Demonization and Doomsday

I have made some modest contributions to one of the major political parties. For the last year, especially in the run up to this year’s senatorial elections, I have been inundated with emails and phone calls requesting more contributions. I understand. Political campaigns are expensive. What I have found to be irritating are the demonization of the other party and the doomsday cries. As a result, I have not recently contributed. Their tactics were a real turnoff for me. I got so fed up with the nightly, between 6:00 and 9:00, calls from the fund-raising offices that I told one representative (in very clear language) how disturbing I found the calls and the barrage of daily emails. As he was trying to plead the case for the calls and the emails, I hung up.

It makes me wonder, how many church members have been turned off by our own demonization of others and our doomsday cries? Let me admit there have been times as a pastor and as an executive presbyter when I have guilty of both of these deadly Ds. There have been times when I have negatively characterized those of an opposing stance or action. There were times, especially around the time of budget development for the next year and the annual funding appeals, when I pointed to the worst case scenarios if we don’t raise more money. “We’ll have to lay off some of the staff. We’ll have to seriously consider cutting back to a part-time pastor.” I have heard many others pointing to the gathering dark clouds and shouting of impending disaster.

Sometimes fear can be an appropriate motivator. The problem is there is this story of the boy who cried wolf when there was no wolf. When the wolf did show up and the boy cried wolf, nobody paid any attention. Demonizing others only makes people wonder when the demonization will be turn on them. Rather than risking that they either do not offer an opposing opinion or they just go some other place.

When we read the Epistles, the opening verses are usually praising those to whom the letter was written. Later in the letter there may have been some challenging or scolding language. What if we were to focus on all the positive things the congregation, the presbytery, the denomination are doing and inviting support to do even greater things? What if we were to engage in shared discernment using the tool of polarity management, acknowledging positives of each position and working together to avoid triggering those things we fear (the negatives) of the other pole?

Are people more likely to support flourishing ministry and mission, or a sinking ship? Are people more likely to join with others who are earnestly seeking to resolve differences, or where they are so divided they demonized one another?

For the political campaigns and for the church, tell me your values; tell me about what you have done and plan to do; hold up a realistic, but challenging, vision for the future. I am not interested in hearing about how nasty the others are and how everything will go to hell in a hand basket. Engage me in making a positive difference in the world. And do not just do that at election time, or when we are trying to drum up enough money to fund next year’s budget. It has to be an ongoing and consistent interpretation and engagement.

Avoid the deadly Ds and give thanks to God in all things.