I am fascinated by people’s Worldviews.  This, I define, as the lens through which someone sees the world.  It’s normally formed unconsciously and shaped by upbringing, education and peers – it’s also somewhat fluid – it’s unlikely that you’ll hold exactly the same worldview in your late teens to your forties.  It’s almost impossible to argue against someone elses. In a normal society, there are competing world views, many of which are contradictory to each other, which causes argument and division.

Let me define two common worldviews:

Sixty year old Conservative Republican:

God, church attendance, strong work ethic, believe in charitable giving, big government is bad, capitalism is good, you are responsible for your own choices. God blesses hard work and will reward it.  Forces at work to remove God from society and all he stands for. It’s getting harder to live a “Christian” life in America. Abortion is bad and the biggest political issue which needs resolving.

• Work hard – you will earn enough to live (American Dream)
• Forces at work to undermine American values, and steal your freedom
• Nothing Government touches ever works
• Laziness should have no reward and should be stopped – I should not pay for your non-willingness to work
• Life was better 50 years ago (crime, gangs, murders)

Twenty year old Democratic Socialist.

The previous generation has stolen all the wealth. Can’t get a good job without a top degree, but can’t afford the $200k tuition and college fees. Wages for the middle class and below have remained stagnant for forty years while the CEO’s are paying themselves by the billions, yet productivity is up 4x – means I have to work 4 times harder than 40 years ago but get paid ¼ of the amount.  The world is dying due to climate change – which is denied by those with the power to change it, as they won’t be alive to inherit the results. Extremely high level of anxiety & depression. Can’t work out how to connect the dots between a good job and moving out, house prices far outstrip income from attainable work. The American Dream is now unattainable. Extremely vocal about “unrighteousness” –

• Climate Change
• Black Lives Matter
• Racism
• Human Trafficking
• Gender Identity
• No/Limited access to health care – mental health care
• Life was worse 50 years ago (racism, segregation, LGBTQ issues)

These two world views are diametrically opposed in nearly every respect.  The solution to one is the antithesis to the other. A social media discussion will almost certainly not unseat the prevailing world view of the other, and will normally degenerate to extreme examples, absurd illustrations and name calling.

You cannot change a world view through argument.  However, you may be able to influence one with a long term relationship – if your starting point is not “You’re stupid for believing that!”

Why do I bring this up?

As a European transplant now living in American culture, I realize that my world view is so vastly different to everyone else’s, my default reaction would be to argue with every slightly political point on Facebook.  I would probably skew Democrat, but my European hat says they’re not that much better than Republican. I get particularly upset about Health Care discussions and Climate Change, mainly as these are issues that are acted on so differently in Europe to the US – with Climate Change actually causing societal upheaval and health care which saved my life from cancer without risking our financial security – which would have impacted the ability for me to continue in ministry.  I have seen first hand that you can fly in a talking head expert from anywhere to underscore the point you already believe in. However, a social media debate about either almost always reverts to extreme examples, absurd illustrations and name calling – sometimes followed by extremely abusive comments “Get out of our country if you don’t like our way of doing things!” I also know this has been said to my daughter who is a US citizen.

So what’s the solution?

Priorities. In Ministry, our priority is to the calling that God has given us. When we started in Missions, we were told to divide some of our theology into primary and secondary issues.  We would talk about the primary ones, and, for the sake of unity, agree to disagree on the secondary ones. As J.John, a well-known speaker in the UK impressed on me at the time “The main thing, is to keep the main thing, the main thing!”.

It’s really easy to get sidelined by secondary issues.  However, these issues we may have a strong sense of belief in, but so does the person we’re debating.  The Bible defines Sin as the refusal to put God as God in your life, the wrong things you do become a consequence of that decision.

• Identify your calling – and keep it the main thing.
• Encourage others in their calling (Some are called to be apostles, some evangelists, some teachers etc – not everyone has to be the evangelist – although I personally feel that they should!)
• Some people, God is calling in politics and will believe differently to you. (A friend of mine advises the Government in the UK on keeping marriages together, divorce, the financial impact of single parent families etc – his research is making significant change for the better.)
• Understand that others believe, with the same strength you do or more, in their opinions.  Do not belittle them (“when you’re older you’ll get this”, “when you’ve seen what I’ve seen…”, “you’re too young to understand..” )  Be careful of belittling their role models – “The stupid bartender from New York”. Whatever else she is, she’s entirely consistent with her world view, and probably that of most young people, her two degrees will confirm she isn’t stupid – but she may not have the same value system as you.  Someone you’re ministering to may really like her – a comment like that will sever the connection you may have had.
• Trust the Holy Spirit knows what he’s doing – and allow him to challenge you. (I used to not care at all about climate change – until I saw that my belief system was having a detrimental effect on my witness while living in Italy)
• Listen to what other people are saying without trying to form an answer.  Hear the heart behind it – be prepared to make changes to your own world view if needed.  Ask leading questions – “How does that make you feel?”. (Feelings are neither right or wrong – they are indicators).
• Dallas Willard says “Your systems are perfectly designed to yield the results you’re now experiencing.”  Realize that sin can permeate systems as well as individuals. The systems we like and think are great, may actually be destroying other people.  Be open-minded when your favorite system is criticized. The US was founded on the Constitution of the United States, not Scripture. Don’t hold the constitution to a higher level!  Other countries have some worthwhile systems too – don’t discount them.
• Above all, love one another.  Even those nameless bureaucrats in Brussels who stay unaccountable and make changes – oh wait – wrong country..