But, we know that this virus is going to continue to impact our culture and lives for the next foreseeable future. Questions are raised concerning schools reopening this fall. The American Academy of Pediatrics has gone on record as saying that schools need to open this fall. Yesterday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos also re-echoed that thought as she and the President met with a round-table discussion group.
Yet fears persist. Some major colleges, such as Harvard and USC, have planned for only on-line learning this fall. Other colleges and universities will have in-person classes but then take a longer mid-winter break, especially during those times when the influenza season is strongest. There are conversations among sports conference officials about postponing the fall sports seasons, including football, until the spring. This would eliminate exposing people to the virus in crowded football stadiums this fall. But, what about basketball with is crowded arenas - all seated indoors?
Oh the questions that are being asked. Here at our church our staff is having such questions as we begin planning for the fall. We social-distance in our worship venues. Will that continue this fall? Will we have to scale back on some of our ministries because of social-distancing requirements? What impact would this have on AWANA and youth ministries; kids and teens don't practice social-distancing very well, if at all. We have a fall missions conference planned - how will that be impacted? And, one doesn't even want to begin thinking about all those Christmas activities. Planning is tough as there are so many variables and different scenarios that need to be considered. But, we know that God will give His guidance.
In addition to the COVID-19 virus, there is the continued social unrest in our nation right now. These certainly are times unlike any I have witnessed since the mid-1950's and the 1960's. Even then there were voices that attempted to calm the crowds, voices like those of Martin Luther King. His dream was that we would be judged on the basis of our character, not on our color. One wonders what Dr. King would think of what is happening right now. Where are those voices that are urging calm and offering dialogue? If such voices exist, they have been silenced by the shouting from both sides of the issue.
Let me share with you a couple lessons from history that illustrate the importance of dialogue and what happens when dialogue fails. In the mid-1750's the American colonists became aggrieved because of the escalation of taxes forced upon them by England. They sent representatives to meet with King George III and with Parliamentary leaders to share their concerns. They did not want to break from England, but they had strong concerns about what they believed were wrongs being perpetrated upon them. But the overtures of dialogue went unheeded. And, we all know the consequences: a long and protracted War of Independence.
A second example comes nearly a century later. America had become embroiled in the question of slavery. Strong positions were created on both sides of this debate. And debate they did. Compromises were passed one after another in Congress to attempt to resolve this deeply dividing issue. But, soon there would be no more debate. There would be no more dialogue. Instead, there would be war and bloodshed - a war that lasted for four long, agonizing years, and bloodshed that staggered the imagination.
Does anyone want to have a substantive dialogue on the issues today? Is the word "compromise" still in anyone's political vocabulary? Perhaps we are afraid of dialogue, afraid of truly sitting down and listening to someone else's ideas and opinions because they just might challenge our own. I know, personally, I prefer to dialogue with those who I know are more aligned with my views. Yet, I also know that I need to be challenged by those whose views I am more uncomfortable with. Yes, there are some areas of principle based upon my understanding of Scripture that I will not compromise. But oh there are many areas where I should be challenged.
Friends, I witness what is happening and I am fearful of the direction we are headed. I hear comments like the one made by Minnesota's representative Ilhan Omar yesterday that it is time to "dismantle America's system of oppression." Her reference was to America's capitalist-based economic system. And last week Democratic Presidential nominee said that he would "transform America." Those hardly seem like words offering dialogue. I don't have space this morning to share all of an important article with you, but I highly recommend that you download it and read it. It was written by Michael Walsh who has written several books on Western civilization. You can find this article at: www.theepochtimes.com/the-left-pushes-to-finally-take-down-america_3400013.html. Let me just share a paragraph or two: "Make no mistake: This assault has been planned and coordinated for years to strike America where she is weakest: in her innate sense of rightness and fair play. Martin Luther King Jr.'s civil rights movement was heavily penetrated by the Soviets, who cynically felt they could manipulate American emotions while appealing to the better angels of our nature. But how quickly we have moved from King's plea that we judge a man by 'the content of his character' and back to 'the color of his skin.' Marxists see the world in categorical terms: You are not an individual (individuals are too difficult to control), but a member of a group (mobs are easy), subgroup, or even many subgroups (hence the proliferation of sexual categories from the genuine 2 to 46, by one recent count). Meanwhile, the enemy remains the same: the white, probably Christian, male. Accordingly - and with astonishing rapidity - Western civilization from Aquinas to Mozart to Ronald Reagan now effectively equals 'white supremacy,' and therefore must be destroyed." This is an article that must be read by everyone.
Sadly a new civil war is brewing in America today. This is not a war between north and south, or between east and west. This is a contest between neighbors within communities. It is greater than between blacks and whites. It is greater than between whites and indigenous Americans. This is a contest concerning a vision for the future of our country. Will that vision remain which was based on the values upon which our nation was founded 244 years ago, or will it be replaced with a system that it antithetical to the dreams of our Founding Fathers? That is the question which few really want to dialogue about.
