What do Sliding out of a job and protesting a mosque, have in common? Both of these stories are stories about expressing your opinion, freedom of speech.
Today Steven Slater was let out of jail and there has been an explosion of conversation and opinions about his actions. He is the flight attendant who after having a bad experience with a passenger used a number of expletives over the intercom then grabbed a couple of beers, deployed the slide and slid out of the plane into his car and went home. Quite the dramatic resignation, you can check out the details in many places online. Steve clearly expressed his opinion.
Mosque at ground zero debate. “Approved for New York City buses is an ad which shows a plane flying toward the Twin Towers as they burn, a mosque which has been proposed for the area, and the words ‘Why There?’” There has been great public debate over the building of a mosque at ground zero.
I do not know what your opinions are on either of these stories but what I do know is I am very thankful that I was born and raised in the United States of America where we have the right of free speech. In Luke 12: 49-56 what resonated for me is the importance of having and expressing your opinion, with mutual respect and grace. I believe that through discussion, disagreement and being in relationship we all grow and we are honoring one another. For this blog I looked at a variety of blogs and opinions and I found myself continuously reflecting back on the phrase “Agree to disagree agreeable” which is one of Steven Covey’s Stephen Covey Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Why can't more people agree to disagree and to disagree with love, grace and respect?
As a Lutheran I often view life through this specific lens; what I love about this lens is the encouragement I received to ask questions. The opportunity to have conversations, disagreements and debates about faith, the Bible and more with mutual respect has helped me in my life's journey. Martin Luther was a person who questioned the status quo and who wanted to engage in discussions. My parents always encouraged me to ask questions of people, of leaders and even bosses. The key was to ask those questions with respect, seeking to understand the other person’s point of view. In the story from Luke 12:49-56, Jesus talks about how homes will be divided. Let me share another paraphrase of this story form Good As New: A Radical Retelling of the Scriptures by Rowan Williams
“My mission in life is to bring about a revolution, and I’m longing to see the sparks fly! I have a painful time ahead of me, and I can’t wait to get it over and done with! Some of you imagine I’m going to bring peace to the world as if by magic, it’s not as simple as that! What I have to say is more likely to lead to conflict. Families will be split down the middle, parents and children will fail to see eye to eye, and newlyweds will fall out with their in-laws.”
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds who were listening in to all this. “You’re very good at forecasting the weather. If you see clouds coming up from the sea, you say, ‘There’s rain on the way,’ and you’re right. If the wind changes to from the desert, you say, ‘We’re in for a hot spell.’ Right again! You have double standards! You like to show how bright you are in the world at large, and pretend to be dull! Isn’t it time you learned to have an opinion or your own? Think things out and come to a realistic view of your situation, before matters are taken out of your hands and you find you have no choices left. Once you’ve lost your freedom, it’s hard to get it back again.”
How have you been engaging in discussions about your faith? What are your opinions on this reading? Do you avoid conversations about faith? Why?
David Lose states, “if Jesus' call to a new way of relating to each other – via forgiveness, courage, and humility – stirred up division during his time and that of the early church, what does it bring today?”. Faith and religion continue to stir up controversy but I continuously hope that people handle controversy with understanding.
Change and growth comes from experiences and sharing of ideas. What recent conversations have changed your life or helped you to grow? Were you understanding, and gracious to the last person who disagreed with you? How did you share your opinion? Engage in the conversation, don’t be afraid, assume people will be respectful and listen?
What do you think of the story from Luke, has your home ever been divided over an issue? How did you resolve the conflict? Did you agree to disagree agreeably?
Please take a few minutes to share your comments here or join me on Skype Thursday August 12th at 7PM EST at "bythewaycommunity".
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1 comment:
I think nearly everyone I know has now and then felt moved toward the dramatic "I'm not fired, I quit" gesture like Slater....as a chaplain working in a hospital going through "re-engineering" in the nineties, I heard many health care professionals who expressed similar thoughts. Eventually, when I saw how the effect that downsizing s having on people, I decided to leave myself. I offered to accept a cut in salary to keep a position that I loved, but that was never an option that was allowed. I remain skeptical to this day about the binge/purge school of human resources!
As for the mosque near (two or three blocks away from) Ground Zero, I am inclined to agree with a Jewish Republican, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who clearly understands the core US value embedded in the First Amendment. At the same time, I see that this is not easy for 9/11 survivors. My older brother died in an Air Force plane crash, a traumatic loss for my family, and I know well the human hankering to overcome or "balance accounts" of right and wrong....
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