Recently, I read a Facebook post by a Christian minister who used quote marks around the words civil and uncivil to make a point about the behavior of the early counter-traditional church of Jesus Christ.  I guess he was modifying the true meaning of these words with quote marks to better fit his point about the people of the early Christian movement and their stance relative to people of tradition and power at the beginning of the Current Era (CE).   In my opinion, this minister was wrongly using the early Christian church example to encourage people of the Christian church today to become less than loving activists against the current USA government, its leaders, and its people who don’t agree 100% with him about social justice.

In the USA today, there is too much polarized hate coming from liberals in the conservative direction and vice versa.  This is in fact the absolute wrong approach for the church, the maturing body of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is all about love for ALL humankind, including those with whom we disagree.

For clarity, I personally believe it is best to use civil and uncivil without quote marks.  In that way, the true nuanced meanings are not ambiguously lost in the author’s mind.  Our soul (made in the image of God), conscience, and common sense tell us clearly what civil and uncivil mean and what their associated actions look like.

I believe the fruit of God’s/Jesus’ Spirit as conveyed in the Bible and my personal spiritual experiences with Jesus clearly define civil: love, joy, peace (orderly), forbearance (patient), kindness (helpful), goodness, faithfulness (to Jesus, his teachings, civility), gentleness and self-control.

Uncivil is simply not civil.    

USA Civil Laws; e.g., Constitutional Bill of Rights, Congressional Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Voting Rights Acts of 1965; at a minimum provide ALL citizens (including President Trump and recently in the news Congresswoman Maxine Waters and their supporters) protection in the expression of their employment choices, political views, and religious beliefs as they express them peacefully in a legal, orderly, and nonviolent manner.  Obviously, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, President Trump’s press secretary, and her family were not given this civil respect and right by the owner of The Red Hen restaurant, Virginia.  The restaurant owner would not serve them dinner because of Sanders’ political views and associations and escorted them out of her restaurant.

Civil discourse (conversation) and respectful treatment allow people from opposite points of view to peacefully resolve differences and possibly persuade others to espouse their points of view.

I personally refuse to believe that Jesus approves of civil behavior counter to his Spirit’s fruit.

On the one hand, Jesus would not approve of Congresswoman Maxine Water’s behavior the other day when she incited her constituents to harass supporters of Trump in public by saying, “For these members of his [Trump’s] Cabinet who remain and try to defend him they’re not going to be able to go to a restaurant…not going to be able to shop at a department store, the people [Maxine Waters’ supporters] are going to turn on them, they’re going to protest, they’re going to absolutely harass them.”

On the other hand, Jesus also wouldn’t approve of President Trump’s unkind and threatening tweet reply to her: “Congresswoman Maxine Waters, an extraordinarily low IQ … just called for harm to [Trump] supporters…be careful…Maxine.”

Common sense defies either of these powerful public figures using the excuse before Jesus that she/he was just counter-punching in self defense, therefore justifying his/her uncivil behavior.

My mother and father would have said to both Waters and Trump something like “two wrongs don’t make a right.”  To summarize a portion of Jesus’ take on this, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” “forgive others the wrongs they have done, and I’ll forgive you (and them if they ask), “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” and “God’s grace and forgiveness are for everyone [including President Donald Trump, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and their supporters].”

All of the uncivil hate between conservatives and liberals in the USA today is not helpful to the health of the USA and all of its people.  We are tearing our country apart, and unless we reverse this fight fueled by group identity politics led by those who mainly leverage personal power from the people they claim to be helping, the USA’s future is at grave risk.  Consider this very scary thought, a world without the USA.

Shame on all of us, conservative and liberal, not just President Trump and Congresswoman Maxine Waters for our uncivil behavior to those who disagree with us.

My prayer is that we all; conservative, liberal, and people of all races/creeds; begin to think like one human race/USA citizens and work diligently to be polite and respectful in our public discourse, by first listening and trying to understand the facts and others’ points of view before civilly expressing our own.  If we do this, we’ll actually come up with solutions for many of our complicated national and world issues.

If anyone personally believes this ultimate “civil war” cannot be averted in the USA and will be cathartic/good for the country and the world, I would prayerfully ask that you rethink your position in light of these words:

Based on his life and actions, I have no doubt the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King agrees with Henri Nouwen, Dutch Catholic priest, professor, writer and theologian.

I know Jesus does.