Yet fears persist. Some major colleges, such as Harvard and USC, have planned for only on-line learning this fall. Other colleges and universities will have in-person classes but then take a longer mid-winter break, especially during those times when the influenza season is strongest. There are conversations among sports conference officials about postponing the fall sports seasons, including football, until the spring. This would eliminate exposing people to the virus in crowded football stadiums this fall. But, what about basketball with is crowded arenas - all seated indoors?
Oh the questions that are being asked. Here at our church our staff is having such questions as we begin planning for the fall. We social-distance in our worship venues. Will that continue this fall? Will we have to scale back on some of our ministries because of social-distancing requirements? What impact would this have on AWANA and youth ministries; kids and teens don't practice social-distancing very well, if at all. We have a fall missions conference planned - how will that be impacted? And, one doesn't even want to begin thinking about all those Christmas activities. Planning is tough as there are so many variables and different scenarios that need to be considered. But, we know that God will give His guidance.
In addition to the COVID-19 virus, there is the continued social unrest in our nation right now. These certainly are times unlike any I have witnessed since the mid-1950's and the 1960's. Even then there were voices that attempted to calm the crowds, voices like those of Martin Luther King. His dream was that we would be judged on the basis of our character, not on our color. One wonders what Dr. King would think of what is happening right now. Where are those voices that are urging calm and offering dialogue? If such voices exist, they have been silenced by the shouting from both sides of the issue.
Let me share with you a couple lessons from history that illustrate the importance of dialogue and what happens when dialogue fails. In the mid-1750's the American colonists became aggrieved because of the escalation of taxes forced upon them by England. They sent representatives to meet with King George III and with Parliamentary leaders to share their concerns. They did not want to break from England, but they had strong concerns about what they believed were wrongs being perpetrated upon them. But the overtures of dialogue went unheeded. And, we all know the consequences: a long and protracted War of Independence.
A second example comes nearly a century later. America had become embroiled in the question of slavery. Strong positions were created on both sides of this debate. And debate they did. Compromises were passed one after another in Congress to attempt to resolve this deeply dividing issue. But, soon there would be no more debate. There would be no more dialogue. Instead, there would be war and bloodshed - a war that lasted for four long, agonizing years, and bloodshed that staggered the imagination.
Does anyone want to have a substantive dialogue on the issues today? Is the word "compromise" still in anyone's political vocabulary? Perhaps we are afraid of dialogue, afraid of truly sitting down and listening to someone else's ideas and opinions because they just might challenge our own. I know, personally, I prefer to dialogue with those who I know are more aligned with my views. Yet, I also know that I need to be challenged by those whose views I am more uncomfortable with. Yes, there are some areas of principle based upon my understanding of Scripture that I will not compromise. But oh there are many areas where I should be challenged.
Friends, I witness what is happening and I am fearful of the direction we are headed. I hear comments like the one made by Minnesota's representative Ilhan Omar yesterday that it is time to "dismantle America's system of oppression." Her reference was to America's capitalist-based economic system. And last week Democratic Presidential nominee said that he would "transform America." Those hardly seem like words offering dialogue. I don't have space this morning to share all of an important article with you, but I highly recommend that you download it and read it. It was written by Michael Walsh who has written several books on Western civilization. You can find this article at: www.theepochtimes.com/the-left-pushes-to-finally-take-down-america_3400013.html. Let me just share a paragraph or two: "Make no mistake: This assault has been planned and coordinated for years to strike America where she is weakest: in her innate sense of rightness and fair play. Martin Luther King Jr.'s civil rights movement was heavily penetrated by the Soviets, who cynically felt they could manipulate American emotions while appealing to the better angels of our nature. But how quickly we have moved from King's plea that we judge a man by 'the content of his character' and back to 'the color of his skin.' Marxists see the world in categorical terms: You are not an individual (individuals are too difficult to control), but a member of a group (mobs are easy), subgroup, or even many subgroups (hence the proliferation of sexual categories from the genuine 2 to 46, by one recent count). Meanwhile, the enemy remains the same: the white, probably Christian, male. Accordingly - and with astonishing rapidity - Western civilization from Aquinas to Mozart to Ronald Reagan now effectively equals 'white supremacy,' and therefore must be destroyed." This is an article that must be read by everyone.
Sadly a new civil war is brewing in America today. This is not a war between north and south, or between east and west. This is a contest between neighbors within communities. It is greater than between blacks and whites. It is greater than between whites and indigenous Americans. This is a contest concerning a vision for the future of our country. Will that vision remain which was based on the values upon which our nation was founded 244 years ago, or will it be replaced with a system that it antithetical to the dreams of our Founding Fathers? That is the question which few really want to dialogue about.
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