Why is America divided? It is possible to bridge the rift?
America is divided for one, simple, yet profound reason. We no longer believe the same things.
Take the case of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Politically they were polar opposites, yet they shared the most basic principles of morality, right and wrong.
In today’s America, most on the political left don’t believe in an all powerful, benevolent Creator. Most on the right believe in a God, but they don’t really live as if he exists and are accountable to him.
Today, the politics of the left and right revolves around debt and deficits, corruption and cronyism, welfare vs workfare, government control vs private control, abortion vs life, capitalism vs socialism, and the list goes on. These are all important issues. But precious few address our most pressing national problem, the thing we ignore above all else: our national character. What kind of people are we? This was important to America’s founders, but many Americans today brush this off as a “religious thing.” Yet, our national character is probably the most important issue we face. Think of it this way. What kind of people do you want your children to be? Would you brush this off so easily? (Even then, many have.) Why is this issue less important or pressing just because we put it in a political frame?
The truth is that America has always been a divided nation. Even in our founding. Most people don’t know that in the cause of the revolutionary war the nation was not politically unified, but deeply divided between those who supported the continental congress and those who supported England. American division escalated until the Civil War.
Here’s the reality: Donald Trump cannot unify our country. Neither can Hillary Clinton. But neither can ANY political candidate, because Americans no longer hold the same values as their neighbors. Even Jesus, when he comes again, will not unify the world. Those who are his enemies will be damned and those who truly serve him will unify. If Jesus won’t unify everyone, why would we believe a politician who claims he or she can?
While we may not unify on our politics, we must strive as Christian conservatives to bring as many as we can into the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ. That requires repentance and changing our views to come into agreement with God on the issues we face. As a nation, we may never unify politically, but by doing these things we can come closer to being a people who honor God, fear God, and seek to reconcile our nation with God. And reconciling our nation with God is more important than political unity.
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