AToday Articles says to shut up on social media

 Adventist Today has posted an article that I very much agree with the title but not very much with the article. The article is entitled: How Politics Is Destroying Adventism, and Maybe All of Christianity  by Steve Moran 

One of the things I noticed is his beginning attempt is to sound like he is very balanced. Take this paragraph: 

Right now, today, both sides in the American political contest either explicitly support positions that are blatantly and obviously in opposition to what Jesus taught. The list on both sides is long. Here is just one example: Liberals say they support religious freedom but then they want to crush religious practices they deem to be immoral. Conservatives say they support religious freedom but are pleased to insert God into inappropriate places.

That is fairly accurate for liberals wanting to crush religious practices that are against their morals and desires, for instance how they seem to perpetually complain about Hobby Lobby and things like a religious view of marriage being between one man and one woman. But what about that line about Conservatives supporting religious freedom but insert God into inappropriate places? What does that even mean? Not too specific at all. 

The article continues:

The current truth is that both sides have come to feel like they are in mortal combat for the soul of the nation, and because they see the stakes as being so high, that they are willing to set aside their Christianity and support certain things that are contrary to the cause of Jesus. 

Now, this should be good, He has already labeled the Liberal (meaning here Political Progressive, not classic liberalism) attempt to crush religious freedom.  

But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27,28).
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them (Romans 12:14).
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful… (1 Corinthians 13:4,5).

That sounds good, You could use that in any time period or any situation. If you think that those statements of love mean that people cannot disagree with each others politics that would very likely be a misuse of the verses. 

 I am completely baffled by the Facebook posts and comments I see, not just from people who say they are followers of Jesus, but even from pastors and thought leaders. Some of these people are spending what must be hours a day feeding their hate for the other side. Some appear to be reading every nasty, unchristian thing they can, then posting as many as 10 to 20 articles in a single day. 

I have been unfriended by many Christians, including people who were at one time close friends, not because of my political leanings—which I tend not to talk about—but rather because I questioned the morality of their disdain for one side or the other. I might have some sympathy for these mean, hateful, hurtful posts if I saw any evidence that this social media activity either made the world a better place, or changed people’s minds, or brought them closer to Christ.

I have been unfriended also, but not by any conservatives, only by Progressives. I of course can't speak to what his friends are posting. Maybe they are nasty and unchristian or maybe that is just his impressive because the views don't match his. Again I refer to his statement about the Liberals crushing religious freedom for anything they think is immoral. Far too often Christianity is being supplanted by political progressivism as it takes the place of the Christian religion. That is where I very much agree with the title of this article.

Then Steve Moran notes that these social media posts show no evidence of making the world better or changing people's minds. Now you could say that mean, hateful, hurtful posts don't change people's minds which I wish was true but it is not. The Atlantic just published an article with four anonymous people claiming that Trump called world war II soldiers lazy and suckers. As of today, I think there are 5 Trump administration people who were there and said no such thing ever happened and they are identified. Yet the article was printed and it was the big story on all the Sunday news shows, and the next morning after the article was released Joe Biden had a campaign ad out on the subject. The idea that hateful, nasty, mean, and false information does not change people is sadly mistaken. It does not make the world better or bring them closer to Christ but these things can and do change minds.

Steve Moran writes this article to try and change minds. It is why I write articles. It is why only Progressive writers are published on Adventist Today and Spectrum. They want to change minds to their views. They are not trying to give the other side a space to make their points. That is the very problem in Adventism today. We don't try to reach conclusions based upon different viewpoints we simply support one viewpoint and push it forward. This is the cause of the destruction of Christianity. I will submit it is not coming from both sides of the political spectrum but only the Progressive side of the political spectrum. I used to consider myself a Progressive SDA. But today that means Politically Progressive SDA. The search for truth was canceled and the search for political power took over. 

The article's conclusion:

It is not wrong to advocate for your political positions or candidates if you can…

1. Talk only about why you support your candidate or position and not tear down others. 
2. Be willing to have conversations, which means listening as much as talking about the issues, and not the people. 
3. Not think badly about those who have differing views, who support the candidate you despise. 

Herein lies the problem. I am just not seeing anyone who seems to be able to do this, which ultimately suggests that keeping your social media mouth shut is what Jesus would do. 

1. In fact, you cannot correct someone if you don't tear down their false statements. It is simply not an option. It will happen. Jesus did it to Pharisees and even his own disciples. *whitewashed sepulchers den of thieves, get behind me satan. 

2. Again in politics, you are talking about ideas and people, the people you will elect, you cannot avoid the subject. Nor should you as people say things. They can be true or untrue if they are telling you lies you have to talk about the people telling the lies because it has an effect on what their actions will be like when they are given power.

3. Again this is another impossibility. You cannot simply accept all differing views. Here in Seattle not long ago at one of the many protests, there was a person with a bullhorn taunting the police. Telling the police present to take their gun and put them to their heads and pull the trigger. In Chicago, a Protestor told people that:

“I don’t care if someone decides to loot a Gucci or a Macy’s or a Nike store, because that makes sure that person eats,” said Ariel Atkins, a BLM organizer, according to NBC Chicago. “That makes sure that the person has clothes.” “That is reparations,” Atkins continued. “Anything they wanted to take, they can take it because these businesses have insurance.”

It is never just about the candidate you despise. These are very much misapplications of logic, No candidate stands upon themselves just as a person, They stand upon what they have said, what their ideas are, and what their actions have been. 

So to Steve Moran, no one does the impossible and illogical things you desire or require. I also don't think Jesus would say just shut up on social media. I do think Jesus would want you to be accurate and thoughtful and logical. But I do think that there are a lot of people who because of the new political progressive religion very much want any opposition to end.