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Are Christians perceived as judgmental and easily offended?

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    Gabe Lyons discusses developments in the culture wars

  • Duration 11:41
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Have Americans confuse passion for truth.

And has that passion become rudeness.

Other gave lines is here to talk about his book that's talking about.

Taking America's culture wars the book is called the next Christians.

And gave lines is here.

And you are also the author of course selling co author of the -- -- book un Christian to see if we really.

You know a different angle -- on christianity.

Well listen younger Christians I think are all kind of struggling to find their place in this culture -- their parents grew -- in a culture -- being a -- which -- kind of -- -- respected thing in our society and now that.

Space is change the public square that we operate and whether it's blogs television media newspapers.

You know younger Christians are trying to find their way through that we're being a Christian isn't something people just go -- -- Christian or respect you for that crying fact it's kind of the exact opposite they're trying to find their way and in that -- -- You think they're trying to adjust themselves -- trying to mold themselves the credit.

Be in the -- had a secular culture so that they do get some kind of approval -- giving very comfortable standing their ground I think.

What I'm finding in the next generation isn't the real interest to be in the world not not to separate and just be sectarian to take their beliefs and protect their families from the world are realizing that everything in the world is something that.

God probably would want them to be showing up -- threats are and you know working in every kind of industry could imagine and so what they're trying to do is figure out how does the gospel that is their faith.

Senator in the gospel actually apply to the real world in every single area of society and they're finding success with that.

And finding the grappling with.

Real world issues real world tensions questions that come from their co workers and colleagues is a good thing for them.

And they're not afraid of that in the way that may -- some of the older generations a little more afraid of that because they know they're not used to how -- Think the shift is is due to this sort of you know shift is saying that -- and -- gonna have to interact with the larger little boo -- the more secular caught population.

Well I think a lot of Christians like myself have realized that that being a Christian actually has something good offer to the world and yet most of the perception or stereotypes.

Of Christians especially.

In the older generation as we see the media over the last one here thirty years has been a very specific stereotype very religious right.

We know what you think if you call yourself a Christian and this generation's not like that you can't put him in those categories what do they think easily.

What do they think I think they think that they have something to contribute to this world -- not shy about it they're willing to.

To talk about their faith in relationships that they have what people.

I think they're less.

Afraid of being labeled one way or the other they don't want people to label them they they really want to be seen for who they are.

As a human being not just somebody -- a -- with a specific political party or a faith allegiance.

But how did they then walk their -- -- -- -- in any specific areas because it's.

Very good to talk and lofty terms a lot of without my favorite wanna preach the gospel I want -- about the gospel but how does that translate when it -- -- You know politics -- comes to relationships comes to marriage when it comes to hot button a social issues like abortion and gay marriage.

Yeah well they're dealing with the same issues everybody else's because being a Christian doesn't make you perfect.

It's right.

You have a point of view on the world that that we have an account of what human flourishing looks likes of these Christians.

Play that out so when you look at the political round went on saying.

A lot of -- Christians not just taking one party's position on issues but they're raising multiple issues they're not -- single issue voters on abortion and gay marriage.

There there look at this forty different issues from everything from from seeing life.

As an issue that relates to the environment to -- war to things that go far beyond maybe what the scope would have been we talked about life issues.

In a previous generation and so.

They're known for raising issues and saying look our government needs to be addressing these topics we -- to be talking about it.

They're known for getting involved locally in their neighborhoods by working on these projects not waiting for politics or Washington to somehow solve their problems so they're they're probably more active and there -- -- less and less time spent on.

Really understanding maybe everything they believe they can articulate it well -- around their actions actually -- demonstrates their faith more than just their work.

Today's today's young people -- are living in a much more affluent society than that -- I grew up and maybe use while I mean I remember one night who again appeared -- -- today -- -- -- however -- -- it blew ending up somewhere in school because they were only good for after school because he didn't -- -- Wear them out because they have the last all summer and now Canty had a -- Halliburton James selling sneakers.

They've gotten some video games and all this technology that's around it's really an affluent set.

We didn't grow up with and I'm wondering do they have the same sense of responsibility.

Because.

-- -- the things they've been given.

Yeah I think that's one of the struggles of this generation I just saw pew research study that talked about how one of the top.

Things that the millennial generation wants is affluence and well but it rates higher than gen -- did.

Higher than the boomer generation did and so one of their -- would be to be a -- it.

I think that's a warning signs that may be.

There's an effort needing to be put on responsibility and -- responsibly but there's also.

Counter intuitive evidence of volunteerism amongst this generation also being -- So I think there's they're still trying to figure out who they are in this economy certainly not helping.

Because they're starting to look up for himself and try to figure out how to like get ahead -- I get the job out of life.

Work many more hours so I can keep this job so that's probably added some new dynamics to where twenty years ago he graduated from college you've got a job.

CNN -- cultural misunderstanding will be very very difficult that the -- -- means.

You're not gonna be able to -- for the same things to your friends are gonna -- for you not to be able to go on the trip -- not -- to be able to -- the car means you've got to stay -- began -- there's certain like limitations.

But what's consistent I think about Christians and that I find in this generation is a desire.

To love their neighbors and -- make that a real thing in their life not just the cliche.

