We are a divided people. If this is news to you then either you have been living a cloistered existence away from all human interaction or it’s already too late and free speech has successfully been outlawed. If the latter is true, then I have already been cancelled and you are currently staring at a blank computer screen, so there is no point in reading further.

     I may as well kick things off by laying my cards on the table. For those who don’t know me, I am an evangelical Christian. I am sharing this not because I am determined to slash potential followers down to the bone, but because honesty is the first step to understanding. My guiding premise is that most of what fuels the animus and resentment that is destroying us is the product of malicious actors that seek to stoke division for their own purposes. Most of what separates us is illusory and there is plenty of middle ground upon which we can and should peacefully coexist. Certain malefactors exploit our compassion, manipulate language, and make social constructs – or strawmen – of one another that set us up into different camps and then place loaded weapons in our hands.

     Whatever liberals and non-believers might believe, Christians and conservatives do not hate you. There is much reason to trust my sincerity. Charges of bigotry, racism, misogyny, xenophobia, Islamophobia, homophobia, and all other social ills are assumed to reside on the political right merely based on our ideological opposition. Cancel culture, violent protests, doxing, banning, shadow banning, de-platforming, political correctness, speech codes, blocking speakers, safe spaces, free speech zones, denying public access, blacklisting (i.e. Hollywood), mandatory trainings, trigger warnings, and an array of other censorship measures all originate and are justified by the political left. Conservatives and Christians are assumed to be intolerant, privileged and victimizers while special interest groups on the left are uniformly treated as victims – divorced from actual circumstances of the individuals themselves. I am open to any refutation of this claim or any justification for such treatment (not based on social constructs) in the comment section below.

     I fully expect reasonable people to now question whether I am merely trying to usurp the role of puppet master by redrawing to battle lines in my own divisive war. Here is why this is an unfounded concern.

1. This space attacks specious ideologies – not individuals or identity groups. One of the best explanations I have heard of the divide between Christian conservatives and the political left is that we see them as people with bad ideas and they see us as bad people. Ideas promoted by Christians and conservatives are seen as fruit of the poison tree and thus don’t warrant consideration. Stereotypes have been used to scapegoat segments of society throughout history. Instead of eradicating bigotry, the activists on the left have merely recalibrated their sights to hone in on a new target.
2. I make no presumption of ideological conformity to a worldview. The fact that you may identify as a non-believer, of a different faith, a social liberal, a minority, a woman, or any other demographic does not necessitate that you hold in common all the stances adopted by the activist left. I know the danger of such thinking since their definition of the evangelical Christian bears little resemblance to reality and more accurately could be described as a caricature.
3. My sincerity and integrity are inextricably linked to the content I provide. These are my observations and opinions. If I violate my own standards or contradict myself then I expect to be called out. I want this to be interactive and I won’t shy away from respectful challenges to my stated convictions. This is especially true if I ever contradict clear scriptural teaching. I don’t reserve the right to distort my convictions to retrofit into a false narrative.

     For any who are wondering why they need to hear from an evangelical Christian anyway or waste my time listening to their opinions, I offer several reasons.

1. You may well have evangelical Christians in your immediate/extended family or your personal, work, or social circle. You may have someone you do or might consider a friend, but there is an ideological chasm between you. Greater understanding will bridge that gulf and bring you closer together. After all, if your relationships require that you not discuss a smorgasbord of subjects to avoid a fight, what foundation is there for a friendship in the first place?
2. This provides a platform for those convinced of the hypocrisy of Christians by exposing their duplicity. That said, if you are looking under rocks to do your best to misrepresent what I’m saying to validate your preconceptions, then you are the embodiment of what I seek to defeat.
3. It affords you the chance to expand your circle of allies not based on philosophical conformity to a worldview, but based on an ability to respect one another despite our differences. If there is one unifying message to take away from this experiment, it is learning the true meaning of tolerance. It is a game changer to realize we can genuinely agree to disagree and not needlessly nurture a grudge or bad feelings.
4. It will provide a resource to challenge those who use Christianity to justify false ideas by exposing how they are going against biblical teaching. There is no denying that many have distorted what the Bible teaches to justify hatred and bigotry. They are as divisive as those in the activist left and are extremely destructive; arming malefactors who seek to paint Christians as the enemies of civility and tolerance.
5. I hope to win people over to my point of view. I do take seriously the “evangelical” part of my Christian faith. That also means it must never be achieved through pressure, coercion, manipulation or intimidation but based on free choice. I am convinced that my worldview provides hope, meaning, logical consistency and is solidly grounded in truth and reality. Like anyone else, I’m convinced my beliefs are true and hope they will be considered.

     The final piece to be covered here is to define the rules of engagement. This is the framework within which all participants must operate. I certainly do not exclude myself (nor desire to do so) from these conditions. Failure to abide by these standards may lead to being temporarily or permanently booted from the platform.

1. No ad hominem attacks. Address the content of the argument only.
2. Do not misrepresent anyone’s expressed views (aka: No strawmen). If there is uncertainty or concerns, seek clarification.
3. Both sides have the burden of proof. There is no presumption that a worldview assumption is true until proven false.
4. Focus on the subject at hand. Any attempt to veer into other topics will not be entertained. Topics may be suggested for future posts, but not pursued on an unrelated post or thread.
5. No profanity or attacks on God or the gods of any faith system will not be tolerated.

     My plan is to post every Monday and Thursday. Please share this content with anyone you feel may benefit from hearing or taking part in this exchange of ideas. All are welcome who seek a respite from the cultural battlefield and who desire to better understand and connect with friends, neighbours and acquaintances. Let’s set fire to the strawmen and start relating to each other as people with inherent value and deserving of respect.