“Our nation has never been this
divided.” You’ve heard it said, maybe even said
it yourself. And, at least at times, it
does seem that way. To be sure, we have
some deep and serious divisions in our national culture. Fault lines along topics like race, economics, politics, and (seemingly) countless others threaten to
fracture our nation, perhaps irreparably.
In fact, there are those who would suggest just such a fragmentation is
imminent. But are they right?
Marty Duren,
self-described “Christ follower, husband, father, writer, social media manager
and teaching pastor,” would disagree. In
a recent social media post, he proposed that a look at our nation’s history might
suggest a different conclusion. Without
diminishing in the least our current crises, Duren calls attention to the
U.S. Civil War of the 1860’s in which more than 600,000 lives were lost. He also points to the huge cultural divides
of the 1960’s that "saw soldiers and marines who had just returned from combat in Vietnam deployed on the streets of America to control protest and rioting," multiple assassinations, and domestic bombings so frequent they "reached 'ho-hum' levels."
When we take Duren's advice and look closely at our national history, we see that dissension, division, and heated antipathy are recurring elements of our national character. When, then, do we tend to think our circumstances are the worst ever? Why do we believe things have never been this a) divided, b) hateful, c) unpredictable, d) angry (choose all that apply)? More to the point, regardless of where they'd rank on the list of "all-time worst," what can we do to bridge, even erase, the deepest of our divisions?
Duren's suggestion to take a closer look at history bears rich dividends here, as well. Following the Civil War, intentional steps were taken to facilitate the reunification of the nation, though not exactly in a pre-war condition. The new nation officially included nearly four million new citizens, slaves freed during the course of the war. Sadly, it took the deaths of those 600,000 soldiers and citizens over four long years to begin the process of fully incorporating former slaves into the fabric of our nation (a process that continues to this day). Similarly, it was only after many painful years of protests and violence that our culture found room to include traditional and more progressive values. At least for a time, we seemed to find room for both the clean-cut and the long-haired, the conventional and the non-conformist.
In both cases, it seems the pain and angst of violence led to a recognition that the opposing sides had a common interest in reducing the intensity of the conflict. It wasn't easy, and it was never smooth. There were (and are still) pockets of reluctance and resistance on both sides, but progress was made. How, then, can we reduce the level of hostility and confrontation we see in our own culture today?
I'd suggest it begins with an acknowledgement of the inherent worth of each and every human being. (For me, this stems from my theology that teaches we are ALL created in the image of God.) Such an acknowledgement allows room for conversation, and we can all learn so much from genuine conversation. Now, conversation doesn't necessarily generate instant agreement. It does, though, offer a full, more complete, understanding of another's position. That richer understanding, then, can lead to fuller appreciation of each other.
Passion and conviction are, undoubtedly, important. But, so long as our interactions with one another are driven chiefly, even exclusively, by emotion rather than understanding, we will remain divided. Hostility and antagonism will continue to flourish. If we will work, instead, toward honest conversation, perhaps we can change our future history by bridging divides before they lead to Civil War or 1960's levels of hatred and violence. The choice is ours.
#MartyDuren #history #culturalconflict #culturaldivision #conversation #inherentworth
