Confronting the Uncomfortable Truths of Our Collective Identity
This chapter examines the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, capturing the shock felt by many who claimed such events were unrepresentative of the nation and Christianity. It emphasizes the necessity of acknowledging uncomfortable truths and accepting responsibility for these actions as crucial steps towards national and spiritual healing.
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Episode 040 – This IS Us. We Need To Own It.
“This isn’t us. This isn’t America. We are better than this.” Have you heard—or said—those words recently? Well, you may not want to hear this, but the only way forward is to let those words go.
Show Notes
On January 6th, 2021 there was a historic and unprecedented event where people who had gathered in Washington D.C. to protest the certifying of the results of the presidential election turned into a violent mob that stormed the capital building. While details about exactly who was involved and what happened are still coming out at this time, one thing is clear. The majority of the participants were white, and many of them were Christian.
Saying “This isn’t us. This isn’t how real Americans behave” or “No real Christian would do this,” is a form of denial, meant to shield us from facing difficult truth.
Spiritual maturity requires naming the lies we’ve accepted and choosing to repent of them and change our ways.
Name the lie. Renounce the lie. Repent of your participation in the lie. Then, only then, can there be healing, and growth.
If we want a more free and equal country, we need to stop denying our difficult past and the ways that past still shapes our life together.
If we want more Christlike and impactful churches, we need to stop denying the ways we use power to get what we want, and follow the way of Jesus which means laying down our power and privilege to serve others.
The Writers Advance – A Weekend for Writers to Write – This is the perfect weekend for writers who are serious about getting their project moved forward. This is not a weekend to learn from experts or do networking. This is a weekend where you will write in an inspiring venue, where you’ll have great food, lots of space, and just enough structure and encouragement to get those words out. The next Writers Advance is in April of 2021.
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