Saturday, January 19, 2013

The Non-Violent Kingdom

 I've heard it said that it is impossible to make everyone happy but it is pretty darn easy to piss everyone off. Although not the most eloquent of adages, it's true.

Yesterday, I managed to make a few people angry when I posted this on my facebook page:

While I love each and every one of you, I've decided y'all will like me a whole lot better if I just hide your feed about gun rights, bashing the president, and pictures of aborted babies, rather than me voicing my opinion about it all. Heck, I'll probably be a good bit happier not seeing it too. :) Peace!

Maybe I should have clarified that I welcome discussion and do not feel angered or threatened by those who disagree with me. What I was really trying to do was shield myself from the derogatory, inflammatory, ungracious and unkind posts that some of my facebook friends have posted recently. The ones that make fun of and insult people who disagree with their politics or faith.

I guess there is a possibility that some of my friends don't read my blog or my posts and so they don't realize that their posts are frustrating to me, that I don't fancy being called an idiot, a moron, or a coward because I happen to have a different view on gun rights.

I have had to rally courage in order to be honest about my beliefs, especially as I realized that there was an underlying assumption by many that I agreed with them, when I didn't. I have tried to explain in the most gracious way I could think of that I am against assault weapons, against the death penalty, against war. I am every bit as passionate about my views as gun enthusiasts and soldiers are about theirs. I believe in being consistently pro-life, from womb to tomb. My intention is not to convince the world they are wrong and I am right, but rather to provide another perspective, with respect and love.

I have no desire to fight with people and get ugly.

While most of the feedback I have received has been positive, {and oh! how GRATEFUL I am for the comrades and encouragers in my life!} I have also had negative feedback, and have even had a few people *unfriend* me. Admittedly, this makes me sad, but not because someone has chosen to disagree with me.

I am actually okay with that.

I have given enough emotional energy to facebook drama. In reality, I am trying to love the best way I know how, and in this case it means me choosing not to engage in every heated argument.

I will continue to incubate and nurture the dream birthed in my heart by a gentle Saviour. I will continue to feed the imagination that paints the possibility of peace, that hammers AK47s into garden tools, that, as the old hymn echoes the melody of my wildly beating heart, will study war no more.

And in keeping with this, I wanted to share the articles I read this cold Saturday morning {see below}, as I sipped hot coffee and huddled under warm blankets and pondered heavy things and listened to the rise and fall of sweet Ella's sleeping.

From my contemplative, gentle heart to yours,
amy danielle

  Why I don't Own A Gun

  Swords Into Plowshares

 Nonviolence For White People

 Do You Hear The People Sing? {MLKing/Les Miserables Case For a Socialism of Grace}

 Noah Pozner's Mom Describes Newtown Victims Body and Why We Should All Listen

 God Doesn't Build His House By Violence

3 comments:

  1. I love your graceful approach to just being you...
    ~Sheri

    ReplyDelete
  2. Keep telling the truth. Even if your voice shakes. Love you, friend.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love your heart and your honesty Amy :)
    Much love
    xx

    ReplyDelete

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