Opting Out Is Not An Option (Part 2)

To talking about issues and politics in a way that recommended the people who disagree with us. Welcome to family policy matters.

Tracy did that Greg's direct trip indications for NC family sitting in today for John Reston. Today we bring you part two part show with Dan dialing a pastor and vice president of communications for the ethics and religious liberty commission of the Southern Baptist convention to hear part one of this interview go to our website@ncfamily.org note for those of us that do spend a lot of time working on public policy as we do here it NC family there are. There have been a lot of times where we have seen certain pieces of legislation under certain movements that have come about that. We just thought there was no way we were going to win on that one and we would relegate ask are people out there to pray and there's just no other explanation for what happened next. You know because you would just see the opposition basically self-destruct her or just you know dissolving the confusion and it's just like there's just no way that any of us can take credit for that because obviously God will was moving and so I think what you're saying is, is that we've got to we gotta bring our relationships with Christ into the public policy arena because it certainly has power. They are no I think you're absolutely right, and sometimes it is easy to think that the prayers were the last resort banger okay, funnel, pray when you prayers the workers as my pastor is fond of saying. And when we sort of think God doesn't really care about the nitty-gritty details of the store.

Therefore, the sources of that legislation and we sort of get in this mindset where we think we can do it all and in your right at me when you're working on these very difficult issues.

Prayer is powerful doctoral change hearts when we don't even anticipate right so we do know that at times Christians who speak out on the public policy issue get involved work working to change it.

Get the brunt of opposition there called hateful names that are targeted on social media. They might lose business or job opportunities for speaking up. So how do we as Christians think about this risk that we know we may be taking think we need two things that don't actually seem to go together, but actually do. I think we need both courage and we need stability. I think we need both of think we need the Kurds to be able to speak up, speak out and to work for policy, even when it's unpopular even when the culture perhaps is that this is not right, but we know that it's good for human flourishing. It's good for society and I think we have to be willing to have the courage to say I'm going to believe these things are the same for the sins work for these things.

Even though I know it's gotta be unpopular because it's the right thing to do. So I think we need to have the courage to do that.

But I also think when you have stability, you know, when Peter says have an answer for every man for the hope that lies within you.

He says to do it with gentleness and kindness and I think sometimes we think that just because were right, it gives us a license to be jerks are to be uncivil and the Scripture really called was not just to live and believe and carry ourselves as the four citizens of another kingdom, but also in the way that we conduct ourselves away even our speech the way we talk should be should not reflect the sort of back-and-forth incivility that we see so often in the culture, but that it's got a distinct language from another world. And so I think we need to bounce ability and courage. Those two things can go together and quite often courage doesn't always mean being the loudest person in the room sometimes it's being quiet and and being strategic and wise about the kind of things were advocating and when to advocate them and how they will be perceived. I think all those things matter, Peter was a great length.

At first Peter throughout the book to say make sure that when you're being a poser being opposed actually for the gospel. Actually, for the things that are right and true and worth defending you not being opposed because of the way you carry yourself not being opposed because you're treating people terribly were the ones that believe that every person screen image of God, even those with whom we have significant ideological differences so we need to carry ourselves that way doesn't mean that everyone will like us, we can we can speak with kindness and grace and Winston this and still people will think were crazy. Think were backward terms what we believe about what the Scripture says furnaces about the unborn about the family but kindness is not a tactic. Civility is not a strategy is something that will that is really the heart of what it means to be a Christian, you know, I wonder if to we overlook the power of private relationships and a lot of times we throw in a world good about lobbing things across our Facebook page or twitter or we might have an email exchange with somebody but we, doesn't it take some courage to say hey let's go to lunch you let me take out to breakfast and come over to my house and let's have dinner. I mean, that seems to be a lost art as well. Let's exactly right. In fact, a great example that is in California where they were on the verge. A couple of years ago, passing some really dangerous laws that would restrict religious liberty for encryption institutions of higher education and there was an aggressive campaign that we helped be a catalyst for in many ways to ask the legislators to consider the ramifications of that on Christian schools and colleges, but really what one the day. In many ways was the way that the president of Viola Barry Cory did exactly what you just said really engaged in great friendship with one of the key legislators that was behind this legislation taking him out to lunch talking with people in his community.

