a merry schismatic christmas (part 1)

**if you're reading this and you feel i'm writing about you, please don't take any offense. this isn't a rant. this is me attempting to analyze how relationships are affected by intense disagreement, and how i deal with it. if you have something to say, please feel free to comment or ask questions.**

christmas is the time for family and to celebrate jesus' birth. it's a time where, as christians, jesus should bring us together. well, jesus should always bring us together, but many times he doesn't. i suppose you could argue that he never claimed he would. in one passage he says something to the effect that he will divide families. but i have a feeling there are issues pertinent to that specific time and circumstance as to why jesus said that, because the overall idea of the church is people united in christ bringing about the kingdom of God. some act as the feet, some the hands but all are part of the body. division and schism doesn't seem to be the goal.

of course, among many christians, it isn't like this. recently, the pastor of my parent's church has come down on the pastor of my church and others who are associated with him. in fact, this isn't anything new, as my pastor has been attracting criticism for some time. recently, he went on a speaking tour called the gods aren't angry. when my wife mentioned this tour to my cousin, whose church also isn't a fan, my cousin said something to the effect of, "the gods? there's only one God." the criticism has indeed gotten out of control. in fact it's devolved into gossip, and libel.

i get quite nervous about bringing people together whom i know have very divergent political or religious views. at times, i dreaded bringing my liberal ex-girlfriend out to eat with my parents because of the fear my father would spout off an opinion about his politics. one time we were waiting for a seat at a restaurant and my dad started a conversation with some random person standing near us, which is completely normal for him. some how he started talking about the war and how we need to just go bomb the entire region and get it over with. i literally almost ran outside to leave, but remembered i had ridden with my mom.

the reason i feel this way isn't because i don't like discussing politics or religion, but because i feel as though there needs to be-- among most people at least-- some sort of bond that is formed first. a bond where both parties like one another enough to where they can disagree about big issues without it affecting the way they view one another as people. i think that i've reached this point with my wife's family, but i'm still not so sure i want to act on it. i still have this fear that if i come out and say, "i believe in evolution," or "i can't stand george bush," or, "i don't care if a presidential candidate is pro-life," or, "i don't really care if gay people get married" they might think less of me, or think they need to start praying for me to see the light.

i know, i know, who cares if they think less of you; that's their problem. so what? the problem is, is that i do care, and this creates tension when i am with these people because i know that they probably know i don't agree with all of their conservative republican christian views. it creates tension with the cousin i spoke about above. i've even sensed tension with my high school best friend, though not to the same effect as the others. the truth is there are times when i think we are following a completely different jesus.