Words of Wisdom
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is anything worthy of praise, meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
“You are the Salt of the earth and the Light of the world. Therefore, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:13-16)
“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that we may know how to answer every man.” (Colossians 4:6)
“Conduct yourself honorably among all men, so that even though they may speak of you as an evildoer, by your good works and well doing, you may glorify God and put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” (I Peter 2:11-15)
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter, who justify the wicked for reward but who condemn the just.“ (Isaiah 5:20-25, Proverbs 17:13)
“A city, a nation, and a house divided against itself shall be brought to desolation and cannot stand.” (Matt. 12:25, Mark 3:25)
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Ch. 1: The Medium Is the Message
In Part III of our journey through her recent book entitled Restoring America’s Soul, Rita Peters (formerly Dunaway) takes us into some rough territory. For example, how can we reach common ground with people who do not believe that there are absolute truths, who do not believe in God, and who refuse to accept clear Biblical standards of Virtue and Morality?
Therefore, in both politics and religion, how can we better communicate our sincerely held beliefs in ways that can help bridge the great divides between liberal “progressives” and secular “humanists” on the one side and with political “conservatives” and Bible believing Christians on the other?
In 1964, a Canadian philosopher named Marshall McLuhan wrote a book entitled The Medium is the Message. Loosely interpreted, it means that how we speak and through what medium can be more important in our communication than the actual substance of what we are trying to say.
Similarly, by way of background, Rita said she was driven to write this book in part because of the way in which some conservatives – and she considers herself to be one — talk about issues. In her view, they too often focus on just “opposing” public policies without offering better alternatives.
As a result, and as she mentioned in an earlier program, conservatives can come across as wet blankets rather than as champions of beauty, goodness, truth, and virtue which, if expressed properly, can become very appealing, even to a culture that seems to be hostile to the idea of “Truth”.
Therefore, as we discussed in Chapter One of her book, Rita sets out to counter some of these negative perceptions and to present a true conservative as someone who is committed to “conserve” the things that we hope to keep and that are worthy of being kept. That is the positive message that should be in the forefront of everything we say and do, just as we are called by God to be Salt and Light to the world.
Ch. 2: Tone — How to Win Friends and Influence People
Therefore, in our program on Chapter Two last weekend, and even though she doesn’t refer to Dale Carnegie directly, Rita refers to the importance of tone and tenor in our discussions and debates, especially in the two arenas of Politics and Religion. She is particularly critical of the tendency for both sides to become “snarky” all too often, which can be sharply critical, cutting, and snide.
She also draws on a principle from Stephen Covey’s book entitled Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” We too easily and too quickly make up our minds about where the other side stands and then form our rebuttals before they even begin to speak.
She notes that we also have a tendency to isolate ourselves and limit our contacts to people who think just like we do. In so doing , we miss opportunities to learn more about what and why the other side believes as it does, and how best to respond to them.
In an unusual aside, Rita suggests that it might be more helpful to view the other side as “hostages” to a false doctrine or creed rather than as our “enemies”. Ideally, we can then try to introduce them to the truth of the Gospel and to the principles of better governance in hopes of helping them to escape from their so-called “captivity”.
Realistically, however, we must also recognize that if the “hostages” turn on us as “enemies” in ways that threaten our lives, our families, our freedoms, and our country, we may need to consider stronger measures to protect ourselves, just as Nehemiah did in rebuilding the broken-down walls of Jerusalem. We may need to arm ourselves in self-defense but at the same time, keep on building.
Ch. 3: Truth and Virtue over “Feelings”
Finally, as we turn to Chapter Three this weekend, Rita addresses the challenge of presenting absolute Truth and a universal Moral Law in a culture that has rejected both Truth and Law in favor of acting on “feelings” for how they choose to live.
Their “feelings” and our culture often tell them to “Follow your dreams”, “Listen to your hearts”, and “If it feels good, do it”, regardless of the consequences. They then hijack our language of values to justify worshiping at altars of their own making.
For example, they refer to the euphemisms of “choice” and a “termination of pregnancy” rather than acknowledging the cold truth of what an “abortion” really is.
On another front, they portray the beauty of natural “marriage” between one man and one woman but also present a glowing picture of an unnatural, unsafe, and immoral same-sex partnership. They paint a false picture of “gay” and of a beautiful “rainbow” to these highly risky same-sex relations that God has so clearly condemned. Similarly, they also apply the term “social justice” to policies that often create gross inequities and injustice instead.
As a result, Rita concludes that this emphasis on “feelings” creates the single biggest problem in America today, leading to destructive lifestyles, misguided government policies, and a severely divided nation.
In the face of all that, however, Rita emphasizes the continued need for Christian “conservatives” to champion objective Truth and universal Moral Law whenever and wherever we have the opportunity to do so, and also to challenge evil wherever and whenever it raises its ugly head.
How to Order the Book
These are just a few of the real life challenges and issues that we will be discussing as we continue to review Restoring America’s Soul on Crossroads over the next several weeks. Therefore, I would encourage everyone to get your own copy and follow along with us. You can order it from Amazon.com under the title of “Restoring America’s Soul” written by Rita Dunaway.
Crossroads: Where Faith and Culture Meet
To hear more about all of this from Rita herself, please join us this weekend on the following Valley radio stations: WBTX (1470 AM and 102.1 FM) Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and again on Sunday at 7:30 a.m., followed by WSVA (550 AM and 92.1 FM) at 8:30, ESPN (1360 AM and 106.9 FM) at 9:00, and WNLR (1150) at 11:30. You can also listen online by clicking on the menu of Crossroads programs available on our home page at www.valleyfamilyforum.org.
Crossroads is entirely listener supported, and we are so grateful for your prayers, your encouragement, and your financial support. If you would like to help, please send your check to Crossroads at PO Box 881, Harrisonburg, 22803. All donations are tax-deductible.
Finally, if you would like to share a personal note with our Crossroads Team, you can do so to the same PO Box listed above or by email to family@valleyfamilyforum.org. We would love to hear from you.
Thank you, from Dean, on behalf of the Crossroads Team, for God and Country.
Working and Walking Together, We Can Make a Difference!