A Culture at War?

As talking heads create tension in order to sell advertising in a twenty-four hour news cycle, we are beginning to hear the old phrase “culture war” once again. It had been a while since I’d heard the phrase, to be honest. But I grew up hearing about this supposed war and it brought to mind a paradigm that has become slightly foreign to me. It reminded me of a time I believed there was a large group of liberals attempting to do in my Christian way of life. As I got older, and met many of the supposed enemy, I found, essentially, the same personalities I’d experienced in my church upbringing, that is I found objective, rational people who were kind-hearted and other centered, even if they disagreed with the religious right. They were frustrated, sure, but most people maintained a balanced view. Were there fundamentalist liberals that could be categorized as extreme? Certainly. But there weren’t that many. But it was that kind of rare personality singled out by the media (including the Christian media) to paint a false picture of our culture and further increase the tension. 

This dynamic applies to more than just political or cultural tension. Watching Hurricane Ike come in (the storm went over my home and family in Houston) you would have thought it was the end of the world. The city of Galveston sent out an alert saying all those who did not evacuate the island faced certain death. More than twenty-thousand people stayed, and nobody died. There were six deaths in Texas related to the storm, which was a decrease from how many people would have died that night were there to have been no storm. All those cars off the streets proved safer than a storm serge and one-hundred-mile-per-hour winds. (This is not to invalidate the devastation caused by the storm, which was severe and tragic) But the media ran with the story because, perhaps, tension keeps us watching. And now that the country can be called to help out in Galveston, the media has moved on to other areas in which it can create tension and sell more advertising. All this is fine when it comes to weather. But what about our culture? Is the tension as high as it is billed to be?

While attending the DNC in Denver, I enjoyed the electric and unified atmosphere within the Pepsi Center. And yet, I’d go home at night and hear about the incredible tension at the DNC because Hillary supporters were still frustrated. Really? I didn’t see that. How long did it take to find frustrated holdouts? The same was true at the RNC, I am sure. Conflict is the heart of every story, and when you don’t have real conflict, and you are competing with a half-dozen other news channels, you best create some fiction fast. (If you misread fiction for friction, I am fine with that.)

This makes me wonder, from a sociological perspective, if war is an appropriate metaphor for what is happening in culture. It seems to me what is actually happening is more a heated democratic debate.

In the simplest terms, war seems to be one army fighting another army until complete annihilation or surrender is reached from either party. Is this what liberals want? Is this what conservatives desire? If not, then should we still call it a war?

Much is made in religious circles about a spiritual war, and much is spoken of in Scriptures about such  a war. But are we able to use war reference (designated to spirituality) in a cultural war that has political ramifications? And what is the benefit and/or damage in doing so?

Here are my questions open for comment:

1. Do you believe you are in a cultural war?

2. How do you feel (and respond) to attempts from the left and right to recruit you into a cultural war?

3. If war involves killing, and if a metaphorical war involves metaphorical killing, what does killing look like in this cultural war?

4. If you were to move beyond a cultural war, a step that might involve compromise, do you feel like you would be “giving in” to an enemy in any way?

5. What does peace negotiation (an important part of any war) look like in the cultural war?

Posted by Don Miller | | Email This Blog Post Email This Blog Post

73 Comments »

  1. dewde said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 3:35 pm

    Methinks you just talked over the heads of the talking heads. I want no part in a culture war. I just want liberty.

    FYI, I once listened to an entire sermon in church on “The Gay Agenda.” At one point the preacher squeezed in the words, “If we have any gays here I hope they know they are welcome.” Then he continued to say everything possible to make sure that if any members of the congregation were gay, they would *not* feel welcome.

    peace|dewde
    http://dewde.com

  2. Justin Mundie said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 3:38 pm

    1. Do you believe you are in a cultural war?

    I don’t believe so. I believe that this is an attempt by the media to garner ratings. I also believe that the leading voices of this cultural “war” come mainly from people who like to control others (politicians are right up there). The whole system is about keeping and protecting power. One might even label it the “principalities and powers” if one wanted to. Jesus said something about this, and I think it applies to those who support candidates and voices on the left and right. Quoting from Matthew

    “”You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26NOT SO WITH YOU. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

    I think we as Christians get caught up in the lies of those in power and care about things because a glowing box tells us to. These are not real concerns of Americans or Christians. But if they are, I think some good would come from reading Jesus words above.

    2. How do you feel (and respond) to attempts from the left and right to recruit you into a cultural war? I ignore it. I don’t vote. I try to live out an alternate political ethic in my life and my community and do my best in whatever situation to show that those clamoring for power have no clothes, so to speak.

    3. If war involves killing, and if a metaphorical war involves metaphorical killing, what does killing look like in this cultural war?

    Its exactly what you see on a daily basis. No one deals with issues, “news” and “editorial comment” become giant pissing contests to see who can be the most like Ann Coulter or Bill Maher. Its all about scoring political points off shock value.

    4.If you were to move beyond a culture war, a step that might involve compromise, do you feel like you would be “giving in” to an enemy in any way? Nope. I’d feel like I’m “rendering unto Caesar” in some way. Leave that garbage alone. There’s more important work to be done. Culture is well past the point of being legislated back to “Christian values” whatever those exactly were. And secular humanism of the left is equally as bankrupt. I attempt to live a different ethic.

    5. What does peace negotiation (an important part of any war) look like in the cultural war? It means live out your ethics and culture. Let people be. Convince people through example, not words.

  3. Steve Johnson said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 3:49 pm

    If we are in a war it doesn’t involve as much metaphorical killing as it does maiming. Kind of like Wesley in the Princess Bride, the sides don’t want to kill each other as much as they want the other to be lame, blind and dumb to hear the mockery of the passersby.

    Here’s the other thing I know for sure. If I were to raise the white flag of peace in search of negotiations, I’d be shot. Not by my enemy, but in the back.

  4. melanie said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 3:52 pm

    At the end of the Cold War, Mikhail Gorbachev leaned across the table toward Norman Swartzkopf, shook his hand, and said with a smile, “I guess you’re going to have to find a new enemy.”

    Personally this has been a year that is bringing an end to the Culture War for me. I’ve slowly allowed myself to sit in the “enemy’s” chair and try to see things from their point of view. As I did, I realized (to my astonishment) that they weren’t enemies at all, just people I had labeled to satisfy my need for a war.

    I think as humans we like to have an us/them mentality. We like to think we are on the good side and “they” are on the bad side. It wounds our pride to imagine it any other way. How easily we choose the wrong enemy to fight.

    There are two ways to end the Culture War. One is to annihilate the opposing side, the other is to befriend it. And the second takes a great deal more courage (and dare I say Christlike humility) than the other.

    Thanks for leading by example in a much needed discussion.

  5. Travis said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 4:05 pm

    1. I believe I am in a media-created culture war.

    2. I try to ignore both sides as much as possible.

    3. “Killing,” in this sense, means yelling and cursing and making a fool out of yourself on Fox News.

    4. No.

    5. Both sides calmly explaining their views, and then quietly listening to the other side.

  6. Jordan Green said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 4:33 pm

    We used to play culture war as kids, running through the forests shooting at each other with pretend picket signs.

    I especially resonate with the idea of objective Christian media. We’re trying to return to that over at the Burnside Writers Collective.

  7. Andrew Burdick said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 4:45 pm

    1. Do you believe you are in a cultural war?

    I think that we are at a very pinnacle time for our culture to make some dramatic shifts. Beyond the election and the “talking heads”, we are seeing a generation of people who are giving time and money to help others like never before. There has been a huge response to the victims of all of the hurricane devastation and those families and military men and women still affected by the war.
    I agree with Don that the word “war” is not a very accurate one in many cases, but in some ways it is a culture war. Many are trying to annihalate innaction and apathy. I’m trying to hope that somehow this will all change something somewhere, somehow, someday.
    2. How do you feel (and respond) to attempts from the left and right to recruit you into a cultural war?
    This is the first time I will be voting as an independent, and it has brought me a sense or relief. I feel as though I am voting what I truly believe without being tied down to a party. I have begun to notice the “recruiting” that Don talks about much more now as I view both sides from a middle line perspective. As a Christian I find that each side has great merit to its views and beliefs, but I am free to struggle with those in the context of my convictions without feeling any obligation to anyone other than God.
    I have also stopped watching television and started reading manuscripts of the candidate’s speaches and have learned much more about who these people are and what each side really desires. I feel that this is how I’ve come to know and understand Jesus and so it can’t be all that bad.
    3. If war involves killing, and if a metaphorical war involves metaphorical killing, what does killing look like in this cultural war?
    A lot of casualties with regard to expression and thinking for one’s self. What has made the American culture so fascinating is that is has always allowed itself the freedom to change with understanding (hence why there are no more slaves and phoibition eventually became prohibitioned). If this cuture war really is a war, we will eventually stop doing this as a nation. That is why Don calls this more of a discussion, or what I call a wrestling match (the olympic kind).
    4. If you were to move beyond a cultural war, a step that might involve compromise, do you feel like you would be “giving in” to an enemy in any way?
    No. We must not look at it as enemies and allies. We must realize that we all want peace and happiness and we are all trying to find the best way to get there. Just because someone else disagrees with my way does not make him my enemy (unless he really doesn’t like me). It is important to understand that most people want what is best for themselves and everyone else too, it would be smarted for us to discuss differences rather than fight over them.
    5. What does peace negotiation (an important part of any war) look like in the cultural war?
    It looks like people on both sides of the culture lines working together to solve issues. It looks like people refusing to judge each other based upon worldview but upon their conduct and character. It looks like people turning to God for direction.

