I recently got a call from a Christian radio station, asking if I they could interview me about the presidential election.
At first this struck me as odd, since I’ve never billed myself as a political commentator. Charles Krauthammer, I ain’t. Though I envy his poker face. But then they said, “We’re hoping you can help parents explain this crazy election season to their kids.” And I thought, oh! Maybe that’s something I could do!
The interview was pretty interesting, so I thought I’d summarize what came out of it for all y’all. (I’m not Southern, but “all y’all” is both fun to say AND delightfully redundant.)
Okay – you pretend to be the interviewer.
“Say, Phil … your work with vegetables has no doubt made you an expert on the American political process. How can we help our kids survive this crazy election season?”
That’s a good question, thank you for asking. I’ve got four thoughts:
1. Don’t drown your kids in politics.
When we’re living through such colorful times, It’s tempting to stay constantly tuned in. That might mean leaving the TV on with Fox News or CNN blaring all day to keep up on the latest.
Don’t. It really isn’t good for our kids. Here’s why: Anything that is constantly present – a constant topic of conversation – becomes wildly amplified in perceived importance. Example: If the golf channel is on in your home 24/7 and golf magazines cover the coffee table, nothing in the world will seem to your kids as important as golf. And before you laugh at all the golf maniacs, how about all those home makeover shows? Are they on non-stop in your home? Or is it car customizing shows? ‘Bama football? Antiquing?
Any interest of yours that becomes omnipresent in your home will assume a disproportionately large position in the worldview of your kids.
And, of course, the same is true of politics. If this election season becomes an everpresent voice – especially when it’s draped in the apocalyptic language of “saving America” or “losing America” – the arena of politics will grow to frighteningly overwhelming size in the eyes of your kids. They will believe all of the hyperbole that we adults are (usually) able to filter out.
Tune-in at night, after your kids are in bed. Or just check the headlines on your phone. Don’t make this political season the “most important thing in the world.” Really. It isn’t. But more about that later.
2. When you ARE watching with your kids, use what you see to teach your kids about our political process.
There is something to be learned in all this, but it isn’t the crazy statements being made by both sides. It’s the process itself. What is a convention? What is a delegate? What’s the electoral college? Why do we elect presidents this way? Why are all these people yelling? Turn the volume down low, and just talk to your kids about the process itself. If you don’t have the answers yourself … that’s what Wikipedia is for.
If your kids are older, engage them in the bigger issues behind the election. The loss of middle-class jobs, for example, is effecting countries all over the world. Immigration is a hot-button issue everywhere, not just in the U.S. of A. Engage these issues thoughtfully with your kids, so they’ll know what all the yelling is about.
3. Point out the demonization of the “other side,” rather than joining in.
One thing is certain this year. Hillary Clinton will be painted as the devil incarnate. AND so will Donald Trump. Extremism sells newspapers and gets ratings. If you’re watching the news with your kids, they will hear candidates being demonized. Don’t join in. In fact, speak up to point out what is happening. Do you agree with all of Hilary Clinton’s policies or decisions? Of course not. But is she the devil incarnate? No. She’s a human being, loved by God, trying to do the best she can based on her own personal values and upbringing. And the same is true of Donald Trump. Even with the hair.
The demonization of opponents is a “YUUUGE” problem in American culture today, going way beyond politics. ANYONE we disagree with is the devil. Or at the very least, Hitler. Hearing grown-ups describe opponents like this is extremely damaging to our kids – especially if we want them to view others through the eyes of Christ. There is but one devil, and his name isn’t Hillary OR Donald. And he has no need for political office. That’s not how he rolls.
We need to show our kids how to disagree without being disagreeable. How to criticize policies without criticizing those who propose them. We need to show our kids that all people are worthy of love, even if all ideas are not.
4. And finally… teach your kids (and remind yourself) that politics isn’t the primary way Christians are called to change the world. Love is.
Not that Christians can’t be involved in politics. We can. Not that change can’t happen through legislative process. It can and it has. But God did not become man to show us how to vote. He became man to show us divine love, and then to teach us to do likewise. Christians lose the Gospel when we become known more for how we vote than how we love.
“But if we can change the laws, we can change the culture.” Ehhh… not really. Any good student of legal history will tell you that laws don’t shape culture, culture shapes laws. Laws couldn’t end slavery until cultural views about slavery reached a tipping point. The civil rights movement was born in churches and on street corners, not in courtrooms or law schools. 1973’s Roe v. Wade reflected massive shifts in cultural opinion about sex and reproduction that occured during the 1960s. The shifts in opinion came first. The law followed.
And this is what our kids need to know more than anything else during this season of political insanity. At the end of the day, our politics flow out of our culture. And the way we are called to engage our culture is through love. God can accomplish his will regardless of who is in the White House. Seriously. I’m not making that up.
Love your neighbor.
It’s really quite simple. And much easier to explain than the electoral college.
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This isn’t an issue in our home yet, but I’d say you nailed it. “Don’t make this political season the ‘most important thing in the world.’ ” My husband and I both remember Election ’92 in a very big way, and we were only eight and five at the time. Kids pick up on things quickly, and not every kid is the kind to ask questions, instead drawing their own conclusions. In line with your post, parents need to be aware of what their kids are seeing and hearing about terrorism as well. A friend recently had the question “What is ISIS?” come from her seven-year-old.
Thanks, Becky!
I’m in Canada but I thought this article was great and especially appreciated this reminder, which applies to all of us: “Christians lose the Gospel when we become known more for how we vote than how we love.” EXACTLY!
