Religious Language in Social Conversations

Over the last few weeks I have been writing about our social conversations and relationships to firearms. Some of those posts people have read, and others are not as popular. However, this supposed to be a blog about faith, and as such, I am going to start shifting more directly towards how our faith can engage in these conversations. Often, it can seem that what is said by faith leaders is no different from what we may find in other social commentary. 

What’s the point of our faith if it sounds no different from everything else?

Are we really different?

In some of my recent conversations with people around gun culture, I have noticed a large influx of religious language. I should say right now that this post is not directed at any one person, so if you read this, I am not trying to “slam” you. Since these fruitful conversations about guns, I have begun to notice how the same use of religious language is reaching into other areas of social and cultural debate. While I appreciate that people feel a deep connection to faith, the tenants of faith do not help us when we are trying to find a better future together.

What do I mean by faith language?

When it comes to topics like guns, taxes, climate change, or racial reconciliation some framing of the words, “I believe…” is used. There are negative framing as well, but I am sure all of you reading know that. However, it is not helpful for us to be discussing beliefs when it comes to social influences and trends. 

It is becoming a cliche for an opponent to gun control of climate regulation to say, “I don’t believe [blank] is happening, or will work.” 

That’s fine. You don’t have to believe in climate change. 

But climate change is not a religious tenant, and so its existence is not contingent upon your belief. 

The second amendment is not made more sacred by your belief in its transcendent, existential power. 

By using religious language, such as “I believe…,” the conversation is stymied. Debating beliefs is difficult because beliefs can be esoteric, counter-intuitive. As a Christian, I know that to be true. I mean, for goodness sake, we are about to celebrate a man raising from the dead who walked on water, and healed lepers from disease. Reality does not necessarily jive with beliefs. Actually, beliefs break reality, and for my faith that is a good thing because it calls me to see God as beyond myself.

When it comes to debating social issues, beliefs don’t help.

We need to be talking about reality, not searching for the other-worldly. 

Commentators call this era “Post-Truth.” That may be true when people in every strata of society call things “fake news.” Truthfully, this has more to do with comfort than truth. We want things to be a certain way, and the world to work in a way we expect. When things go differently, instead of adapting to the world, we ignore what upsets us and call it fake. Reality is no longer something to experience, but instead an expression of faith and belief.

I should stop and recognize that it is a deep expression of faith to chose tenants of belief over real experience.

But it does not help us address our social conflicts.

All that to say, you can believe what you want, but it your belief does not change reality.