Speaking the Truth with Love - Ruth L. Snyder

This month we've been focusing on writing about controversial or taboo subjects. When I read the prompt, this verse came to mind:

"Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted." Galatians 6:1 (NIV)

It concerns me that there are topics that seem to be taboo in churches. Somehow it's fair game to denounce homosexuality (which we should), but we rarely quote verses about gluttony and the fact that it's a sin to eat too much. We complacently stuff our mouths while condemning those caught in the sex trade. The way I read my Bible, sin is sin. Sermons are preached on obedience to parents, and how to get to heaven, but when was the last time you heard a pastor preach about child abuse or hell? (Would these issues exist if we were all living by the morals laid out in Scripture?) Recently I was told that J.P. Yohannan was banned from a Christian event. The reason? Because he was teaching false doctrine? No. Rather, it was because people in North America, at a missions event of all places, don't want to hear the truth about selfishness and gluttony. It makes us feel uncomfortable. Are we really prepared to stand idly by while millions of people die without Christ? Or are we going to ignore that topic too, because it makes us feel uneasy?

Then there's the whole issue of which version of the Bible is most accurate. Bible translation takes skill and training, sensitivity to culture, and obedience to the Holy Spirit. Anyone who speaks more than one language knows there are certain phrases which just don't translate accurately, no matter how hard you try. It makes me sad that followers of Jesus Christ allow this issue to divide families and churches. I know people who were convicted of their sin and found salvation by reading The Living Bible, which is actually a paraphrase not a translation. Are we going to limit God with our rules?

Jon Mohr sums it up well in his song, Let the Walls Come Down. He reminds us that although we are in a spiritual battle, we are allowing walls made of tradition, culture, and pride to divide the body of Christ. While we're busy defending our "walls", others are dying without Christ. Listen carefully to the words.

Is there a wall you need to knock down? Ask God for wisdom, strength, and boldness to speak the truth in love.

For more information about Ruth and her writing, visit http://ruthlsnyder.com

All throughout the spirit realm a fearsome battle rages
The fates of men and nations hang suspended in the fray
Walls designed by satan in the twilight of the ages
Now stand as great divisions all across the world today
Walls not born of government nor strife amid the nations
But walls within our churches and between denominations
Stones of dry tradition carved in fear and laid in pride
Become a dismal prison to those withering inside
Chorus:
Let the walls come down
Let the walls come down
Let the walls that divide us
And hide us come down
If in Christ we agree
Let us seek unity
Let the walls
Let the walls come down
Let the walls
Let the walls come down
The body weak and powerless, crippled by division
The victim of a tragic and most cruel civil war
Brother fighting brother over culture and tradition
While countless lost and dying lie as casualties of war
It’s time to end the foolishness of warring with each other
And kneel in true repentance that our union be restored
May we then as brothers rally round the cross of Jesus
And carry on with diligence the mission of our Lord
Chorus
Oh children of God
Oh soon to be bride
Let us humble ourselves
And crucify pride
Throw off the flesh
And its pious facade
And unite in the name of God Chorus
- See more at: http://www.stevegreenministries.org/product/let-the-walls-come-down/#sthash.hjTGiHCA.dpuf

All throughout the spirit realm a fearsome battle rages
The fates of men and nations hang suspended in the fray
Walls designed by satan in the twilight of the ages
Now stand as great divisions all across the world today
Walls not born of government nor strife amid the nations
But walls within our churches and between denominations
Stones of dry tradition carved in fear and laid in pride
Become a dismal prison to those withering inside
Chorus:
Let the walls come down
Let the walls come down
Let the walls that divide us
And hide us come down
If in Christ we agree
Let us seek unity
Let the walls
Let the walls come down
Let the walls
Let the walls come down
The body weak and powerless, crippled by division
The victim of a tragic and most cruel civil war
Brother fighting brother over culture and tradition
While countless lost and dying lie as casualties of war
It’s time to end the foolishness of warring with each other
And kneel in true repentance that our union be restored
May we then as brothers rally round the cross of Jesus
And carry on with diligence the mission of our Lord
Chorus
Oh children of God
Oh soon to be bride
Let us humble ourselves
And crucify pride
Throw off the flesh
And its pious facade
And unite in the name of God Chorus
- See more at: http://www.stevegreenministries.org/product/let-the-walls-come-down/#sthash.hjTGiHCA.dpuf