Even God’s law couldn’t change a man’s heart. Very good point. However the examples of change (listed in #4) were realistic only because of our laws giving those individuals freedom, especially of speech and assembly. 30 out of 50 American states passed laws prohibiting gay marriage, based on the will of the people, their culture, and the Supreme Court struck them down. Gender neutral bathrooms do not reflect the culture of most Americans, yet that movement IS using law to change our culture.
Good points, Alice. But even in these examples, culture had shifted significantly before the laws changed. When same sex marriage became the law of the land, the majority of Americans had already decided they were in favor of it. (Just over 50%, in that case.) What is shocking is how swiftly public opinion changed. Twenty years ago a liberal Democratic President (Clinton) signed the Defense of Marriage Act. Eight years ago Obama was opposed to same-sex marriage. At least publicly. And now the majority of Americans are in favor. The law couldn’t change until the culture had changed. As for the bathroom/gender movement, that’s really just a part of the larger LGBT movement that has already gained massive cultural momentum – especially among millennials and younger. State by state issues are different, of course, but overall the culture about LGBT issues has shifted massively in the last twenty years.
COMMENT: Mr. Fischer, according to your response to Alice, especially the gender equality/LGBT subject, you do not seem to be in opposition to this “newer” way of life for many who finally chose to “come out of their closets”. You have well stated your stand for Christianity, but I, as a Christian, do not hear/read that you are opposed in any way to this choice of sexual orientation. Is this “culture” okay with you? Oh, yes, culture begets laws! Please explain where you really stand on this sensitive topic instead of appearing to take a neutral point of view. If you are truly who you profess to be, then take a positive and unmovable stand against this way of life. I’m sure you are as acquainted as most other Christians with God’s teaching on homosexuality. Our Lord certainly did not and does not remain neutral on this issue that is so sensitive to many citizens of this great nation. I hope you won’t be a “jellyfish” and exhibit restraint from proclaiming your belief about this issue. We are now speaking of God’s Law—not our own!
I completely agree, Roger Smoot. Back in the day, Christianity was generally full of truth but may not have always had as much love. Now, there’s more talk about love but a glaring lack of biblical truth. This is what happens when man’s thoughts supersede God’s Word. Many churches have traded the gospel of Jesus Christ for the gospel of social justice, a term which has now taken on a completely different meaning – e.g. redistribution of wealth, one of the main goals of socialism. It all sounds good on paper. However, under true socialism, the only thing countries like Venezuela and Cuba have experienced is the equal distribution of poverty. Lastly, we are where we are today because we were either too afraid, too indifferent or too busy to get involved with the issues at hand. My friends who preach around the world always say that good government protects and is good for the gospel. They also say that whenever a government protects the Bible, you’ll find true freedom.
I might be wrong, but I believe Mr. Vischer probably agrees with you. However, many Christians do not. There are a number of books (most memorable to me is “UnClobber” by Colby Martin) that explore how we might have gotten this wrong. It’s easy to say we believe what we believe based on “a plain reading” of the Scriptures, but we come to the Bible with our own biases and experiences, and sometimes, gaining more knowledge on the context and original language can help a lot.
And regardless of all of that, Mr. Vischer was talking about laws and the culture’s view of them. That’s it.
Well said!! Thanks
Would you please provide me with source information relating to your video on structural racism? I would appreciate being able to circulate it among my acquaintances.
holypost.comhttps://www.holypost.com/post/racism-video-transcript-w-citations
The sources for the video are Michelle Alexander, Erin Blakemore, and Malcolm Gladwell. They are pro-LGBTQ, and include “gay rights” under the banner of Social Justice.
Alternatively, there are a lot of really excellent sources out there that should be heard: Thomas Sowell, Carol Swain, Larry Elder, to name a few.
Phil, it feels like you’re trying much harder to play it safe and than to stand on the truth of God’s word…which is confusing to me. My kids and I watch What’s In The Bible and Mr. Phil TV all the time.
But it seems like the creator of What’s In The Bible has forgotten what’s in the Bible.
Social Justice does not equal Justice. Justice doesn’t need any adjectives or modifiers.
This movement is a false religion, and sadly, everyone is bowing down. Even the leaders in our churches.
The Bible is sufficient. It tells us how to behave. We don’t need the “help” of worldly ideologies to figure things out.
Be careful people. Be very careful.
Hi Sharon –
Working against racism and injustice is very, very biblical. We are called by Jesus to be concerned about “the least of these.” We are called to care.
Thanks for reaching out.
Phil
I agree with your recommended sources, Sharon. They’re all great but I’m especially a fan of Thomas Sowell. His quotes on Twitter demonstrate great wisdom. He’s an example of someone who shed the victimhood mentality and found true freedom.
Recently, you posted a video where a friend of yours makes a case trying to prove that the presidential election does not decrease the number of abortions. He argues that having a Republican president is not an effective way to decrease abortions. Then he concludes that it is morally acceptable to vote Democrat because there are other moral issues apart from abortion. My main issue against this logic is that he is concerned with what is effective, and not with what is morally better. Let me explain, when we read about the reasons for the Babylonian deportation, God argues that the innocent blood shed by Manasseh couldn’t be set aside by God. It was worse than other sins. So, to me, it seems that abortion is an abomination before God, so to vote Democrat is to vote for an abomination, for a moral detestable practice, worse than other social issues. I don’t believe that God requires that being effective in changing the world should be our priority. We should make our part, but that is not the priority just in the same way that the first commandment comes before the second. But I do believe that we should side with His character in our choices. That should be our priority, I believe. In other words, I don’t think that our Father will require a list of accomplishments, but that He will require a list of morally sound choices. The spilling of innocent blood is a Canaanite practice. I hope you can ponder on that. God bless you brother ?
There was no question mark on my post above, just an smiling emoji trying to give an idea that I am not angry with you. You are my brother and I love you..