REPLAY: Polarizing Politics The Quiet Reformation podcast

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Addressing the Elephant (and Donkey) in the Room w/ Keith Simon S4.E3

Originally Published: January 31, 2023

“In the absence of truth and persuasion, what you’re left with is fear and power. So now, instead of saying to you, this is the right policy, what I say to you is, you should be afraid of people.”

A podcast for Pastors, Leaders, and Re-Thinkers of the Jesus way. Please subscribe, comment, and share. Music compliments of Aaron Strumpel.

[0:00] Welcome to the Quiet Reformation

[1:40] Introducing Keith Simon

[5:50] As humans we want to be with those who we share commonalities with. But sin has not only affected individuals, but tribes and communities that point them away from God’s grace and truth.

[8:50] Tribalism prioritizes insiders at the expense of outsiders. Luke 9 and the disciples calling down fire on the Samaritans.

[10:00] Those we once wanted to kill, the gospel calls us to worship with them in Christ.

[10:48] - “Our country needs healing, our country needs forgiveness, our country needs hope, but we don’t have anything inside our nation to provide that, but Jesus does.”

[12:21] - A point of anxiety in a culture of tribalism is: am I going to say something on the wrong side of the crowd that will come after our reputation, our job, our friend groups.

[16:11] In society currently, it doesn't seem like we are pursuing common good, but some form of “victory” where we want to embarrass people and win in order to make a point.

[17:05] Courage is not a value in and of itself; it is not to be done for its own sake. Otherwise, courage will become belligerent or rude.Jesus wants us to be wise as serpent and innocent as doves. The Prophet Daniel was both courageous and winsome.

[18:45] Courage is not an excuse to forget the fruit of the Spirit.

[19:24] The Elephant (our desires, what we want) and the Rider (our rational faculty) metaphor

Who is steering who? We tend to do what we want to do and then find reasons to justify our decisions.
https://jonathanhaidt.com/ and https://adamgrant.net/about/biography/
We use the politician, the preacher, or the prosecutor to justify our desires

[24:23] When proper objective truth is lost as a possibility in a culture, it’s hard to persuade one another towards something good.

[26:30] Many don’t trust institutions anymore because of selfish abuse of authority, but that doesn’t mean Truth isn’t out there.

[27:45] We can escape the partisan, self-orientated tribalism by joining Jesus’ tribe. He tells us to think about and make sacrifices for those outside the tribe. Everyone is invited into Jesus’ tribe to follow the true King.

[29:35] Take your enemy out for coffee. (Don’t poison it!) Get to know the person beyond their politics.

[33:14] Work through the awkwardness. You don't need to agree on everything to work together on some things.

[34:08] Concluding words: Jesus is King. He doesn’t want to be president of the United States. That would be a huge demotion for him. His throne is eternal, he’s not looking for a 4 year term.

[recorded: January 12, 2023]

A podcast from Netzer.org with Tim Doering (vision+networking) and Justin Ryan Boyer (producer)

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