  8. Toby said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 4:46 pm

    1. Do you believe you are in a cultural war?

    I think war is a strong word. And, if your terminology of war is correct (which I think it is - compliments to the writer), I don’t think destroying culture is even possible, so why try.

    2. How do you feel (and respond) to attempts from the left and right to recruit you into a cultural war?

    “Change” is word thrown around like it means something. The only thing it means to whoever is recruiting is making more and more people think they are right, and the other person isn’t. That isn’t change; that’s accentuating the SAME.

    3. If war involves killing, and if a metaphorical war involves metaphorical killing, what does killing look like in this cultural war?

    Killing is removing people/ideas that would otherwise remove you/your ideas. So it’s selfish arrogance that there is superior living, and it is achieved by me, all others must submit.

    4. If you were to move beyond a cultural war, a step that might involve compromise, do you feel like you would be “giving in” to an enemy in any way?

    I think I agree that cultural war isn’t good terminology for what happens when two different belief systems collide on a culture. If you don’t agree with something in culture do you allow compromise? Compromise must, probably, be defined as acceptance that it happens, rather than trying really for it not to. So, if abortion is the issue, we must accept that abortion happens. Whether it happens safely in a clinic, or possibly life-threatening-ly on the streets, is the response of society. That isn’t what I would call a bad thing. Facilitating abortion to the point of convenience and making it a necessary topic of discussion doesn’t help culture in it’s struggle with it.

    Culture isn’t something to ‘give in’ to, but respond to. The response is the action leading to people believing in acceptance, rejection, or a mixture of both. Compromise leads to resenting something that isn’t bad until it is responded to. The response mustn’t feel like it’s giving in. It should feel like something we do as part of bettering (not battering) people. Jesus liked to respond to things, or tell stories to help people respond to him. It wasn’t really attacking culture, but the people thinking culture was the great thing we own.

    5. What does peace negotiation (an important part of any war) look like in the cultural war?

    I don’t know.

  9. donmilleris said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 5:17 pm

    I am impressed, to say the least, with the comments posted to this entry so far. Remarkable wisdom here. I am proud the readership of this blog is so objective. Thanks so much for chiming in. Great stuff.

  10. Justin Dean said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 5:22 pm

    This is the whole thought process behind the Sci-fi channels, Battlestar Gallactica. Which I believe is the best written show on television.

    I think all of these issues stem from fear.

    Conservatives fear that if they just “love their neighbor,” even if he is gay, they will look back 20 years from now and regret it. Maybe their son will be influenced. Maybe this gay guy does have ulterior motives and wants to “convert” their son to homosexuality. Maybe he wants the whole world to “go gay” and fly their rainbow flags on their front porches in defiance of normality.

    Is it truth? Is most fear based in truth? I would say no.

    On the flip side, liberals fear that conservatives want to brainwash their children, kick women back to the fifties, and lock up every homosexual they see. Is this truth? Maybe for a small sample of the population, but this again, is a fear that is based on the fringe of our population.

    The problem is, this fear is appropriate in some cases. The fringe are usually the loudest. They are usually the bully in the room that carries the biggest stick. And the dude with the stick usually tries to control what everyone else says and does.

    I believe the far left and the far right are in a cultural war because of fear. They both believe that the other wants total domination and will not settle until that takes place. The rest of the population lies somewhere in the middle listening to the shots, bombs, and war cries echoing from the extremists. They are “forced” to choose a side, a candidate, a persuasion.

    Fear is what holds us in this war.

    wow, this turned into a rant.

  11. Jesse Phillips said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 5:57 pm

    Don, thanks for your blog. I hate the culture war, it’s totally unbiblical and foolish and wrong.

    having said that. I totally disagree with your description of “liberals.” I’ve lived in San Diego, CA (a mostly conservative town) and Berkeley, CA - a very liberal town. And I can tell you that liberals are much more vocal, hateful, cynical toward conservatives than the other way around - in my experience.

    I think, as Christians, we need to stop trying to change the culture - trying to impose God’s righteous standard on non-Christians. We need to love everyone, be gentle, be gracious - win people by loving them and caring for each other sooooo much, by living lives of radical sacrifice for each other.

    This trying to politically win laws against sins (abortion, gay marriage, etc) is A) not working B) bull headed C) an unloving, uncaring tactic D) totally not what Jesus would do.

    So I think the best thing to do is to have open dialogue about all the issues. Figure-out where we differ, and try to lovingly and graciously explain our positions and compromise or give-in where necessary.

  12. donmilleris said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 6:12 pm

    Jesse

    Thanks for sharing your experience with “liberals.” I have also encountered this personality. I would imagine Berkley would be a bee-hive of that perspective. And yet what a remarkably balanced response you maintain. You are an example, for sure. Honored to have you around here.

    These days, I encounter much more of the tense rhetoric from the right. But it’s not hateful, I don’t think. I would say it is more “opinionated” than hateful. When it comes down to it, I honestly believe those who know and walk with Christ are going through a transformation of the heart, and I grieve the sluggish anchors our media age chains to our legs on that journey. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.

    Don

  13. Geof F. Morris said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 6:13 pm

    1. No, I am not. I do not agree fully with either articulated side.

    2. I try to consider them as dispassionately as possible.

    3. Simple: when we assassinate character for a side’s ends.

    4. Life is all about compromise, because we can’t all have our way all the time, even when we separate ourselves into enclaves. All balkanization does is reduce the squabbles to more petty arguments and fewer people arguing them more personally. Ever been in a small country church that split over the color of the carpet in the sanctuary? I have.

    5. The biggest step is admitting where you might be wrong. None of us are infallible. So admit where you might be wrong, stick to your guns on what’s not, and agree to disagree.

  14. shemaiah said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 7:06 pm

    Don, this entry made me think of an article I read this weekend in the Wall Street Journal. You might find it interesting too.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122125912790430149.html

  15. stephen said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 7:43 pm

    I’m going to try to weave my answers together, so bear with me folks. I grew up hearing about “The Culture War,” and how it is waiting to snatch me up if I give it a foothold. As I think back on it, it almost seems like these enemies are personified Satan, here on earth. In my experience the conservative, evangelical church was the safe place and everything outside of it’s walls was the enemy’s territory.

    The metaphorical “death” in the culture war seems to really be when someone passes over to the enemy’s side. It’s like Death occurs when you give in to the enemy’s tactics. Death is becoming “one of them.”

    To move beyond the cultural war language, I think that we need to speak up against it. When we hear someone using this type of language, I think it is our job to at least say, “I don’t agree, and I don’t think this is helping.” Fighting and arguing just seems to fuel the fire.

    Sorry if this is too long, but I think these are great things to be thinking about and acting on.
    Thanks Don.

  16. JamesW said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 9:53 pm

    Don, I agree with your perspective as you have share it in this space today. However….

    Before I go into the “however”, I want to say that I read it and re-read it, and understand that it comes across as accusatory, and I tell you emphatically that I don’t mean it that way.

    Since reading BLJ almost 2 years ago, I’ve gone out of my way to find everything you’ve written, and I’ve managed to find several audio messages (sermons at your church, plus speaking appearances elsewhere) of yours. You have, from time to time, implied (or stated outright) some things about conservatives that have, from my perspective, helped fuel the us-vs.-them mentality which you describe in this post as harmful. I distinctly recall one statement implying that conservatives tend to follow movements, while progressives can think for themselves. I remember it well because it stung me a bit, knowing that I was a strong liberal and came to my current perspective mainly because of conclusions I drew while studying the particulars of the most important issues.

    My point is that what you are saying in today’s post is a bit inconsistent with some things you have said in speaking engagements. Because these are mostly several years old, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you have, like all of us, matured in how we think regarding these things. Removal of the link to the hateful move.org site from your website would be a good move at this time. ;)

  17. jolie said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 9:55 pm

    I’m not sure exactly what you are talking about with your reference to this war, but I will interpret it in regards to things happening in my life. I have been hosting some discussion on my blog covering why I am voting for who I am voting for and have been seeing one version of a cultural war. It’s funny to see Christians from the same church take completely different stances on something and both feel COMPLETELY right. It becomes easy to get defensive, degrade someone else’s faith, and lose your way completely just by discussing social issues.

    I’ve discussed how I think the temptation for everyone, no matter where you stand, is to pick a side, to cling to it almost desperately, and to demonize the other end like we are in some sort of football game. What I am learning most is to coexist: sincerely, peacefully, lovingly, with people, even those who hold completely different views from me. It’s certainly a challenge, but loving has always been the most worthy challenge. “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” -Martin Luther King Junior

  18. donmilleris said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 10:00 pm

    James,

    Thanks for pointing out the inconsistent tone. I am not sure where I said such a thing, but I wouldn’t put it past me. Again, I can’t apologize because it doesn’t sound like something I’d say. But thanks for bringing it out. I think, over several years, it would be inhuman to say consistent things on any given topic, given context and growth. It is interesting to me that we notice inconsistencies in a persons position over years and years of life. I think this is something else the media has taught us to do. So we end up just defending something stupid we said years ago rather than moving on, just to avoid the “sin” of being inconsistent. I’d rather be inconsistent. But I may change my mind tomorrow. Nevertheless, thanks for pointing that out.

