{"id":15,"date":"2010-07-07T07:11:01","date_gmt":"2010-07-07T07:11:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/catholicsmediaandculture\/2010\/07\/are-conservative-christians-mean.html"},"modified":"2010-07-07T07:11:01","modified_gmt":"2010-07-07T07:11:01","slug":"are-conservative-christians-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/catholicsmediaandculture\/2010\/07\/are-conservative-christians-mean.html","title":{"rendered":"Are conservative Christians mean?"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Monday I wrote about the latest problems of Mel Gibson<\/a>. The piece received a fair amount of response. Most, I think it’s fair to say, was positive as readers agreed with my basic contention that the controversial actor\/director is in need of prayers and compassion and not condemnation (though his words and behavior have been atrocious).<\/p>\n

I did receive some criticism though for a particular line in the post. Mark Mallet may have articulated the criticism best when he wrote:<\/p>\n

Mr. Kennedy wrote:<\/i><\/p>\n

“…religious conservatives are often hypocrites and just plain
\nnasty characters. That’s true enough — and not a point I would really
\ndispute.”<\/i><\/p>\n

It’s kind of ironic that Mr. Kennedy takes the time to point out Mr.
\nGibson’s racist rants… while at the same time making an equally
\nharmful and discriminatory statement of “religious conservatives.” <\/i><\/p>\n

And what is a religious conservative? Someone who stands by what
\nthey believe without wavering? Who does not compromise when the rest of
\nthe world’s morality drifts like a log on the ocean? Is this conviction
\nwhat he means by “legalistic dogma” — beliefs that are based in moral
\nabsolutes?<\/i><\/p>\n

I, then, am a “religious conservative”. I commend Mr. Kennedy’s
\nsense of compassion and approach to Mel Gibson who, he rightly points
\nout, has fallen tragically off the rails. But all the “compassion” and
\n“love” in the world cannot put out the flame of truth. Love and truth
\nare like two lungs, or the left and right side of a brain. Something
\nsuffers terribly when one or the other is missing. Unfortunately, it
\nseems Mr. Kennedy’s good heart has mistaken some truths to simply be
\n“legalistic dogma” or downright “nasty.” <\/i><\/p>\n

But truth is always loving, even when it’s hard. Some religious
\nconservatives are indeed nasty. But many, like John Paul II or Mother
\nTeresa, are beautiful souls that bring light into the darkness. I think
\nit is better to throw labels away and simply recognize that the problem
\ntoday is not religion, but individual hearts who commit evil while
\ncarrying the banner of religion <\/i><\/p>\n

Let’s not cut down the whole tree when it’s one or two or branches that need to be pruned.<\/i><\/p>\n

Back to me now.<\/p>\n

Actually, I agree with Mark. But I don’t retract my comment. I’d simply like to clarify it. When I wrote that “Gibson is well-known as a more conservative than the Pope Catholic<\/a>
\nand his most recent outburst was cited as evidence that religious
\nconservatives are often hypocrites and just plain nasty characters<\/i>” I chose to concede the point rather than challenge it because I was on my way to larger ones, specifically that it isn’t fair to judge all believers (conservatives or not) by the actions of a few and that when one stumbles (as Gibson has) compassion and understanding is a more productive response than condemnation.<\/p>\n

I would note that the same could be said of liberal Christians, leaders of other faiths and secular icons as well. Every one of these groups contains the normal mix of true idealists, sanctimonious phonies, lunatics and those who really want to good but stumble along the way. All of them (us) fall under the broader category which is humanity. <\/p>\n

We come to this world and develop differing perspectives. I kind of think that’s how God intends it. If we can avoid judging each other and start listening to each other, we may just be able to (with His help) balance those perspectives and figure a way through of some of the daunting issues that face us. <\/p>\n

That’s how the media can serve the society (as opposed to the egos of those privileged to be given a voice in it).
<\/span><\/p>\n

While I totally believe in freedom of speech (including nasty, vile speech), it is not the best use of that freedom to use the media as a launching pad to hurl epithets at those with the audacity to hold views different from our own.  And those stones are hurled from the right and the left, from the religious and from the secular.<\/span><\/p>\n

Basically, my point is that I am sick and tired of nastiness in general — no matter who it’s coming from.  I’m tired of every individual public fall being used as an excuse by people with one agenda or another to pile on and link that fall to everyone with whom they disagree.  I could come up with a very lengthy list of such examples from both sides of the liberal\/conservative divide but it would be both time consuming and counter-productive.
<\/span><\/p>\n

And, for the record, I’m not a moral relativist. I do believe in an objective right and wrong that comes from God.  But the key to doing God’s will is love — not religious legalism.  I think that was Jesus’ point when He told the Parable of the Good Samaritan<\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he
\nfell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat
\nhim and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going
\ndown the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other
\nside. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed
\nby on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the
\nman was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and
\nbandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on
\nhis own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day
\nhe took out two silver coins [Greek: two denarii<\/a>]
\nand gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I
\nreturn, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’<\/p>\n

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell
\ninto the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who
\nhad mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
\n<\/i>\n<\/p>\n

 Luke 10:30-37, New International Version<\/a><\/cite><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

If my previous post inadvertantly seemed to tag conservatives as being
\nmeaner than other people, that was not my intention. It’s not, in my
\nview, the case. They’re not necessarily nicer than other people either.
\nThey’re just people who are, for the most part, just trying to find
\ntheir way and do the right thing. The same can be said for liberals and
\neveryone in between.<\/p>\n

So, I thank those who wrote called my attention to a possible <\/span>miscommunication<\/span> on my part.  But the thrust of what I had to say holds.  Can’t we all just be kinder to each other?<\/span><\/p>\n

 
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Kennedy","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/catholicsmediaandculture\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/catholicsmediaandculture\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/d80\/d801bc09698c0995d9ae402b4b55ab61x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/catholicsmediaandculture\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/d80\/d801bc09698c0995d9ae402b4b55ab61x96.jpg","caption":"John W. Kennedy"},"description":"John W. Kennedy is the founder and Dir. of Development of The Creative Universe Entertainment\u2122, a media consultation and development company focusing on the creation, development and support of high-quality mainstream entertainment that upholds positive timeless values, including trust in God. Current projects include \"Bryant Park\" (an uplifting romantic-comedy) and \"Photo Finish\" (an award-winning sci-fi TV pilot). 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