I appreciate the Christian perspective on this, because the cult of kindness is also alive and thriving in many American buddhist communities. For me, spiritual growth has required looking at some of my-less-than-kind thoughts, not denying that I regularly experience negative emotions like anger, and working realistically with the human condition as I experience it. As such, I haven’t really felt supported in delving into my “shadow” side in many of the Buddhist communities who are very wrapped up in self identifying as “good people.” Striving toward goodness is admirable, but wanting to believe one is automatically more kind because they are a buddhist or a liberal, to me is living with a kind of wishful thinking that prohibits spiritual growth.
Although I regularly vote Democrat and support a lot of progressive policy initiatives, I have found myself questioning a lot of the ideology and philosophical assumptions behind progressivism and liberalism in recent years. For me this has drawn me toward a dialectic between progressivism and traditionalism, not assuming one side is completely right, or even that both sides are equally right, but that there are aspects in both progressivism and traditionalism which genuinely serve different people in different ways, and that the two can be in dialogue with one another. I appreciate your nuanced writing on the gender issues; I think a lot of people are looking for this type of nuance, but feel uncomfortable admitting they are not 100% on one side or the other of the culture wars.
I think those issues around striving for goodness and light while avoiding the more shadowy elements of human nature is one that plagues all sorts of spiritual and religious communities. John Welwood famously coined the term "spiritual bypassing" after noticing this in Buddhist communities: https://www.scienceandnonduality.com/article/on-spiritual-bypassing-and-relationship
Tibetan buddhism is what I practice :) And I have found supportive friends and communities for my practice, it's just I totally relate to what you're talking about with progressive Christians, because there is a an equivalent thing going on within buddhism. I have started to avoid buddhist communities that are explicitly political, even though I am a political person in many senses and have a history of activism. It just seems like liberal and left politics and spirituality are mixing in a way right now that is causing people to ignore deeper levels of wisdom. I think you articulated how this is playing out really well! Thanks for the book recommendation -- I love *all* the alchemical traditions, I will definitely read this one!
It’s interesting to me how a term coined by a Buddhist- “spiritual bypassing”- has been used by spiritual groups that have become expressly political to describe anyone who doesn’t agree with their political stance. Which seems like it’s own kind of spiritual bypassing. But yes, I find myself avoiding Christian groups that are expressly political as well. Or maybe I should say partisan. I do think religion is inherently entangled in politics, and there are a few who are engaging it more thoughtfully.
Love this. I think the time is ripe for a synthesis of the traditional and progressive views, or at least a worldview that can see the value in both without one dominating the other.
I think part of the tension I try to hold personally is to see all my opinions and all my questions about issues as part of my own “working hypothesis” that is in flux and open to revision with new information or experience ...
And I try to allow the rest of the world that same permission to alternate between being opinionated irrationally and then softening or changing their opinions.
As a mystic, I am increasingly aware of how we construct and deconstruct shared and personal realities... And respect, curiosity, and courage have become as important to me as kindness or “correctness”.
Respect, curiosity, and courage are definitely important. We need a whole stable of virtues beyond kindness. Thanks for your continued encouragement. Where are you in the world these days? I seem to remember somewhere up North, I'll be up in Wisconsin this summer, if it's anywhere close by, I'd love to meet up again.
Wow, Rebekah! Powerfully articulate. I self-identify as a post-progressive Christian these days. That doesn't make me anti-progressive. I still passionately support LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors. But I have also noticed in the last year a number of progressive thinkers (Christian or not) who are more and more wrestling with questions about various issues of gender stuff. I have come across progressives who express anxiety about expressing public doubt, dissent, or even sincere questions about gender issues. This ongoing development has stirred my own questions about various gender issues in DEI conversations. I appreciate your own unique voice expressed here.
Yes, I find myself identifying more as post-liberal and post-progressive these days. But not anti. I'm curious, are there any who are publicly wrestling with it? Or is it all behind the scenes? I'd love to connect with more people in this space.
Glad you linked this article since I missed it before. I agree with others that you captured nuances here in a helpful way. My thoughts after reading are that we can start with a big picture view -- people have a right to speak for themselves and their own experience -- and then understand that applying our stance to real life situations is most always hard work, getting into the nuts and bolts and working out solutions. As others have said, a multiplicity of values comes into play: compassion, courage, respect, boundaries ... and especially a recognition that needs among people often clash with no clear "right" answer.
And not loving people for who they are is unloving.
Obviously, it isn't just Christians who are transphobes, but it always seems like it is the Christians who will blather on and on about how loving they are, before they say asinine hateful crap like this: "The truth is, as a nurse who has seen medical fads and “expert opinion” wax and wane like the phases of the moon, and under heavy influence from pharmaceutical and medical technology companies, I am deeply concerned about the increasing medicalization of children, teenagers, and young adults by transactivists, and the irreparable harm that may result."
So thank you for reminding me, yet again, why I'm glad to no longer be a Christian. Congratulations!
I appreciate the Christian perspective on this, because the cult of kindness is also alive and thriving in many American buddhist communities. For me, spiritual growth has required looking at some of my-less-than-kind thoughts, not denying that I regularly experience negative emotions like anger, and working realistically with the human condition as I experience it. As such, I haven’t really felt supported in delving into my “shadow” side in many of the Buddhist communities who are very wrapped up in self identifying as “good people.” Striving toward goodness is admirable, but wanting to believe one is automatically more kind because they are a buddhist or a liberal, to me is living with a kind of wishful thinking that prohibits spiritual growth.