  19. Bill Buchanan said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 10:54 pm

    Hmmmm - good questions. Here’s my two cents.

    1. Do you believe you are in a cultural war?

    Well - it’s more like a “police action” than a war I suppose, though there are fringe elements who are ready to strap on a vest packed with C4 and wade into the crowd.

    2. How do you feel (and respond) to attempts from the left and right to recruit you into a cultural war?

    I pretty much ignore their bluster - it’s not hard to tell when you’re being manipulated, the rhetoric increases, the volume goes up and the appeal becomes more fervent.

    3. If war involves killing, and if a metaphorical war involves metaphorical killing, what does killing look like in this cultural war?

    The killing looks like the death of grace and intelligent discussion.

    4. If you were to move beyond a cultural war, a step that might involve compromise, do you feel like you would be “giving in” to an enemy in any way?

    Compromise is defined as “consent reached by mutual concessions” so both parties have to give in to some degree.

    5. What does peace negotiation (an important part of any war) look like in the cultural war?

    Given the norm today - it would involve lots of bluster, posturing and little actual discussion. It’s hard to listen with your mouth open.

  20. Adam said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 10:56 pm

    i am in agreement with jesse about the idea of not legislating morality based on cases from history like the theocracies from the Scriptures. basing laws on faith is an excellent idea on paper and works well with God but man is ultimately corrupt and corruptable so it has never and will never work. no matter the intentions and well-meaning of the person in power, at some point power will take control and love will exit stage left. take saul for instance, the first monarch of a theocratic society. for a while, everything was great…he was following God and leading the people in God’s way. however, eventually he fell into the power blindness and ignored God’s ways thus causing suffering. fast forward to Europe during the crusades and see the same thing. continue on to the inquisition. even southern slavery was justified through false biblical teaching.

    the list could go on and on but the point is theocracy and legislated morality is a great idea on paper and seems to be where the fighting lies over abortion, gay rights, etc. while i believe in these values whole-heartedly, i believe the more you force morality onto someone much less an entire culture, the more rebellious said person or culture will be. one need only to look to the past for the answers.

    in my experience having lived most of my life in the bible belt and the past year in boston, i disagree about who is more vocal towards whom contending that both sides are equally vocal. conservatives, and i used to be just like this so that’s why i feel i can say it, do not listen to the other side nearly as much as i have found the left seemingly doing. i feel like the conservatives, myself included, had our mind made up and were not going to listen to anything else. however, i have also known my share of liberals who thought i was closed-minded after hearing i was christian without even knowing my views on issues so i feel it goes both ways depending on where you are and much more than that, who you are as a person. i think if you’re comfortable with what you believe and have confidence in your views, you tend to be less argumentative and defensive but christians can be horrible examples of this fighting tooth and nail over every little disagreement even among themselves sometimes to the point of completely losing focus on outreach. this, i feel, is the current most pressing problem with the church as a whole.

    thanks for the post, don…i really enjoy your viewpoints.

  21. JamesW said,

    September 15, 2008 @ 11:08 pm

    Thanks, Don, for understanding and not taking my post the way it probably comes across, as finger-pointing.

    For the record, this is one conservative who is as frustrated as you are that many evangelical churches don’t make political liberals feel welcome. I don’t want anyone to feel unwelcome in my church or in my life. During His earthly ministry, the only people Jesus treated harshly were the Pharisees, who were the least welcoming people of all. So I’m on board with what you say here.

  22. Mike said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 12:22 am

    Hello Don and all,

    On June 27 of this year, I think I stopped being a Republican and a conservative. It was a day or two after James Dobson criticized Obama and his “fruitcake theology”. And on that day I wrote this letter. It is a bit long, and I am sorry for that. The funny thing is that a couple days later I showed up to this thing south of Dallas and rode a bike for a day with a bunch of crazy people riding across the country. And my life hasn’t been quite the same since.

    Believe it or not, I got an equally long and detailed response from a “Focus on the Family Action” representative. It was fine, sort of vague, but more than anything it made me feel like I was from this point forward going to be followed closely by the Secret Service.

    Mine is kind of an arrogant letter. In retrospect, I think I come off a bit like a jerk. Like maybe I am criticizing Dobson in the same tone he criticized Obama. I know there are more direct (ie. much less long-winded) ways to respond to Don’s questions, but when I read Don’s post, I immediately thought of this letter, so I submit it here for your entertainment.

    Dear Focus on the Family,

    As a LONG-TIME supporter of FOTF, I think I have finally had enough.

    We have reached a point where James Dobson is hurting the Kingdom of God. It is clear to me that he values his own agenda and using his well established public pulpit to a greater degree than forwarding the life-altering gospel of Jesus Christ.

    I just don’t understand how Dr. Dobson can pull a few comments out of a two-year old speech, take them completely out of context and then paint Mr. Obama the way he did today. I am NOT an Obama supporter, but to be honest, Mr. Dobson’s comments make me lean more toward Obama than I did yesterday. I just think about the big picture. At the point of the last election, I would have labeled myself a very conservative Evangelical, even a member of the “Religious Right” and clearly a Republican. But if he ever did before, Dr. Dobson no longer represents me. He is hurting our ability as Christians in this post-Christian nation (were we ever TRULY a Christian nation?) to advance the work of Jesus Christ.

    It seems as though someone at Focus found an old speech of Obama’s and I am sure this was just a convenient time to talk about it? The term Dr. Dobson used I believe was “fruitcake theology”. There were a lot of other harsh terms as well. Is that appropriate? Are there better ways to break down Mr. Obama’s positions? Thoughtfully, respectfully, truthfully, humbly…? Instead… why not get into Obama’s heart? Invite him over. Meet with him. Talk to him. Get a sense of where he is at in his relationship with God. If he needs some theological guidance is mocking him in a public forum the way to do it?

    Based on the way the nation responded to Dr. Dobson’s comments today… I don’t think so.

    I don’t know. It just seemed so arrogant. And perhaps self-serving. The comments from the peanut gallery out here in America seem to focus on the fact that maybe FOTF was feeling a bit neglected in this campaign and felt just they needed to hoist themselves back into a larger public and national role? I mean, it’s not like the media were left to stumble upon these words. The transcript was submitted TO the media BY Focus a day before the broadcast. I mean, give me a break.

    How do those comments help the family? How do those comments help society? How does it help Christians connect with non-Christians? Do words such as those help connect people or create barriers? In order for someone to be changed they must be receptive. Would you be receptive if you were spoken about in that way? If you were a supporter of Mr. Obama what would you think? If you were neutral and not a Christian, what would you think?

    Even my most conservative Christian friends just feel that Dr. Dobson now looks like an out of touch old man, using Jesus and American Christianity to whip up on people.

    I think he would do a lot of good for the Kingdom if Dr. Dobson could learn to apologize. And maybe not address things with such an appearance of arrogance and attitude. If one speaks against someone’s theology on one side, and then breaks Biblical principles in HOW you address those things… aren’t we all just in the same mixed up, hypocritical boat as a bunch of sinners desperately in need of a savior? I just think that maybe the greater lesson here has been lost on Dr. Dobson and FOTF.

    If I were a non-Christian I think I might hate Christians. And I would probably hate James Dobson. I don’t of course actually know James Dobson. He is likely a very good man. And he has done a lot of good in the world… at least for Christians. I’m not so sure how non-Christians feel. And I am sure that there are many that have come to a life-changing relationship with Jesus through the work of Dobson and Focus on the Family. I personally certainly have felt personal spiritual growth through FOTF resources. I did meet Dr. Dobson’s son Ryan once. He had a goatee and A LOT of tatoos. That made me smile. He was very cool, and he was a great Christian guy.

    I think that maybe if I were a non-Christian, and especially if I were a liberal, or a Democrat, or a homosexual, I would think that James Dobson hated me. Because he talks about me ALL THE TIME like I am the greatest threat to morality and the survival of the human race that has ever existed. And James Dobson represents Jesus to a lot of our nation. Like it or not, this is true. Like it or not, there are a lot of people who really don’t know Jesus, and just know religion. And they know Christianity and Jesus has a face in America. And that face is James Dobson. When Dobson belittles Obama, perhaps Dobson belittles me. And if James Dobson hates me, then maybe Jesus hates me.

    You may say this is ridiculous. I am sure it was not Dr. Dobson’s intent. But these are the feelings I heard expressed in my work place today. Real live people in my office had discussions that centered on this very theme.

    I lived in Denver for three years about a decade ago. As I am sure you are aware, there are a lot of cars in Colorado that sport the bumper sticker, “Focus on Your Own Damn Family.” Those used to bother me so much… like they were a personal attack against me. Now I understand.

    Sort of like the Darwin “fish” bothered me. As if somehow my security as a Christian was being threatened by someone taking a shot at something I believed in. Then I started seeing Christians sporting badges showing Christian fish eating the Darwin “fish”. Or ones that said, “Not perfect, just forgiven.” If I was a non-Christian, those stickers would bother me. They would seem arrogant and mean. There is now even something called “The Fish Wars”. Somehow at that point I realized we are not the good guys. I don’t think bumper sticker Christianity helps anyone.

