A Time for Feeling Warm and Fuzzy Inside

The winds of change are blowing. Nothing makes that fact more obvious than our presidential campaign. And change is more than just a candidate's slogan. In truth the winds were moving before the campaign began but now everyone is feeling them. The four-year span between presidential elections makes it easy to see that, yes, things are different than in 2004.

But sensing atmospheric change is easier than explaining it, understanding its significance, or determining whether the change is a plus or a minus. One thing is clear: we have become less tolerant of intolerance. That has to be positive. In Christian circles, this has meant divisive religious leaders -- especially those with political agendas -- have fallen into disfavor. Christian publications have reported this trend for several years, but now it has popped onto the mainstream radar in the person of firebrands like John Hagee and Jeremiah Wright. The media simply won’t have it, even though some of the people would. And the merit of the rant doesn’t matter. Unless your preaching on the importance of free formula for poor babies, you have to tone it down.

The new code requires being inclusive, or at least looking like you are. This applies especially to pastors claiming to represent that great inclusive prophet named Jesus. Remember Billy Graham? It didn’t matter which party held the White House; he was there with his soft-spoken spiritual support. Style matters. The sweetness of Joel Osteen fills seats with euphoric worshipers, while the combative tones of a Jim Dobson begin to grate on the ear. I’m not sure there’s much difference between their political positions (Osteen recently refused to meet with the LGBT group Soulforce), but when Osteen speaks, people feel warm and fuzzy inside; when Dobson speaks you look around nervously, feeling an attack is imminent.

The days of getting elected by inciting certain religious elements, like fundamentalist Christians, are over. Religious groups, such as the Jewish voters Obama is courting, can still make a difference at the margins, but they can’t control elections by single-handedly overwhelming secular concerns. Witness the religious right’s inability to derail the campaign of John McCain, one of their least favorite Republicans.

Hopefully this sweetness and light will shine into newsrooms with a progressive tilt. It’s no secret the conservative side expects their man to sneer more than smile, but the biggest threat facing Obama may be acid-tongued supporters in the media who give the lie to his purported new era of good will.

Toning down the debate may be good for our national blood pressure, but I’m not convinced it’s good for the nation. There’s still much to be fixed in America and I’m afraid that setting aside differences will mean agreeing to do nothing, or at least very little. Many of the Old Testament prophets worked in times of relative prosperity but still raised their voices in loud indignation against inequities. Jesus too could have gone along to get along and saved himself a painful end.

Granted, it would be nice to silence the hate mongers poisoning the airwaves. But if that means the just must also be silent, it could be a bad bargain.