This is so powerfully said. It’s hard to put into words the kind of dissonance that comes from watching something you once trusted lose its way. You captured that feeling perfectly—the tension between wanting to hold onto hope and seeing clearly how fear, greed, and power have twisted the story we were supposed to be telling. The reminder that the Church is meant to be a prophetic voice, not a political tool, resonates so deeply. Thank you for writing this. It’s not easy to say these things out loud, but it’s necessary.
"Normally, someone who has read this far and is aligned with the American right will feel compelled to shout something like 'the Dems are no better!' as if I’m writing a defense of the Democratic party here."
I think (or at least I hope) you realize that for every one person who says they've learned that the political right isn't synonymous with Christianity, and really means it, there are usually roughly five or so people who begin the same way, and then draw the bad conclusion that the political left is synonymous with Christianity. So if you anticipate right wingers reacting that way, it's because we're waiting for the other shoe to drop.
But it didn't in your case (refreshingly!). I'm a former libertarian. Now I guess I fit somewhere on the right. But I also hate that the "right wing" position is opposed to helping the oppressed and marginalized. I don't think that will work too well for the right in the long run, but more importantly it's just not a great moral position to hold on either side of the political aisle.
This is so powerfully said. It’s hard to put into words the kind of dissonance that comes from watching something you once trusted lose its way. You captured that feeling perfectly—the tension between wanting to hold onto hope and seeing clearly how fear, greed, and power have twisted the story we were supposed to be telling. The reminder that the Church is meant to be a prophetic voice, not a political tool, resonates so deeply. Thank you for writing this. It’s not easy to say these things out loud, but it’s necessary.
Fellow enneagram 5 here! When you say,
"Normally, someone who has read this far and is aligned with the American right will feel compelled to shout something like 'the Dems are no better!' as if I’m writing a defense of the Democratic party here."
I think (or at least I hope) you realize that for every one person who says they've learned that the political right isn't synonymous with Christianity, and really means it, there are usually roughly five or so people who begin the same way, and then draw the bad conclusion that the political left is synonymous with Christianity. So if you anticipate right wingers reacting that way, it's because we're waiting for the other shoe to drop.
But it didn't in your case (refreshingly!). I'm a former libertarian. Now I guess I fit somewhere on the right. But I also hate that the "right wing" position is opposed to helping the oppressed and marginalized. I don't think that will work too well for the right in the long run, but more importantly it's just not a great moral position to hold on either side of the political aisle.
It is equally harmful, as you say, to equate left or right with following Jesus. Thanks for reading!
This is so well said. I’ve been struggling with the dissonance for a long time—it’s almost physically painful.