    I know that a lot of people say that we need to work out our faith in politics because we are protecting our families and all that is great and good in America. Yet where has all this work in politics and public policy gotten us? Has it worked? If we were ever a Christian nation, we clearly are not now. There are many GREAT things about Christianity in America. There are a lot of great people, doing great things, and wonderful churches meeting deep needs. But those things are happening at the local church level, and not because of some national political agenda.

    I think if we are now a post-Christian nation, it is our own fault. We blew our chance. It is not the deterioration of morals, the progress of liberalism, the threat of homosexual marriage, the ongoing legality of abortion, or anything like that which has lead to our own eminent eventual “collapse.”

    Its that we (Christians) focused on the wrong damn things. We didn’t love people enough. We had a chance to impact people at the level of the heart, but we blew it. We got more interested in cars and trips and nice houses, and home schooling and “protecting” something. We got so hung up on issues like abortion, and homosexuality, and those sorts of things that we really forgot to love people enough. Its not that those issues have no importance, but have we simply won a few battles and lost the war? We have reached this sad point where quite a few people will hear the name “Jesus” and think something horrible. I think if I was a non-Christian, I would think most Christians are very selfish.

    I just wonder what might have happened if rather than screaming all the time about how horrible all these things are, that if we had done the HARD work of really loving people maybe that would have worked better?

    It is not that truth doesn’t matter. I just think about context. Has anyone ever been convicted to change their life because someone shouted about it in public? Or fought so hard to take away rights that non-Christian people don’t realize they shouldn’t have? Or criticize our potential next future President over an issue that most people are going to look at and find trivial and purely mean-spirited and agenda ridden?

    Yes, I know, its a slippery slope. But what if instead of fighting so hard to maintain what we think is “ours”, that instead we fought to support what is “theirs” in a way we could deal with in a love your neighbor sort of way? And in doing so, we found their hearts. And in finding their hearts they would see the real Jesus. And then there might be change.

    I did something really bad a couple years ago. Really bad. And because of this I got to experience what it feels like for a church not to want me. And this hurt a lot. And it woke me up to the fact that a ton of people… divorced, gay, post-abortion, addicted, publicly sinful people… feel this every day. That the church doesn’t want them… or love them. And I knew in my heart that it wasn’t true… but there were days that I wondered a bit if because of how Christians viewed me… that maybe I had finally done something that Christ’s blood wouldn’t cover.

    I am not blaming the church for what I did. I am not saying the church needed to say my sin was okay. I just wished they would have loved me more. It was my own fault that I sinned. I think some of why I sinned is that I had arrogantly not allowed people intimate and accountable knowledge of my life. Therefore, I didn’t have anyone to turn to when temptation came. Then I sinned. And I really needed someone. And, with a couple notable and wonderful exceptions, people weren’t there. Why be associated with the immoral guy?

    I just don’t think I have ever changed and done anything good in life because I was beaten up over it. I don’t think being yelled at ever helped me. I don’t think that living in fear of consequences was a long-term motivator. I have made a ton of short-term changes because of fear. Yet, if my heart didn’t change, I always wandered back to sin. I think perhaps we have beaten people into submission over the morality issues WE pick and choose in the Bible because its an easy public sell, and we now should understand why there was no long-term impact. Maybe we never really touched many hearts.

    We live in a society where many feel that the church doesn’t want them… or love them.

    I think we maybe have missed the whole point… the entire point of faith in Jesus… but we are so far into it in this American Christian Religious Nation thing, and have set up so many basic structures and ways of living based on this way of thinking, that we are scared to go back. Scared to admit that a lot of what we have done has been flawed. And I wonder if this is the reason that all great societies eventually fall. Arrogance in believing that because it seemed to work for a while that it must be right. That the ideals of hard work, striving for a “better life”, public morality and such, while it worked for a while, really in the end don’t hold up.

    That perhaps the only thing that would have held this nation up was that if we had brought more people into a personal relationship with Christ?

    I’m going to close with a qualification. I don’t know if America is really going the way of Rome or the 18th-19th century British Empire. I hope not. But would it really surprise anyone? Don’t get me wrong… I am a proud American. I think we have the greatest nation on the planet. I support our government and our country. I am not calling for revolution in the streets. I love this country. I am very privileged to have been born and raised here. But I don’t think we have the right to claim that this is “God’s Country” or that we really have a corner on the mind and will of God. I think we do this just to make ourselves feel better. I think God may just tolerate us. And His real heart is somewhere in a village in India or Africa or Myanmar or in a tavern in deepest Russia or in a home church in China. I do think that God works in America today. But just not in the way most people think.

    By the way. I love stuff. I am materialistic to the core. I am selfish. I am a recovering gay basher. I have beaten people up most of my life when they did things wrong. I have been incredibly intolerant of other peoples problems and failings. I have often mocked people. I have been cruel. I make fun of rednecks almost every day. I have loved so little and been self-indulgent to a degree that the hypocrisy is simply laughable. I live next to a family that moved into a rental house next door a year ago. They moved from New York to Texas. There are three of them. I don’t know them. I do little more than say hello. I have shown them nothing about Jesus.

    So… just so you know… this was only in part about Dr. Dobson. I am growing. Dare I ask Dr. Dobson to reflect and grow as well?

    Sincerely,

    Michael Austin

  23. donmilleris said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 1:40 am

    James,

    Thanks. But I am frustrated at how hard it is to hold my tongue and not buy in to the slamming. at least in part. i like this conversation because it reminds me of the wisdom of holding my tongue.

    don

  24. Anna said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 2:04 am

    Hi Don,

    I really enjoyed reading this, and the very well said comments. I agree with most everything that has been said, and it’s really nice to read how others feel the same way that I have felt for a long while. I find it sad that many people feel discussions like this cannot be had in the church, because too often things are seen as either “good” or “bad”, and as a Christian you had better be on the “right” side. I could talk for days about these things, but at the same time I’m still trying to work all this out in my own head, so I’m not so sure I would be able to communicate it very well here, but those who commented before have done so very well. As have you. I communicate much better in person.

    God Bless you Don. I look forward to your next book.

  25. Tyler Payne said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 6:45 am

    I have a solution to these problems of media, of culture war, of falsifying stories, words, quotes, thoughts, ideas, and disagreements to create friction to gain viewers to gain advertisers to make money.

    So I offer three letters as the solution: N P R.

    Am I right or am I right?

  26. Larry Shallenberger said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 8:18 am

    Back in the day, the Apostle Paul’s critics accused him of destroying the fabric of the world (Acts 17:6). Paul was at the center of six urban riots, so I suppose that’s not a totally unfair criticism. But if you survey those “mini-wars”, Paul wasn’t playing the culture war game, he was just presenting and embodying Jesus.

    In Lystria, he presented a Jesus who loved across cultural war boundaries.

    In Phillipi, he presented a Jesus who liberated a demon possessed girl from the spiritual and systemic oppression.

    In Thessalonica they rioted when they understood that Jesus was a ruler without rival.

    In Corinth, Jesus is his own law and disregards religious expectation. Much violence followed.

    The riot broke out in Ephesus because Jesus’ love is possessive.

    Violence errupted in Jerusalem because Jesus loves whoever her wants to love. Again, disregarding the lines of the culture war.

    If we look at Paul, we might decide that:

    1) God didn’t invite us to play at culture wars
    2) Our mission is to introduce our culture to the author of morality
    3) Presenting Jesus to our culture will feel more like dieing than conquering.

    And I wish I was as funny as Jordan Green.

  27. JamesW said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 10:12 am

    Don: I hear ya. I do the very thing I am asking others not to do. Quite often. I have lots of room to grow.

    Mike: Excellent letter. (I don’t agree with every word, but that’s beside the point; the heart is what matters, and your letter shows that God has opened up a place in your heart and filled it, and that’s excellent).

    What’s really sad is that when Dobson talks about personal issues with marriage and kids, he really knows his stuff. “Bringing up Boys” is full of very helpful wisdom for new parents. But when he delves into politics, it’s “us vs. them”, which makes me want to pull my hair out.

    So, can we agree that moveon.org spews out hateful stuff, and Focus on the Family, when they talk politics, can say some hateful things, and back off from both of them?

  28. JamesW said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 10:31 am

    One more thing. The piece that Don wrote which started this off is about the culture war. In a comment above, Jolie said “The temptation for everyone, no matter where you stand, is to pick a side, to cling to it almost desperately, and to demonize the other end.”

    Don is right that this culture war is a problem, and Jolie said it better than I ever could. I hate the us vs. them mentality. Hate it. It’s appropriate in some cases, like a football game or a war (the military kind, with guns and tanks). But the way it’s playing out in the US today is destructive to our nation’s soul. It is a concern to me that so many people, starting with Christians, can’t seem to live with and love others who see things differently, who embrace a different culture then they do.

    This brings me back to Mars Hill, in Acts 17, where Paul engaged his audience right where they were, and spoke the Gospel to them from their perspective. Before he was done, he saw some people commit their lives to Jesus that very day. He didn’t slam their culture, and at the same time, he didn’t compromise the truth of the Gospel. What a role model!

