Responding to Different Opinions
By Elizabeth Peltola
“Not Nice!” A Mother might say to a toddler who hits another toddler. Or perhaps we are describing Western World government meetings between political parties? Or hate-laced words spat out from someone whose identity or feelings have been hurt. ‘Not nice’ sums up many a modern scenario.
Disagreements seem to be the default of the modern world. We aren’t talking about healthy debate, where we would expect to hear voices raised in a fervent exchange of ideas. Those can be fun and informative, as long as both sides let the other speak and are willing to listen, especially when they disagree.
How do we respond to those who categorically disagree with our ideas? And moreso, what if a group of people dare to oppose the status quo of society and its trends. What do we do when society seems bent on policies that undermine all that we know to be true and good, and good for the country? What if Christians don’t respond and don’t speak the truth?
There are other powerful religious forces that appeal to the hearts and minds of human beings. Religious ideals that provide some sort of answer or a sense of freedom. Though those religions never promise eternal life with God, they can provide a temporary sense of belonging and help for the here and now. Islam would be a good example of this.
Buddhism draws many a Westerner, but it rarely impacts their moral compass in terms of purity and holiness issues. It wouldn’t guide them through the mine-field of ‘other religions’ or extreme trends that expose our children in schools to adult material.
Islam would provide some moral compass, though more for women than men, but alongside Muslim friends we can stand on those issues that powerful voices in society are trying to undermine. That’d be views of what a woman is, protections of children and teens, clear understanding of English grammar and basic biology. Here many Muslim, Christian and agnostic thinkers, can stand together.
A committed Christian will not agree with a Muslim’s view of God or their religious practice, nor will we agree with all the ideas held by cultural Christians or agnostic thinkers, but we can agree on the value of life, on having what many call ‘judeo/Christian’ foundations to build our lives upon. As we live alongside each other in society, we are free to share our concerns with each other. Biblically a Christian is called to live at peace with others as much as is possible on their part, but spiritually we should challenge those things we disagree with (James 3: 17-18; Ephesians 4:14-15). And we welcome a healthy and kindly challenge from those who disbelieve.
If a Muslim rejects Jesus as their Saviour, and publicly challenges Christianity, it may be time to debate with them. If a Muslim friend is being hurt from Qur’anic edicts, such as the infamous Qur’an 4:34 verse, it may be time to challenge that verse, and certainly in nations where we are free to do so. Jesus did just this on multiple topics.
Yet powerful movements in society are trying to quash the freedom to challenge, in the name of hurt feelings.
Our hearts will always hurt by ideas we deem wrong. This is just a fact of life this side of death. And yet those who live in Christ have access to power than enables them to live at peace with those they categorically disagree with, overcome the hurt and boldly engage.
As we live life, exchanging ideas, being challenged and challenging others, a Christian can respond with conviction, yet with grace.
They have the strength and mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:12, 16). Their rhetoric and opinions should come straight from the words of God, often literal words, from conversations with God recorded through the Bible. God’s opinions are everlasting, and foundational to those seeking eternal life, but they are also good for a glorious life here and now. It does not mean ease, or a problem free life, but it does mean clarity, and conviction, and stability, all of which are being removed from society via modern trends and ideals. Trends which are fleeting like a ghost ship on the high seas, with no hope of navigation to calm waters. This is the kind of ever-changing, boringly ever-new, tumultuous environments being proposed by Biblically unsound Bishops, waring politicians who forget they serve the King of kings, extremist ‘social activists’ demanding new pronouns, climate fearers, religious pluralistis… the list goes on. They do not debate ‘nicely’. They generally do not show care in their actions that disrupt the daily movements of others. They don’t seem concerned for the soul, for the redemption and eternal life of others. They can’t be seen as living peaceably with those who don’t address them correctly…
Who ever thought we’d see a society where people lose jobs and are taken to court for addressing someone wrongly. This is a terrible way to live. A terrible environment to grow up in. It stifles freedoms. it stifles the life out of us.
Regardless of stolen freedoms, as Christians we are free. Because we belong to Jesus, we are truly free. We can rise above all the muddles of the world. We can hold to eternal and foundational values that care for all people and confront our problems head on. We can call out sin-aspects of society’s thinking and we can point to the solution.
That solution is simply the Lord Jesus Christ. The King of Kings who will soon return (Revelation 19).
When we face him our selfish self-definitions and new identities which are held over others in vice-like dominance and brokenness will no longer exist. Those terms will mean nothing, because our real identity will be for all to see and all that is not eternal will, thankfully, be gone.
Nothing written here is new or reimagined, it is simply a wonderfully old-fashioned foundational Biblical response to the warring, unsettling rhetoric from a society that has attempted to throw Christ, the Saviour, out of every part of its existence, sadly even parts of the church.
Only good deeds done in the spirit of Christ, right opinions founded on the mind of Christ, and trust in the person of Christ, will stay the course into eternity.