Editorial April 28, 2003 Issue

The time has come

Editor

These days, drawing a line in the sand has become a reality, not just a metaphor. However, the fact remains that battling inflexibly over political opinions, or what one person thinks is right and another thinks is wrong, throws everyone into a foxhole. And these foxholes are not just on the battlefield. When individuals become so entrenched in the rightness of their opinions—and the wrongness of someone else's—the mental doors of understanding and openness slam shut. In this mindset, the healing peace of the Christ—God's presence in the human arena—becomes shadowed by the dark screen of self-righteousness.

In a free society, the pros and cons of political questions get equal airtime. And it's clear that despite repression in many countries, governments and citizens are striving increasingly to practice tolerance regarding other cultures, religions, and ways of life.

History has shown that when leaders or individuals insist on forcing others to conform to a belief system or to a political agenda, tragedies result, such as the Crusades, the Inquisition, witch trials, World Wars, the Holocaust, 9/11. The insistence on conformity to doctrines and regimes has brought about countless atrocities—both ancient and modern.

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