Although I regularly vote Democrat and support a lot of progressive policy initiatives, I have found myself questioning a lot of the ideology and philosophical assumptions behind progressivism and liberalism in recent years. For me this has drawn me toward a dialectic between progressivism and traditionalism, not assuming one side is completely right, or even that both sides are equally right, but that there are aspects in both progressivism and traditionalism which genuinely serve different people in different ways, and that the two can be in dialogue with one another. I appreciate your nuanced writing on the gender issues; I think a lot of people are looking for this type of nuance, but feel uncomfortable admitting they are not 100% on one side or the other of the culture wars.
I think those issues around striving for goodness and light while avoiding the more shadowy elements of human nature is one that plagues all sorts of spiritual and religious communities. John Welwood famously coined the term "spiritual bypassing" after noticing this in Buddhist communities: https://www.scienceandnonduality.com/article/on-spiritual-bypassing-and-relationship
I'm curious, which Buddhist tradition are you a part of? I only know a little about Buddhism, but I have found some of the most fascinating material on shadow work coming from people who are Tibetan Buddhists. There's a book called Feeding Your Demons that I haven't read but that a friend recommended, and this book, by a woman who draws bothe from Tibetan Buddhism and Christianity, is one of my all time favorites: https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Alchemist-Guide-Modern-Magician/dp/1590306872/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2MOI3RBL90FRZ&keywords=on+becoming+an+alchemist&qid=1677162659&sprefix=On+becomeing+an%2Caps%2C203&sr=8-1
Tibetan buddhism is what I practice :) And I have found supportive friends and communities for my practice, it's just I totally relate to what you're talking about with progressive Christians, because there is a an equivalent thing going on within buddhism. I have started to avoid buddhist communities that are explicitly political, even though I am a political person in many senses and have a history of activism. It just seems like liberal and left politics and spirituality are mixing in a way right now that is causing people to ignore deeper levels of wisdom. I think you articulated how this is playing out really well! Thanks for the book recommendation -- I love *all* the alchemical traditions, I will definitely read this one!
It’s interesting to me how a term coined by a Buddhist- “spiritual bypassing”- has been used by spiritual groups that have become expressly political to describe anyone who doesn’t agree with their political stance. Which seems like it’s own kind of spiritual bypassing. But yes, I find myself avoiding Christian groups that are expressly political as well. Or maybe I should say partisan. I do think religion is inherently entangled in politics, and there are a few who are engaging it more thoughtfully.
Love this. I think the time is ripe for a synthesis of the traditional and progressive views, or at least a worldview that can see the value in both without one dominating the other.
Absolutely! I've been watching this youtube channel on political philosphy coming from some Catholic Workers to be super interesting in that vein: https://www.youtube.com/@PoliticalPhilosophy/featured
Very well said, Rebekah!
I think part of the tension I try to hold personally is to see all my opinions and all my questions about issues as part of my own “working hypothesis” that is in flux and open to revision with new information or experience ...
And I try to allow the rest of the world that same permission to alternate between being opinionated irrationally and then softening or changing their opinions.
As a mystic, I am increasingly aware of how we construct and deconstruct shared and personal realities... And respect, curiosity, and courage have become as important to me as kindness or “correctness”.
Respect, curiosity, and courage are definitely important. We need a whole stable of virtues beyond kindness. Thanks for your continued encouragement. Where are you in the world these days? I seem to remember somewhere up North, I'll be up in Wisconsin this summer, if it's anywhere close by, I'd love to meet up again.
Wow, Rebekah! Powerfully articulate. I self-identify as a post-progressive Christian these days. That doesn't make me anti-progressive. I still passionately support LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors. But I have also noticed in the last year a number of progressive thinkers (Christian or not) who are more and more wrestling with questions about various issues of gender stuff. I have come across progressives who express anxiety about expressing public doubt, dissent, or even sincere questions about gender issues. This ongoing development has stirred my own questions about various gender issues in DEI conversations. I appreciate your own unique voice expressed here.
Yes, I find myself identifying more as post-liberal and post-progressive these days. But not anti. I'm curious, are there any who are publicly wrestling with it? Or is it all behind the scenes? I'd love to connect with more people in this space.
This is an amazingly thorough dissection of the issue for how succinct it is. Thank you for writing it.
Glad you linked this article since I missed it before. I agree with others that you captured nuances here in a helpful way. My thoughts after reading are that we can start with a big picture view -- people have a right to speak for themselves and their own experience -- and then understand that applying our stance to real life situations is most always hard work, getting into the nuts and bolts and working out solutions. As others have said, a multiplicity of values comes into play: compassion, courage, respect, boundaries ... and especially a recognition that needs among people often clash with no clear "right" answer.
I'm sorry but kindness is EVERYTHING.
And not loving people for who they are is unloving.
Obviously, it isn't just Christians who are transphobes, but it always seems like it is the Christians who will blather on and on about how loving they are, before they say asinine hateful crap like this: "The truth is, as a nurse who has seen medical fads and “expert opinion” wax and wane like the phases of the moon, and under heavy influence from pharmaceutical and medical technology companies, I am deeply concerned about the increasing medicalization of children, teenagers, and young adults by transactivists, and the irreparable harm that may result."
So thank you for reminding me, yet again, why I'm glad to no longer be a Christian. Congratulations!