    The question is: will we ever follow his example?

    I would love to see Don do a speaking tour with a political conservative, both graciously presenting why they think the way they do on the most important issues, and yet showing Christian unity at the same time. Demonstrating to all that one can love someone, disagree with their theological or political perspectives, yet respect their perspectives, and never let Christ down in the process.

  29. Kim Sink said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 10:32 am

    Hmm…my first thoughts upon reading your blog post and the succeeding comments were something along the line of, well, I’m a pacifist when it comes to “real” war - but am I when it comes to “cultural” war? And then I decided that I was.
    But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I’m just frustrated.

    I’m frustrated because I can’t trust any news source to deliver unbiased truth about anything: RNC, hurricanes, stock shares, or the Bush Doctrine. It doesn’t matter what it is, it’s been twisted one way and then the other a dozen times by the time I read it in the Washington Post, hear it on NPR, or see it in bold caps on the front of my local newspaper. How can I make a decision on lies and half truths? I’m no psychic.
    I noticed today on Facebook that one of my close girlfriends had become the 1,847,390eth supporter of Obama. I started to write a quick quip, something along the lines of “I see you’ve finally succumbed and joined the dark side” but then stopped before I hit “post” because I could imagine how wrongly that could be interpreted. I don’t care who she votes for…I just want to be able to make light of the situation.

    I’m frustrated that I’ve become fearful of men’s opinions of me.

    I wonder why I’m blasted when I dare to question the liberal viewpoint and labeled a narrow-minded bigot when defending a woman who has chosen to keep her handicapped fetus instead of “exercising her right to chose” and aborting it; but affirmed as being progressive when I insist that our government needs a radical change. Although I’ve forgetten to detail what that change is, or how it might come about.

    If you need me, I’ll just be over here with my head in the sand and my ears blissfully plugged…obvious to the shouting, humming “All You Need Is Love”.

  30. MattD said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 11:43 am

    Well, I loved the article, got caught up reading the comments, much longer than I should, so why not spend a few more minutes leaving my wandering thought . . .

    1. Do you believe you are in a cultural war? — (Tongue firmly in cheek) No, I believe in Jesus - Sorry. Someone made reference to the powers and principalities, it seems there is, and always has been, a battle going on in the heavenly realms. It seems to take place mostly within circles I don’t run in, but trickles down to home. The larger spiritual war affects culture, not necessarily the other way around. The people I am closest to love Jesus and look for ways to love people regardless of their allegiance. There many more around who serve as pawns of the other battles that ultimately are distractions.

    2. How do you feel (and respond) to attempts from the left and right to recruit you into a cultural war? — It really hurts and makes me sad. Causes me to long for Home. I try to speak truth, as best I can, with my wandering words. Sometimes I make a dent, other times we simply move on.

    3. If war involves killing, and if a metaphorical war involves metaphorical killing, what does killing look like in this cultural war? — We see it everyday in the character assassinations. It may be a hidden moral failure or something you once said in a speach or paper years ago, and it is an established fact that no one can grow beyond a speech or written paper of years past. (SARCASM there - my wife says I shouldn’t use sarcasm. She is probably right.)

    4. If you were to move beyond a cultural war, a step that might involve compromise, do you feel like you would be “giving in” to an enemy in any way? –I would gladly move beyond our culture war through compromise. I hope I already have. My allegiance is not to a side in the culture war, but to Jesus. With Him, however, I strive not to compromise. I’m sure I don’e always get it perfect, but I try to learn and continually be molded by Him.

    5. What does peace negotiation (an important part of any war) look like in the cultural war?
    – I honestly don’t expect to see any peace from this war. As long as there is anyone claiming and living an allegiance to Jesus, there will be conflict. Practically in the little man’s daily life, advances are made when the “Religous Right” and “Liberal Left” are impacted and changed by Love, Forgiveness and Grace of Jesus. The war beyond will never end by our efforts.

    Thanks Don and everyone else who posted. I am discouraged by the realities of our world and encouraged by the hope of the Savior and seeing others living with him in honesty and truth and being molded by him as well.

    Matt

  31. mattF said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 11:43 am

    i’ve just read all these responses and just had to respond myself. i would respond to the questions that don asked, but i feel like my opinions have been expressed in better words than my own, so no need.
    all i did want to say is that in terms of this “cultural war”, i know that my heart has been wounded by both sides. i attended a christain university and had mentors that i respected leading up to a conversation that we had about a political issue. since they had a conservative stance on the issue (which i did not have), i felt like i was being judged and disrespected. my faith and my values were questioned to the point of them wondering if i were truly a christian. my heart ached for months. these people whom i had respected for years had now become “enemies”.
    i bring this up because this is the conflict that this “cultural war” leads to. well, maybe not in every case. but i’m sure that i’m not alone in saying that people now have broken relationships due to choosing sides, and speaking without love. jesus is a great model to follow, because he served in humilty. he didn’t compromise relationships. how can we begin to become more humble and gracious?

  32. Camille said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 12:50 pm

    I am going to try to keep my responses short, but this is hard in light of the enlightening post and responses.

    1. The only reason I would even begin to believe that I am in a cultural war is because of the media. Honestly, I, like many others, have never felt the extreme “sides” outside of the media. I am more concerned with the war of the heart and mind - of getting rid of my own selfishness and trying to love the world like Jesus.

    2. I get extremely frustrated when I feel I am being recruited to a “side.” I, like another responder, have often considered not voting, but then I feel like I have to as I feel I am privledged to do so, but is that recruitment too? Am I really privledged or just experiencing more control? As I mentioned before, it’s frustrating - and mind-numbing.

    3. I tend to agree with another responder who wrote that this “war” may not be so much about killing as it is “maiming” the enemy. And to me, this metaphorical maiming is fo each side to make the other side look worse and frankly, I get so tired of it. I don’t want to be a liberal or a conservative, a democrat or a republican. I don’t want to be associated with either. I just want to be me and I want to be allowed to swing one way or another and change my mind (frequently) with each passing breeze. I want to know what God says and do what He asks, not human “leaders.”

    4. To move beyond the cultural war would not be giving in to an enemy, it would be removing the notion that there is a human enemy. Isn’t it enough that we have a spiritual Enemy? If we are all loved and desired equally by One, why are so busy fighting? Giving in would be ideal.

    5. I think the answer to the above question is the “peace negotiation.” Once we realize we are not at war and that there aren’t “sides,” but people, we can talk peace. Unfortunately, because of the media and those few extremists on all sides, I don’t see this is a reality, but instead an ideal reserved for Heaven.

    Above all, I think the most important thing to me is how to raise my children in a way as to ignore most of what they hear and read in the media, love God in spite of all of the extremes and to treat all people equally (meanwhile fighting this very concept against the rest of the world). After all, “the children are our future.”

    Thanks, Don, for the thought-provoking post.

  33. Barry said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 2:58 pm

    Wow! Interesting discussion… and it’s not just a repeat of talking points from various factions.
    First question: Yeah, I think there is always a war going on. and we’re a bit naive of we think we can avoid that. It’s the war between darkness and light, the war between my own selfishness and being others-focused… it takes on many forms. However, the enemy is not my fellow human. Other people are not the bad guy! Otherwise, we all lose. But there is a war.
    If I think I can just sit this one out and ignore it or not vote or be passive, then I feel like I am being the third servant in the story… the “wicked lazy” one. I’m speaking for me but ….maybe others can relate.
    I am skeptical of most all of the political leaders but if we look closely, we can sometimes find somebody that is truly offering their life, reputation and/or career up for the sake of others. I’d like to get behind or beside that person.
    I think a lot of us are letting ourselves be used under the pretense of being disenfranchised whether we think we’re being rebellious against the pharisaical right or “crusading” against the godless left.
    I think Jesus wants us to conquer culture but to create new culture.
    And I don’t think we should compromise at all.
    Each of us must determine what our non-negotiables are. I suspect that they should look less like rules and more like realities of the universe - like God is good and He loves humanity; everyone of us is broken and in need of transformation; and if we grip our life it slips away but if we give it away for others, we truly experience it… we should never compromise these (and others)
    Bu everything else is up for grabs!

  34. Barry said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 3:00 pm

    Oops! I meant that we are NOT to conquer culture, but create it.

  35. Rebecca said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 4:38 pm

    1. Do you believe you are in a cultural war?

    Not necessarily, but I’m not positive I can come up with a better metaphor. When you have an argument with someone… family, a friend… how often do you call it a fight? Were there punches thrown and black eyes? Probably not, but most often, we call it a fight. Violent imagery is often the simplest, and I think people use it for that very reason. It’s not something anyone has to reach to “get it.”

    That said, I do think our country is quite polarized. I’m not sure if it’s more polarized than it was in my youth, or if I just feel it more now that I am more moderate with friends and family on either side, wanting to cry out, “Hey, guys, shush for a sec and LISTEN. Finger pointing isn’t getting us anywhere.”

    2. How do you feel (and respond) to attempts from the left and right to recruit you into a cultural war?

    On Facebook alone I end up discouraged seeing the ranting, ridiculing posts from both sides, thinking, “that’s my friend you are talking about.” Reading the paper isn’t much better. A 2-party system lends itself to the good/evil, my side/your side mentality. I wish we had a viable 3rd party just to create a better opportunity for dialogue. Somehow, this cultural conflict has become embedded within our political process.

