We all have our opinions. Our current culture in the American landscape is saturated with polarized groupthink. We all think we’re right and if your opinion differs, you’re wrong and goodbye bighead. Yes, we’ve seen this in all areas of the societal sphere, but I want to touch on the Christian arena (a glutton for punishment, I guess).

Pick your topic/issue in conservative and progressive Christianity and the hostile accusations and hateful arguments aren’t too far behind (thanks social media). It seems that the more the subject is prevalent in the mainstream media stratosphere, the more the divisions multiply. With the horrific mass school shooting that occurred in Uvalde, Texas, the fire of polarization is burning fiercely in Christian aisle.

We all need to look within and always evaluate our past, present and future in human connection and collaboration. We all want the same Christian hope, I believe (I could be wrong). We just perceive the steps to get there differently (sometimes drastically). We all have our worldviews. Trusting one way of seeing the world can be a very productive tool in a community setting.

As the individual seeks paradigm shifts and inner contemplation, this will allow them to progress in a social setting. Education, careers, sports, church, family, etc. are all related to how confident the individual is about what they are pursuing. Whatever discipline we take on, faith in “the process” takes shape and becomes our way of being.

The downfall of this thought is to believe that our system of faith trumps another’s system of faith. This leads to endless conflicts that lead to factionalism. This is most destructive when a religious system becomes the ideology of a country.

This is where lives are lost in the name of civil religion. We can’t stand it if someone else’s beliefs are different from ours, so we put up barriers and blocks: STAND OUT! We will never learn from each other if we chase each other for not thinking the same way. We must learn to become a community united in its diversity if we are ever to prosper as a species.

Jesus associated with outcasts and the prestige of society. He spoke the truth in both spectra. His belief system has offended and healed. But no matter what, he didn’t let his beliefs get in the way of interacting with others who disagreed. Is it good to have a system of faith? Yes! It’s about whether we let our faith/worldview systems measure sticks to drive others away or let them be beacons to help others when they need it most.

Yes, life brings its heaviness and its tragedy. It’s hard to get rid of this shit. We all want solutions but it is always extremely difficult to find the way to get there. Sometimes what helps in the whole mess is just looking at the past voices that brought light into the darkness.

I just watched The HBO Special: American Dream by George Carlin. Wow so good! The documentary beautifully explains how Mr. Carlin was such a master at his craft, that’s damn sure! The history of the great late comedy is quite timely. It shows a Pug makeover and how change isn’t a bad thing but is part of healthy growth. His stand up was still evolving regardless of the backlash he received over the years.

His style was very political and individualistic. Many of the examples you can see throughout the documentary yearn for community connection. It was so, you could see that at the end of his career, when he got on stage and performed, it was very dark and almost bitter. Look, all the greats have their moment of ostracism. It looked like Carlin could have let out all his anger at that scene to vent.

Anyway, we can learn a lot from him. In our current relentless dialogue on social media, will we allow our differences to head down a path of hopeless division or can we find solace in our human experiences? We all have them and we all have the chance to connect through these experiences. Maybe it’s time to take a break and find a connection with each other. Can we look at Holy Carlin (yes, I know he was anti-religious but I think he was still a saint) in this time of need. As Carlin said,

“People are wonderful one at a time. Each of them has an entire hologram of the universe somewhere within them.