Statement but this -- I need to sacrifice myself for you gonna talk about the idea of civility.

Demanding one of those key things I think we're missing in a lot of our conversations that the next Christians are trying to apply.

But I say look we might disagree on some policy or political issue.

But I can still be in your life we can still be friends we can still get along and -- -- We learn from one another vs have a pride and arrogance that suggest my ways the way and if you don't convert to that way.

Then we can't be in relationship or can't work together on common areas of concern.

Paying your -- but there's a shift happening and how evangelicals interact with the larger culture which are also saying that.

And the many Americans believe the Christians are judgmental and easily offended why is that why do you why do they have that.

Impression of Christian.

Because we have that I mean I think when you look back over the last many decades you find Christians usually in a reactionary mode we've been very.

Forthcoming about our judgment on issues and problems in our society and probably done less to put forward all the wonderful things Christians are doing.

To work on these topics and so I think which are finally this generation.

As we've heard for many years now talking about the things -- for people like Rick Warren and other leaders who come out saying look we're gonna care for people with -- we're gonna care for people.

Who are struggling we're gonna work on gang violence in areas like Portland in the education system and so.

Now Christians understand I think more than they ever have the recovering something that's always been -- about the fate.

If we're supposed to be committed to the common good of everybody not just the Christians -- -- try to create a perfect world for Christians have a good.

What's actually help our whole society flourish.

And not just for the Christians but for the Muslims for Jewish folks for people who don't have any of faith affiliation at all.

That's a ship that's happening with evangelicals and I -- Senator of those conversations and seeing that play out and it's very exciting and I think it makes our faith much more compelling to those who.

For a while tried to distance myself and stereotype Christians as not being interest and anybody but themselves.

When you have a take on what's happening at Vanderbilt university and -- -- -- situations that are having other universities where there actually clamping down some of these.

Religious groups particularly the Christian groups I don't I haven't heard of any other religious about it in the Christmas that have been affected by this urban.

Filing lawsuits -- complaints about the situation.

Yes I think it's a huge red flag and I think -- This is the dynamics -- and we're gonna pluralistic society but many Christians haven't had to learn how to operate so we we kind of did have a little bit of an advantage as Christians we could.

Gonna do things the way we wanted and now we're coming up against the challenges of the society that values all faiths.

Doesn't put the Christians on the pedestal.

I think that's what our founders wanted they wanted religious liberty to be part of this now we -- that will we start that.

Move into this area where we start to put down people's freedom of conscience I think this is the huge.

Discussion for the next few years that we have to wrestle -- as a country.

Are we going to allow people's conscience and conviction and freedom to have those beliefs and to talk about them be part of our.

Community that makes this society so great that doesn't just make us all look the same or describe normal as we all have the exact same views and beliefs and so -- pretty Vanilla.

But know that the rich diversity that makes America.

What it is and if we lose that.

Then we're we're actually losing the thing that's the fabric that makes this country work.

Do counsel some of those students at places like -- Vanderbilt University are saying you know you've got to sign this agreement this nondiscrimination policy.

Or -- a group cannot exist have recognized that's -- how to console the young people.

Well I think what I would say to them as look if if these are the rules the university setting up and we disagree with them as as part of that group.

Then you fight them through the channels that you can fight them on this basis of -- freedom of conscience.

Now if it's not going to work and you disband as an organization reform in and a more organic way I mean the students get together and have conversations and as part of what.

The group's -- this -- to provide areas for Catholics to come together and talk.

Do it dude in the middle your campus don't just do it separated I think this is one of those.

Opportunities where we -- -- our faith doesn't have to just be separated into a club although that obviously is a -- that they have there but let's let's.

Be a part of the real conversations happening on our campus let's not let's do it in the public spaces let's come together let's figure out how to encourage one another.

Vs maybe have a protective attitude that says no we need to reserve a space for.

Us from home that that in some ways I think has made Christians more walled off to the culture.

And and really less fluent in knowing how to talk about giving -- relates to the rest of the world do they run the risk of isolating themselves if they don't sign -- policy or it.

Because if they don't sign up and they can't be recognized that this -- -- they don't get funding they can't post.

They can't attract other students and a lot of things that it can't do -- they don't assign this agreement.

It's very similar I think to the Boston charities issue where they had to shut down the adoption trying to Catholic -- -- that they were doing and they made a choice to shut down so obviously.

There's so many children and families affected by them shutting down it was a tough decision they decided to do that I think in a statement of protesters they just really couldn't go forward about without the funding.

But it's a great example I think for us to look at and say look let's think about this logically do we really want the Catholic Charities not.

Placing children in families.

When there were several other organizations throughout.

That community that words were fine placing with gay adoptive parents.

No we need all of us working together for the common good and and the day that our country -- in a place where we can't share our beliefs without it being hate speech.

Then that were in trouble we're in trouble truly -- really losing I think what the founders wanted was this space for freedom of religion and I think it's an overstuffed.

Yeah had a -- well I thank you very much the book is called -- -- the next Christians several ways you can live the gospel and restore the world gave lines great book great.

Talking to you always wonderful to have that insight on what's going on in the in the -- peoples can community it's good stuff thank you very much and that is.

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