    When I can, I try to encourage dialogue about it, and perhaps present another viewpoint to either side. Most of the time, I just keep quiet b/c I find most aren’t open to it anyway. Prayer seems more useful, and simply being the change I wish to see in the world (or, in the words of Jesus, loving my neighbor as myself).

    3. If war involves killing, and if a metaphorical war involves metaphorical killing, what does killing look like in this cultural war?

    Reigning as the ruling party (or a more jaded view, the oppressor?), the one in charge able to enact your viewpoint and world view in policy, in public space and in practice (in theory).

    4. If you were to move beyond a cultural war, a step that might involve compromise, do you feel like you would be “giving in” to an enemy in any way?

    No… I feel I have been attempting (at times more successfully than others) to do this for some time. I actually feel that people who know me are increasingly more likely to hear my perspective b/c they know I do not have an agenda of “conversion” to my world view.

    That said, it’s not always an easy place to be. I am regularly caught in the crossfire (again, that violent imagery) of the two sides, pressured to join their side and reject the other.

    5. What does peace negotiation (an important part of any war) look like in the cultural war?

    What if, instead of focusing on what was wrong with the other side, we instead spent time creating quality material (television and movie scripts, novels, nonprofits, comics, music, art, political journals, events) that communicated our views and ideas, letting it speak for itself (not pushing it onto the masses)?

    What if we focused on the plank in our own eye instead of pointing out the speck in someone else’s, taking the blame game out of this so-called cultural war? It’s certainly not a mentality focused on “winning”, but where has that gotten us?

    Perhaps fruitful dialogue begins by saying nothing at all, and acting instead. Maybe then we enable others to listen, and see hope of peace, leading to negotiation and compromise.

    – Thanks for asking great questions –

  36. Tony A. said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 4:54 pm

    Hey Don,

    I am always concerned when I hear the word “war” attached to anything. I would imagine it is used most by those who haven’t been to war. Those who have been to war rarely ever talk about it. As a youth pastor I often hear my colleagues refer to “being in the trenches” in ministry. That just seems ridiculous to me. What, they got hit with a water balloon or something? So I find myself filled with skepticism as we talk about a culture war. It doesn’t resonate with me because we rarely win a “war on” anything? Remember the war on drugs during the Regan era? Now we are in the war on terror. That doesn’t seem to be going great either. I have found most “wars on” to be a distraction to real issues that should actually cause us to fear. I make the same assumption about the “culture war.” Perhaps we should begin to address what our real concerns are rather than wrapping them in the terms the media has chosen to give us. Do we have differences? Sure. Do they divide us brother versus brother as in the civil war? No, not really…at least not with most of the folks I speak to who don’t necessarily agree with me. So, no, I don’t’ believe we are in a culture war. I just think we are losing the ability to communicate civily and to honor one-another even in our differences.

  37. Jon said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 5:14 pm

    I read on another author’s blog that if you want to leave a really long comment, leave a short one with a link to your own blog. So, here’s the short of it. You can read the whole thing by click on my name or by going to http://jonthecanadian.blogspot.com .

    We’re talking about ‘culture wars’ by an inaccurately simplistic definition of war (killing people). We can talk about the “war on poverty,” but hopefully no one means we should line up and shoot poor people until the problem goes away.

    We’ve also completely ignored the word ‘culture,’ which either means a growing group of bacteria or a set of shared beliefs, values and behaviors.

    A culture is like an ogre - or an onion. It has layers. Three of the most important from inside out are 1) shared beliefs that lead to 2) shared values that lead to 3) common behavior.

    An example (click on my name for my full example):

    1) Belief: That people have a Creator.
    2) Value: Human rights not endowed by a government, but by God, superior to any government
    3) Behavior: We fight for human rights (often even outside our own borders)

    or

    1) Belief: God created perfect humanity in a man and a woman and blessed their union.
    2) Value: Marriage (and the subsequent family) is important and foundational to society.
    3) Behavior: We have a special term (marriage), a ceremony, official recognition, and even rewards and incentives for marriage.

    All of these characteristics of American culture are under attack. There are many of influence (leaders of political parties, professors, politicians, etc) who want to strip these elements out of our culture.

    Jesus came to die, not the reform culture - true. He also didn’t come to stop world hunger or prevent cancer which are things we think work well with following Jesus.

    But Paul went to Rome not merely to seek cultural recognition of Christianity, but a legal mandate to allow it! (Judaism was legal, but now that non-Jews were joining this strand of Judaism without converting to Judaism, they were breaking the law)

    A few other notes to other comments there:
    - When we change from one thing to another, whether political perspectives, religious affiliations, etc., we tend to become extremely critical of where we came from and very uncritical of where we are now.

    - We should use our brains and the discernment that God gave us and think critically. It’s foolish to think you can get unbiased news. This holds true for tv, radio, and yes - even blogs.

  38. Jon said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 5:26 pm

    Wow. That wasn’t short at all. Sorry about that.

  39. Joe C said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 7:25 pm

    3. If war involves killing, and if a metaphorical war involves metaphorical killing, what does killing look like in this cultural war?

    In my opinion, I believe if this is a war, and if either side wins, we will have in that same moment killed (or at least greatly wounded) the 1st Amendment which protects the freedom of religion and speech. It was no accident that our Christian forefathers decided that the first Right on the Bill of Rights would be the freedom of religion. It’s important to remember that their reaction to English religious tyranny was not to create their own Christian nation, but to create a nation that upheld the freedom for its citizens to choose their religion. When I break down the issues encompassed in the supposed “culture war,” they seem to stem from religiously/traditionally-tied sets of beliefs (example: Abortion, gay-marriage). If the conservatives “win” this war, for example, their religious views would essentially have control over other US citizens of different religions / value systems. If we carry this further, people of other religions will essentially be squeezed out through policies limiting their freedom to live by any values that are not in line with the majority religion. In other words, we would have outright religious discrimination, which in my view comes from the same heart that beats of religious tyranny.

    Personally, I think it’s ironic that many American Christians seem to like the idea of America being a “Christian nation” as opposed to a “nation of religious freedom.” First, it’s constitutionally ironic. Second, one of the first things I learned in church was that your faith required a choice on your part. If we legislate out all other religions or opposing lines of thought, we also legislate out the ability for people to really make a choice toward Christianity. Choosing between 1 viable option is not really a choice.

  40. Wally said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 8:35 pm

    I do not believe we are in a cultural war, but I absolutely believe that the media, both secular and Christian, love dragging us into a fight. Christian bookstores have more books that are in response to some other book, than they do just thoughtful, Christ centered literature. As a pastor, I hear more pastors who speak about what they are NOT or what they WON’T do and too little about who they are and what they desire to see happen. The news is depressing, it talks in monotone about things that just numb America to things that need to change and then speak loudly about meaningless things that don’t even deserve a whisper. I am hungry to grow, learn and find a fresh voice of leadership that is true and selfless. I don’t see this outside of Jesus himself, but I’m sure there are some humble, Christ driven people out there, they just don’t get any sort of coverage. Yet the media will put the big mouth, judgmental “Christian” who is a crazy fanatic that makes the church look ridiculous. Then the church responds by trying Not to be like that, rather than just living forward with the good news. Will the poor beat go on, or will we pick up a new instrument?

  41. eky said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 9:55 pm

    I have enjoyed reading this post…..Certainly a lot to think about.
    Maybe this is beyond the intentions of the questions posed but, I think of something much more dark, when I think of cultural ‘war’………I think of the holocaust and other genocides…..it has gone on and is certainly still going on in other parts of the world. But not here in America. I don’t know of many Americans who lay in bed at night fearful that their enemy will burst in their home and take their young sons unwillingly off to war and perhaps murder their spouse. I don’t think many Americans face imprisonment or death as a result of voicing political or religious differences. I don’t think we live in a society where 7 year old girls are held in prostitution while a corrupt police force does nothing. These things, in my view, are cultural ‘war’. How minor do our differences seem in light of the real ‘war’-like conditions many people in the world face? We, as Americans, get the privilege of debating our ideas for preserving the goodness of America, particularly when it comes to governing policies. However heated, it’s still a privilege, a freedom provided by our constitution– it’s not war.

    The media feeds this idea of war and divineness because it sells—to us. We are the consumer and they sell what we buy. What if the media were to do more than the occasional ‘20/20’ program on some of the real cultural wars being fought in this world? What if these realities were in our face every day? Would we stop using ‘cultural war’ in a divisive manner in America? Would we seem less divided in our own country? Would we be reminded of how good we all have it and care less about our individual differences? Could we still hold onto to our own ideas passionately while not losing sight of the bigger picture? Would we seem more united after all? If the media feeds off drama and conflict, why don’t they bring to light the tremendous conflict in other parts of the world? Is it because we don’t ask for it? Why doesn’t it ‘sell’? Imagine if we demanded this kind of reporting from our media. Imagine the good that could be done. Disasters tend to unite this country and yet there are disasters happening everyday that we could rally around. So why isn’t that happening?

    Yes, there are the crazies on the far left and far right. But, cultural ‘war’ in America? I don’t think so. Sibling rivalry—maybe. Heated debates– certainly. A privilege to be a part of it– absolutely.

