Is This Really Working?

Friends.

“You have to dislike and be adamantly against THAT person and THOSE people to be one of us” … somebody said this to me not that long ago (in so many words) and it made me realize something.

This?

For me.

… Is an extremely fundamentalist idea that has made it into lots of Progressive circles, podcasts, blogs, books, social media accounts, etc. that describe themselves as inclusive, diverse, open to all, etc.

(My own, at times, I admit, included.)

When I was a Conservative/Evangelical it was, “you have to dislike and be against Barak Obama and those baby-killing-Democrats if you want to be one of us. And if you show a thread of grace? If you make an attempt to build a bridge? To invite them to the Table? You’re not a real Christian, and you certainly aren’t one of us.”

Ouch, right?

But.

Now?

As a more Progressive-Thinking-Christian it’s (very often), “you have to dislike and be against all things MAGA and those Christian Nationalists if you want to be one of us. And if you show a thread of grace? If you make an attempt to build a bridge? To invite them to the Table? You’re not a real Christian, and you certainly aren’t one of us.”

Do you see this? Have you felt this? I realize (especially if you identify as a more Progressive-thinking-Anti-MAGA person) it raises all sorts of defenses inside.

BUT.

If you can lay that defense aside for a moment.

Do you see?

Can you feel it?

The same energy is found on both sides - even on the side (the Progressive side) that claims to be inclusive, diverse, loving, welcoming, etc.

IN FACT.

I’d even say.

Having spent times on BOTH sides.

… the pressure to “conform” to this energy and this way of being is almost stronger and more intense on the Left.

Sigh.

And so, for me? No more. I want to be different.

Yes, with every fiber of my being - I am LONGING for something new (even if I don’t know exactly what it is) …

I want to ask more questions than make statements and judgements.

I want to hold my values differently.

I want to hold and put out different energy.

I want to see the humanity of all people.

This doesn’t mean I want to be friends with every person, no. It doesn’t mean I want to turn a blind eye to evil and wrongdoing. It doesn’t mean I have no opinions. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to use my voice. It doesn’t mean I don’t have a spine. It doesn’t mean my heart doesn’t break for victims. It doesn’t mean I’m not angry.

No.

Instead, it means I want to make my way through the world in a less divisive way, in a way that builds tables where people can sit and understand each other and attempt to work together as opposed to walls that separate and divide while we yell at and lob verbal grenades at one another.

Why?

Because at the end of the day, (for me) approaching anger and hate and division with more anger and hate and division isn’t getting us anywhere different than where we’ve already been.

“Imagine if there wasn’t hatred for the Nazis!”, someone recently said to me. Or, “imagine if there wasn’t hate for the KKK! Imagine where we’d be if our ancestors built tables instead of walls. How can you attempt to try and understand someone who only wants to harm someone else?! This is such a ridiculous idea. We HAVE to fight! Grow a spine, flip over some tables, and fight the system!”

True.

But.

I mean.

Honestly?

If these approaches worked to create lasting, long-term, eternal change (this is the change I’m after, the change I want to see - not short-term, temporary change for some … but long-term change for everyone) - wouldn’t our children only know of Nazi salutes from history books and not from the TV where our modern-day “politicians” are doing this salute?

Right?

And wouldn’t they know of KKK hoods only from history books and not from people who actually wear them in 2025?

Yeah?

I mean, honestly - would we be having the same conversations about the same things all these years later if fighting and being angry and “flipping tables like Jesus” really worked?

And so, perhaps.

Just maybe?

Possibly?

Maybe there’s another way to be, another way to approach these very important and intense issues.

Can we let ourselves wonder?

Let ourselves imagine?

Dream?

Contrary to what we typically think, this (I believe) is a subversive and radical way to approach these moments.Why? Because it’s much easier to fight, to judge, to argue, to push back, to yell, to scream, to build walls, to shame, to join in with the choir of voices that are screaming at and about the other side. These conversations we’re having lately? About unity and bridge building, table building? Trying to see the humanity in all people? The Divine spark in even our greatest “enemy”?

Phew.

These are radical conversations to have. Not that long ago, this conversation got me called (by a Progressive friend), “a special kind of vile” - this conversation is hard to have, these ideas are hard to explore, these very Jesus-like thoughts will ruffle the feathers of people on both sides of the bird.

Yes.

And that’s why these are conversations that (I think) are found on the “narrow road” that Jesus spoke of while conversations of which tables need to be flipped, how we need to bring down the System, how we need to fight and hate and shame and push back and choose sides are conversations found on the “wide road” - the wide road that has (and, unfortunately contines to) lead us toward destruction.

Oh.

And, lastly - this where I AM at, where MY intuition is leading me - it doesn’t need to be the same for you or anyone else. Much love to YOU on YOUR journey of making it through these times - whatever that journey might look like for you. My only hope, my only prayer is that wherever we are on the journey - we can work together, we can come together, we can see the humanity is each of us, in all of us.

Thanks for being here.

Much love,

Glenn Siepert