One of the most vivid hypocrisies I have ever encountered is the division between 'true' and 'false' Christians. As if the accuser, in their lifetime, never held any wrong or hurtful beliefs in the name of their god.
We are all fighting for our future - for ourselves or others. Some of us are fighting for everyone, even for the spiteful, the hateful and their children.
Many who stand against us truly believe what they say. They may be misguided, they may be misinformed. Even when they do not - especially when they do not - the motivator is often fear.
This does not change the fundamental problem - people can be very firm about their misconceptions. We fight to improve their education, their health, their rights and their wealth. It is far too easy to get angry when they ignore facts, or endlessly repeat what matches their flawed vision of the world.
The moment you tell someone who sincerely believes that they adhere to a group, that they do not belong, you have lost them. I know this from personal experience, being raised catholic and dealing with evangelical Christians.
Even while many in that crowd preached bigotry and practiced hypocrisy, there were beautiful souls among them. People who both truly believed in what they were saying but, at the same time, truly cared for others. Even as some, in their own words, "were only in it for the promise of sex."
They were not blind to this, but at the same time, these were their friends. Their source of guidance. That is not a thing people cast away lightly - friendship is a powerful tool.
Yet, so is truth.
One of the most shocking epiphanies I brought an evangelical to was convincing her that the faith of others was as strong as hers.
Her reaction struck me as hard as my revelation struck her. I was not prepared for that - what was fundamentally obvious to me was an alien concept to her.
Fundamentalists tend to receive their information from within their bubble. I had one seriously claim to me that all of Asia had recently converted to Christianity.
Yeah.
People are at their worst when their worldview is being shaken. Anger is a natural response to having your expectations of humanity contradicted, and you are tempted to do - and say - things that you should not.
Sometimes people perpetuate a lie and know it. More people do this more often than they will admit - frequently, confronting the lie can be playing into their own game.
Confront the need for the lie instead. "How does that help your cause when you say that to one who knows better?"
The truth will win in the end.
It can be as warm or cold as society makes it. Yet after all is said, after all is done, the truth will win. It could reign over a glorious future for humanity, or a dead Earth, but no matter the path, the victor shall be truth.
I think we would go further if more people specifically acknowledged that. It is an important - if ridiculously difficult - first common ground.
The only enemies here are going to be those with a vested interest in their lies - and even in this group, there are those who feel pressured by their current situation.
Like I say in the title, get rid of everyone who is incorrect about an important issue and you will be left with no one. I am not saying avoid confrontation, and I am most certainly not arguing for a compromise of principles. I am merely arguing that we need to be careful with our divisions, and our presentation of them.
We each and all of us have made mistakes, allowing at times for fear, rather than reason, to be our guide.
We should endeavor to correct that.
Thank you for reading.