  42. Amie said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 10:49 pm

    Interesting that this issue is weighing on so many people’s minds lately. I’ve been blogging about it myself. I don’t tend to talk politics mainly because it always involves some degree of conflict… I tend to avoid conflict. Calling it a war makes me want to duck and cover.

    All this talk has made me realize why political discussions give me a headache. Here it is: there are basically 2 different ways of doing conflict. It’s the difference between disagreeing with a persons character or a persons style of accomplishing the goal. Style conflict is really healthy and works to get to the bottom of what we have in common and sheds light on the differences. Character conflict is petty, small and selfish. This is a waste of time especially when the future of this country is at stake. It seems the media makes everything a character assassination.

    With this election it feels less like we are choosing a leader to guide our country into the future and more like we are being asked to choose which parent to live with after the divorce is final.

    This must sound pretty “Polly Anna” but I find myself asking why we can’t start talking about real things and work on redressing the way we do this democratic process.

  43. Kristie said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 11:00 pm

    Don,

    Just wanted to put in my three cents worth about the tiny galveston part of your blog… ;o)

    Here in Houston, the local news is still 24 hours straight about Hurricane Ike. 99% of the time they are just trying to fill air time and they must be amateurs not even from the state of Texas. My sister and I wrote down a few of the brilliant things some of the reporters had to say…

    - “You’ll notice that it is a lot darker out; of course it is night…”
    “Pleasure Island is right in the middle of Lake Ummmm”… whispers… “What’s the name of the Lake?”
    - “They need to start the clean-up process, when there is water damage there is going to be mold; they need to get in there with Lysol.”
    - “It’s been moving all that water from a big body of water to a smaller body of water to an even smaller body of water…”

    Having been on an Incident Management Team on the North Slope of Alaska I would also like to say that when authorities make decisions to have people evacuate, they are not only thinking about if people or their homes can ride out the storms or not, they are thinking about the future. Those that choose to stay behind not only put themselves at risk, but the rescuers who may have to eventually help them; also the logistics of basic needs; food, clean water, shelter, etc. after the storm is gone and the damage is done. Certain Death is not inconceivable; in one community some 200 homes were completely destroyed. They are not sure if people stayed behind to ride out the storm or not in those homes… certain death…more than likely. Some people died while preparing for the storm, some people died during the storm and some people died after the storm. Sad to say, most were preventable.

    The gulf coast is broken… it will take a lot of hard work and time to fix it.
    http://www.chron.com/news/photogallery/Devastation_on_the_Bolivar_Peninsula.html#_self

  44. Laura Groen said,

    September 16, 2008 @ 11:21 pm

    Just thought this quote had relevance to the discussion.

    “I am very aware that the issues at stake are not just cultural and intellectual but also spiritual. What is involved is a whole way of thinking that leave out of account, and so largely negates, vital aspects of our humanity and our understanding of reality. Christians today must understand the spirit of the age. They must realize that the protesters and revolutionaries are often fighting against the same evils of society as they are themselves. But they must also see the inadequacy of all answers that do not tackle the root of the problem.”

    -Hans Rookmaaker, Modern Art And The Death Of A Culture volume 5

  45. Myron Atkinson said,

    September 17, 2008 @ 7:40 am

    Of course we are in a cultural war - conflict between values. I Peter 2:11-12 says, “I urge you as aliens and strangers in this world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.” As long as we live in this world we are in a war. Does that mean we have to be rude, condemning, and uncaring about those who disagree with us? Absolutely not! Does this mean we need to compromise our morals and values and put a stamp of approval on what the world says is ok? Absolutely not! There have been many people in history who have been able to live in such a way that they didn’t compromise the gospel message and extended a great amount of love at the same time. John Wesley was one of these individuals. He was staunchly pro-life but instead of spreading hate, he opened hospitals, schools and orphanages all the while promoting holiness of life. It seems that if you do both, those who disagree with holiness of life will condemn, criticize and talk about how narrow-minded and intolerant you are. If I cannot think that abortion, gossip, adultery, homosexuality, physical abuse of children, and not being good stewards of the earth that God has created for mankind are things that are sinful then I guess that I am narrow-minded and intolerant. In believing these things, however I also know that our love for God and others is to be of utmost importance. There has been a lot of talk about Jesus during this election but in reading the Bible I see that he not only had compassion and love for others but he also was narrow-minded (see Matthew 7:13-14). Jesus knew the secret of balance and John Wesley attempted to follow His example. That is my desire as well. I want to continue to love others while never compromising my morals and values. As a Christian, if anyone wants us to compromise what the Bible says in order to make them feel better then yes of course we would be “giving in” to an enemy. Our goal is to live out I Peter 2:11-12.

  46. Chase said,

    September 17, 2008 @ 9:07 am

    3. If war involves killing, and if a metaphorical war involves metaphorical killing, what does killing look like in this cultural war?

    I’ve never been involved in war, myself. But I have heard it said by those much older than I that “War takes our young” (or something to that effect).

    I think the casualties of this war comes from the continuous pattern of “enlisting soldiers” who probably don’t know what they’re getting themselves into.

    It’s much like Socrates’ “Cave Analogy”
    It’s the almost-blind leading their peers in this Cultural Repetition that keeps us away from the Light. (Please excuse any presumably cliche double-meanings there)

    Maybe, like in the analogy, freedom from the war comes from breaking that cycle of thoughtless repetition so that those matters can be exposed under a different light.

    -Chase

  47. Jillain Foreman said,

    September 17, 2008 @ 9:28 am

    I have found the discussion on the “Culture Wars” thoughtful and intriguing. Here are a few of my thoughts….

    Regardless of your perspective, everyone agrees that Americans find themselves with deep difference on a number of fundamental issues that govern our daily affairs.

    I believe there is an elite on BOTH sides of the culture war.

    How you chose to label those sides is entirely up to you…whether “right” or “left” or as James Hunter labels them in his book Culture Wars: The Struggle to Defend America “orthodox” & “progressive”.

    What I see is two groups. One, who have a commitment to an external, definable, and transcendent authority. From an evangelical perspective this is the God of the Bible. He is a consistent and unchangeable measure of value, purpose, goodness, and identity. The other is defined by the ideals of modernism, rationalism, and subjectivism. I see that this group finds truth as more of a process than a constant authority. Truth to them is an unfolding reality rather than an unchanging revelation. What I find is that this group ALSO holds onto their religious heritage but reinterpret/reevaluate it for modern consumption. And, what I find is that MOST of us…fall somewhere in the MIDDLE despite what the media claims….

    I find the difference to be at a faith level. Whether or not a person calls himself a Christian or not is not nearly as important as what kind of reality they place that faith in.

    In II Corinthians 5, Paul talks about the role we are to play in America or any country we might live in….we are to be Christ’s ambassadors and our MESSAGE is one of reconciliation with God.

    So, then….what about social activism? What about politics??? As a Christian, do I just share the gospel and ignore the problems facing our nation? I don’t believe so…. I believe we are called to be salt and light in a decaying world. Our trust in NOT in politics which can only change a nation’s law and to a lesser degree it’s people’s behavior. Even if the “right/orthodox” got their way…and abortion ended tomorrow, if every homosexual became a heterosexual, and drugs and pornography were things of the past….people WITHOUT Christ would STILL be lost in their sins.

    We, as followers of Christ…ambassadors, if you will….must seek to know God and His message that can be communicated to the culture we live in. If we respond to the “culture war” by being an ambassador of Christ, then the vitality of the “church” becomes far more important than controlling the White House or Congress.

  48. Michael said,

    September 17, 2008 @ 9:09 pm

    My feelings and beliefs have become pretty fluid in the last few months and the only way I know how to not flap in the wind is to try to find some Scriptural grounding. But, dare I say, in this realm, it is a huge struggle. I read all the comments here and I understand each one in its own context, but there is often, if not always, another side and alternate interpretation.

    Thus is the mystery of an earthly life struggling in the journey to follow Christ I guess… it is naive to think it would be anything but.

    For the first time in my life I find myself REALLY questioning the “religion” I have grown up with. I have been a believer in Christ as Savior for over 30 years, but truly, I was reading and studying with a relatively narrow mindset. That is… American Christianity is “correct”. The Bible AS INTERPRETED TO ME/BY ME through the lens of my conservative upbringing/teaching/education, etc. is “correct”. The things emphasized by those leaders were “most important”. Republican politicians seemed to talk most like those leaders I have grown up with… therefore they must be “correct”. Of course then, all this I know and have embraced must be “correct” and THEREFORE the true heart of Jesus. I think I am far from alone in having thought this way.

    I have not had my head buried underground. I have for decades heard “the other side”. I just never did anything but work to find things that made me feel comfortable in being “correct” in my way of thinking. When I read a more “liberal” viewpoint it was always with the filter of a conservative set of glasses.