Having them come visit Bala and MS Word are diplomacy was really key to pushing legislation. I think we should do that as well and we shouldn't befriend people because the projects we should do it because this is what I got: is there any surprise that when you treat people like human beings and have conversations with them. How people's perspective can change may not always work for me and always be the ticket to your defeating by legislation or best good legislation, but I think it goes a long way listening to policy matters radio show and cast from the same family you can sign up to receive and to listen to the show online resources that the voice of persuasion. Anyone go to our website family watching you know it's unfortunate because more and more, especially in politics. It seems like it's not acceptable to talk across the aisle so to speak. My no one in political circles. I've got a friend that works a lot up in Washington DC and you know she says that he says he people are watching and you better 90 talking to the people that that are opposed to certain laws so it seems that that things are moving in the wrong direction as far as that's concerned know that's exactly right and I and I'm actually nervous about that. Not just in the broader culture, but even the Christian community that if you are seen having a conversation with her befriending someone who disagrees with you.

It is viewed as compromised by your own community. I just think that's a really you know were were giving into a kind of increasingly tri-ballistic mentality in our culture, where I think David Brooks said it best in his book the second mountain that tribalism is the dark twin of community that with tribalism we join groups, not because we have us common interest but we join groups simply in order for us to hate the other side and so instead of joining the part of the tribe because we have common loves.

We join it try because we have common hatreds and equipped to resist that as Christians you know we we can befriend people who disagree with us and hold firm to our convictions without losing anything. You know Jesus. I think this is an overused cliché, but I do think it holds true that Jesus was willing to dine with and be friends with people who were sinners who, with whom he obviously vociferously disagreed with Jesus did not compromise but he did that in order to win people over, and so I think we as Christians to do the same thing and I think all of us as were heading into the 2020 elections are placing ourselves. It does seem that that a lot of the people who are running the different campaigns are leveraging anger and fear as their kind main tools. So how can we as as believers as Christians not only resist that but also possibly use the upcoming year.

The climate that's that's coming to our advantage. At least I mean that in a way that that we can can use it to to show love or to contrast perhaps that the cultural atmosphere is a great question and post pastors. I talked to know are nervous and think how do we pastor through this election season I think is a few things to keep in mind nothing. Number one, regardless of how people decide to vote you know voting decisions are difficult and I I totally understand when someone says look I don't totally agree with this person, or even their character on either side initial policies that are really disagree with here but there's a reason I'm voting form, but I'm planning on imposing them on these issues.

I totally respect that.

I think one of the temptation is to say, I have to go all in on with the candidate with with that side, and after the defendant things that they say or do that are indefensible or a willing district and my principal over here because this is where they are. I think that's something we have to be fearful of ourselves. Units were sucked into into that. You know we we worship to be sojourners and strangers, and so we should always feel little discomfort in any earthly movement is always be areas where the kingdom of God rubs up against the kingdoms of men and makes us uncomfortable.

The second thing is I think we really need to commit to talking about these issues and politics in a way that recognizes the dignity of people who disagree with us, so let let's be the people who don't just forget that were Christians we go online to talk politics or warmly do all these things, but that we remember that were to carry ourselves with with dignity and respect and honor, and so I think you know we we need to be the people who are conducting ourselves differently in this political season saying hey listen I may disagree, but I'm not, demonize the other side amok and engage in the service, scorched-earth politics, care myself as a son or daughter of the king. Why think this would be good chance then for us to reiterate, if people didn't hear the beginning of our conversations that that we do as Americans and as Christians have a responsibility to engage yeah I mean I think voting decisions are difficult right so I respect someone who says I normally bow to take this very, very seriously, but neither person on either side, and in this particular race. You know I feel comfortable voting for them. I also respect people who say listen. Voting decisions are difficult. I'm not completely comfortable with personal voting for. But here's a number of issues and here's why. You know, I do think we should be involved in the processors. We should be aware, you know, it's hard to say that we love our neighbor as ourselves, were not willing to help shape the policy that affects our neighbors flourishing so I do think we need to be involved to be active in some way, at some level we are just about at a time for this week before we go. Do you think you could just send our listeners toward some helpful resources. Where can they go to get more on this topic of properly balancing our faith in our civic engagement wide work on a couple things number one recommend our website your LC.com web articles on all sorts of issues on a think about them from a biblical worldview. I'd also give a shameless plug for my book the dignity revolution which helps us think through a range of issues through human dignity perspective.

The books available anywhere. Books are sold. So encourage you to go out and get that and yet so your OC.com and then my book the revolution will thank you much for joining us on family policy matters. Thank you for a listening family policy showing Comcast family show with Dan Darling to listen to the show online for more resources. Voice of persuasion side only a large and follow us on Facebook fan and