Red or Blue
This latest election brought this to the fore for me. I found that my upbringing dictated Blue that everything within the core of my being is Blue. However, I found pressing in on me from the outside is the Red. Like sticking a white marshmallow in some red food colouring. It turns red on the outside yet the inside remains white. This is how I feel. My mind is beginning to think that Red has got it more right/Christian than the Blue but my heart says no. Blue is the traditional individualistic fundamental Christianity, Red is the community Christianity and I think this is closer to what I believe the bible to be about.
Anyway this is just a way of illustrating the conflict going on within me. Being brought up a 'mature' Christian teaches certain preconceived ideas about what Christianity is all about. However, as I grow up, go to Bridal, hang out with fellow Christians I find myself changing the way that I view certain problems/ideas. I see the stock standard answer and my heart says yes. My mind on the other hand says wait a minute this looks closer to the truth/Jesus' teachings. Its really irritating because when I hear a new idea my instant response is one of revulsion and hiding behind my upbringing then when I step out from behind my fundamentalism I think 'wait a minute this looks good and has good practical implications'.
Anyway, life you old dog
Anyway this is just a way of illustrating the conflict going on within me. Being brought up a 'mature' Christian teaches certain preconceived ideas about what Christianity is all about. However, as I grow up, go to Bridal, hang out with fellow Christians I find myself changing the way that I view certain problems/ideas. I see the stock standard answer and my heart says yes. My mind on the other hand says wait a minute this looks closer to the truth/Jesus' teachings. Its really irritating because when I hear a new idea my instant response is one of revulsion and hiding behind my upbringing then when I step out from behind my fundamentalism I think 'wait a minute this looks good and has good practical implications'.
Anyway, life you old dog
4 Comments:
There are aspects of the left that do fit with christian values, such as looking after those who are sick or can't get jobs. The problem is though that the left in NZ seems to be much of the opinion that money and social engineering solves all problems. They seem to be of the opinion that the government knows best about every thing! And that becuase the government apparently knows best about every thing it should do or take over as much of this as it can. They're all about tolerence except they can't tolerate those that are intolerent to there way of thinking, they're obviously right so any one who significantly and vocally disagrees is a fanatic and a fool.
ironic then eonsim, that the "social engineering" of "government knows best" means letting people choose for themselves about Homosexuality, abortion and such...
I'm finding much the same, Jared, in that many of the Christians I know see "right" as "the Christian vote." But, like you, I just don't see it -- I see right as the defensive vote, not the Christian vote.
Yeah, I've found the same thing this time round. Found that the concept of another Labour term didn't horrify me after all, and ended up voting centre.
The 'social engineering' thing confuses me too. In many ways I find these days that I actually like the idea of certain aspects of morality being left to the discretion of the individual rather than the state, i.e. decriminalising stuff that's not really the government's business. This allows us to be more fully our own moral agents. (Not that I necessarily think NZ is ready to come of age in this way...)
But on the other hand I can't help thinking, will I think the same way when I'm older and have children, and am trying to raise them in a society that presents all kinds of worthless options before them as legitimate (such as prostitution as a career choice), and am trying to show them why they're not acceptable? It would be nice to think that the state would assist me in this endeavour. It's a lot easier to be idealistic about individual freedom and things when you're young and not responsible for anyone but yourself.
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