Labels

"She's just a pacifist. He's just a patriot. If I said you were crazy, would you have to fight me?"

These poignant words of "The Gulf War Song" are penetrating not because they express a particular political agenda, but because they supercede an agenda. The strength of the song--and the discussion--is the way it rises above usually polemic and superficial speech. Throwing around buzzwords does not equal communication. Rather, clear communication happens most frequently when we avoid labels.

The most pervasive labels heard in daily American life are the words "conservative" and "liberal." The inherent problem with these particular descriptors is that their meaning is rarely clear. Perhaps the term "fiscal conservative" can identify a particular image. However, these words are often asked to stand alone in providing identity for individuals and even whole groups of people.

EMU's situation makes this discussion particularly complex. What does "conservative" mean, for example? Do "fiscal conservative" or "Conservative Christian" have concrete meanings? Do people know what these slightly more limited terms mean? Being a conservative may indicate a person associates with the Republican Party. Or being a conservative may suggest a person adheres to specific views of biblical interpretation and understanding.

A particularly confusing element is the difference between political and theological uses of these polarized terms. Herein lies the inherent flaw. Mennonite beliefs don't fit into one of these categories. A few specific issues illustrate the problem. Don't support military spending: one vote for liberal. Don't believe abortions should be legal for the same reason murder is not legal: one vote for conservative. Don't agree with the death penalty: two votes for liberal. Don't support changing the legal definition of marriage to include same-sex couples: two votes for conservative.

Note that all the position statements above ended up in the negative. This may help to understand the problem. When people try to fit themselves into a pre-existing mold they end up focusing more on what they're not than on who they are.

This is the appeal and the call of the ultimate independent: Jesus. In today's politically-involved church, believers must see themselves as little Christs (Christians) first and disregard identities as conservatives and liberals. Not only did Christ voice a need to break away from the authorities and the existing structures of the day, but his life illustrated the same idea.

In some situations the term liberal carries negative connotations; other times calling someone a conservative is an insult. Even the term Christian is derogatory in some contexts. But history has yet to unveil negative feelings about being Christ-like.

One version of the "The Gulf War Song" is available at http://actsofvolition.com/archives/2003/march/thegulfwarsong.