    Here is my quandry with regard to this particular discussion:

    - It seems most of us, as Christians, do not argue from a true CLEAR scriptural basis. We argue from a position of our own perspective. When we attempt to argue from a scriptural basis, we typically simply find passages that support our particular point of view. We depend entirely on interpretation.
    - Therefore, “issues based” politics and faith have come to feel like a very slippery slope to me. I can believe in my heart that the Bible says very specific things about very specific issues… but the older I get, the more people I find who are thoughtful Christ loving people, who believe and interpret things in a much different way.
    - If we are both truly seeking and feeling (prayerfully / sincerely / in study) lead by the Spirit… where does that place the idea of “absolute” accurate interpretation? I believe in absolute truth… I just wonder if any one group of Christian people can claim to know it.
    - Therefore what is a Christian’s role in politics?
    - If there is a role, should we not encourage Christians to be in “all sides” of such a political process?
    - Is it not simply naive to accuse someone (i.e. the author of this blog) that they should not be a part of a particular group based on our view of a few pet personal issues? (How many times have I read “How could anyone be a Christian and a Democrat when they support…”?)
    - In these comments, I see Scripture here discussing Jesus and Paul in the role of moving WITHIN the political structure of their time, but were they REALLY being political? Or were they simply living their God-given call and confronting the issues that came to them on ALL sides as they moved through each day.
    - It doesn’t seem ??? like Jesus would like being used as a discussion point for following ANY one group OR country… but that He is FAR above all of that? And I can love my country…but not feel any need to have Jesus be “blessing” our nation or a particular party?
    - How does one change a nation then? Can you REALLY change anyone’s behavior in a sincere manner without changing their hearts for Christ? Laws are important, but to what extent can we truly affect societal behavior if hearts are lost?
    - Is focusing on law and policy what Christ would have us do?
    - It seems to me that a “war” is the antithesis of what Christ would have us do within our culture. Yes, a spiritual war exists in this world… but claiming a “war” exists between “right” and “left” while there are sincere “saved” followers of Jesus on both sides seems to be a battle against ourselves?

    It SEEMS to me… that the only way our nation (world) will truly change is to swallow our denominational/class system/ethnic/”issues based” beliefs and come together in some sort of larger Ecumenical way.

    Of course, everyone would feel they are participating in something that was absolutely heretical about 10% of the time… but gosh… the power of following through with the heart of Jesus in that other 90%!!!

    Pie in the sky thinking??? Naive??? Never going to happen??? Heretical? Stupid?

  49. Mary said,

    September 17, 2008 @ 9:34 pm

    1. I am a passivist; I am in a culture warp

    2. Calm reason is so much more effective than the yelling and screaming that pops into my head

    3. Apathy; disenfranchisement

    4. We’ve got to quit looking at each other as enemies. Peaceful discussions and compromise; got hope?

    5. Barack Obama embodies that spirit; my idealism wants to give him a chance to inspire people to be above greed and pettiness

  50. Jim M said,

    September 18, 2008 @ 11:53 am

    I’m fascinated by your question 3-war involves killing, so what does this killing look like. At the moment (as other commenters have wisely pointed out), it seems that we kill by reducing or eliminating our opponents credibility. We don’t win an argument by producing facts that show “our side” is the better side, we show why our opponent shouldn’t be listened to. I think of the current state of Canadian politics (and I’m sure it’s in American politics to, I just don’t feel right commenting about those), politicians don’t debate issues, they insult each other, and wish their opponents dead (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080918.welxnritzmain0918/BNStory/politics/home).
    I also wonder what innocent casualties will come out of this war. The obvious one, is Truth.

  51. Hadley Baker (Dallas, TX) said,

    September 18, 2008 @ 4:48 pm

    When I hear people speak about the “culture war” I think they are talking about the struggle in our society to either preserve or abolish traditional values. There are many in our society who believe that you are “bigoted” or “close minded” or “intolerant” if you cling to traditional values on hot button issues such as abortion, same sex marriage, etc. On the other side you have many who have adopted a “to each his own” mentality and choose not to engage in the discussions and dialogue on sensitive topics.

    I believe people should stand up for what they believe in. I, personally, would consider myself quite conservative. For me, as a Christian, I cannot stand behind a political platform that makes provisions for the slaughter of innocent babies, equates homosexuality with Biblical marriage, and rewards those in our society who are LAZY and will not work.

    Call me what you will…I choose to stand up for my convictions. I will always respect those on the other side of the issue, but I will never sit quietly and pretend that we agree. Truth is truth. Right is right. Wrong is wrong. There is no getting around it.

    So, yes, I believe there is a struggle in our culture.

  52. Erik A. said,

    September 18, 2008 @ 5:00 pm

    Hiya Don! Thank you for your post.

    I guess I may be one of the people who have had the idea of a culture war travel swiftly over their head. I don’t feel like war is a good term for the whole situation. For me, it is simply a fight for authenticity.

    I understand your feelings on the media creating fiction to sell. The media has a been given a mantle with the opportunity of giving our culture news relevant to it’s progression. Unfortunately it seems that for the most part they have resorted to theater. Elections are always a difficult process for me because the true character of the candidates is so clouded by generic and rhetorical promises and controversy taken out of context.

    Where the media has the potential to give us clear views of the men who passionately seek this opportunity to lead, they have mostly given into an “Entertainment Tonight” type of report defined by scandal and the proverbial “mud-slinging”. Our candidates are then forced to choose to join in this type foreplay or risk the loss of a chance to make a difference in their loved country.

    If there is any war at all, it seems more like a war to be in the box or out of it. There are armies for both and civilians in between. Lives are lost to the cause of the box and lives are lost from those striving to break out.

    In the end, will we choose to live in the freedom we have or live in the fear of losing the freedom we don’t utilize?

    Once again, thank you. Your thoughts have helped me gain clarity in many areas. Rock on, friend!

    ~Erik

  53. Rosa Culp said,

    September 18, 2008 @ 6:23 pm

    Hey Don,
    First, love your books!
    I believe we’ve been recruited in a culture war. I would like to believe that we have a choice, as Americans, and a responsibility, as Christians, to not give in to the propaganda. We must openly confess our acceptance of the differences between ourselves and our fellow man. We are bombarded daily with choices, some of them are hard ones too. Our job is to not give in. We need to not kill each other with slander and hatred from a self centered point of view. Our society draws battle lines instead of breaking down barriers. We join groups or clubs for a social or economic agenda without first educating ourselves about a true or full background knowledge of what these groups stand for. Then we find ourselves defending a position we never understood from the start. To move beyond culture war, we need to be aware of misconceptions and prejudice. Just look ourselves in the eye and say “you, my friend, are living a life of ignorance.” We won’t change others by joining or coercing them to our point of view. My grand parents have taught me to sweep my own porch before I try to clean up the whole neighborhood. I don’t believe that making a friend of a stranger is giving in to an enemy. Rather it is driving home the message of Jesus, which is love. God sent Jesus to show us His love for us and to show us how to love each other. I don’t remember any story in the Bible of Jesus starting any wars or even any rebellions. Peace negotiations are not necessary when education and understanding are put to use. Instead of believing everything some one tells you, go out and read the texts people are “quoting” to you. Find the truth behind your own misconceptions. I’m not saying you need to convert to understand other people and cultures, just take the time to find out what their philosophy really is all about. Then love them where they are, as they they are. That’s how God found you. That’s how He found me. He loves us as we are, where we are. In and through Him we will be changed. He is the source and driving force behind that change. I know that I am only human, an image of God. I hope He’ll find the way to mend me, and most importantly, that I will allow Him to perform His healing.
    P.S. I’ve got some Raison Bran in the cupboard, if you ever get to Pa.

  54. Kay Anderson said,

    September 18, 2008 @ 9:04 pm

    I think your answer can be found in your post about the Ride:Well trip. The way to see the real America is to meet it face to face, as you did. I’ve found throughout my life that when I judge some group of people that are not like me, God is gracious enough to put them in my path. Once I meet them, once my judgement is given a face, it seems to melt away. I thank God for that gift, my new friends help me to become a better person, and I begin to see how alike we all are.

  55. Josh said,

    September 19, 2008 @ 12:25 am

    What I find terribly interesting is that with the following that you have, you yourself deliver both truth and error and although I love this entry the beginning saddens my heart. I think its wise for you to speak out and share some wisdom about our media and its purpose to not inform but in fact drive up ratings and make money. Isn’t that interesting. The very shows we are watching to be more informed are really actually just trying to make money. Nevertheless, I find myself continually asking God what he is doing with all of this and how can I be a reflection of His character.

  56. Casey said,

    September 19, 2008 @ 4:32 am

    Have you read Richard Horsley’s book Jesus and Empire? I just did for my last seminary class ever (holler!) and it rocked my “jesus is depoliticized and his kingdom is spiritual” world. It basically equates Roman imperialism with today’s America, and kicks us in the metaphorical nuts. Frightening, humbling, thought-provoking; good book.

    Likewise, I live in WA (close to your writing island), and have lived in Berkeley, and Florida (the only one on my church staff not to vote for Jeb Bush’s brother Dubya, that was awkward); and now I’m moving to TX, right in time for another election. I sense a theme God has in my life; rather than the polarizing that the media/culture does… I am to be an agent of God’s Kingdom and speak up for those priorities… it’s messy. painful. lonely. But I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

  57. Bryan Catherman said,

    September 19, 2008 @ 10:30 am

    I don’t care much for the war metaphor, maybe because I served in an actual war and I now see how ridiculous using it as a metaphor often is.

    I lean toward the “cultural divide” metaphor. And I’m always looking for people willing to build a bridge (even if it’s one of those scary rope bridges) rather than erode the canyon walls even more.