Reading and Writing Controversy - Bonnie Way

I am a peacemaker.  I avoid conflict, keep my mouth shut in tense situations, change the topic rather than deal with something that could explode.  Whether or not that is helpful in real life is debatable, but as a writer, this tendency is a downfall.  Writing needs conflict.  We read to see how people deal with problems—if they don't have problems, then we'll read something else.

As a reader, I appreciate books which tackle tough topics or show protagonists in difficult situations.  This includes controversial topics.  I think fiction is great medium in which to explore controversial or taboo topics.  A novel is a safe arena in which to explore something that makes us uncomfortable.  After all, it's fiction, right?  So it's not really "real."  It's a way to face something without it becoming personal.  It's like reading a newspaper; we can keep it at arm's length if we wish.

Even though fiction lets us look at controversy in an arms-length, curious sort of way, it also draws us in.  This, I think, is the power of fiction.  In reading, we tend to identify with the protagonist.  We see what they see, feel what they feel, hear what they hear.  So when we have a protagonist who is dealing with something bad—bullying or illegal drugs or an affair or whatever—we also have the chance to get inside their head and understand why.  Why are they drawn to that?  What makes them do it?  And in that understanding, we are less prone to judgement.

There's an old saying about not judging someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes.  I grew up in a very conservative Christian home.  We looked down upon anyone who was divorced, because divorce clearly wasn't God's plan for marriage.  It shouldn't happen.  The couple should have tried harder, shouldn't have been so selfish, should have done something better.  Then my parents divorced.  Suddenly, I had a completely different perspective on divorce.  As writers, we have the power to give that new perspective to readers through our writing.

Some of my favourite books deal with controversy.  Angela Hunt is one of my all-time favourite authors, but I passed on several opportunities to review her book The Offering because of the topic.  It deals with surrogacy and IVF, which the Catholic Church forbids.  Somehow, the book still ended up in my mailbox and I read it.  While I still agree with the Catholic Church's position on the topics, I have more sympathy for someone considering either because of the way the characters in the story drew me into their struggles.

Similarly, Nancy Rue and Rebecca St. James tackle the topic of cutting or self-injury in The Merciful Scar.  Before I read that, I had no idea why on earth someone would think that cutting themselves would fix anything.  I wasn't very far into this book before I was crying for Kristen, understanding completely why she wanted to cut.  The Merciful Scar made me think really hard about my own life and about people who face addictions and gave me a lot more sympathy.

As writers, then, I think we should tackle controversial topics.  I think we should write prayerfully and humbly, asking that God can bring truth into our words and help our words bring understanding to our readers.  I think we should read books that deal with controversial topics, as writers to learn how to handle those topics, and as readers to gain sympathy and understanding for the people dealing with those issues. 

Controversial Subjects - Shirley S. Tye

Controversial topics have not risen in my writings simply because the subjects I tackle are fiction stories or articles about someone’s work or hobby. But I imagine it is possible to engage in controversial subjects through fiction. Perhaps that might be one of the safer ways to handle such matters. With my lack of knowledge in this area, I can only consider what is said by those brave writers of controversial topics.

One of the points mentioned in the suggested links about tackling contentious topics is advice about getting personal. That would mean not expressing one’s personal point of view on a matter and I would add to that by saying, (yes, there’s my personal opinion) be careful how the word ‘you’ is used. There’s an example in that last sentence. I could have said “… not expressing your personal point of view…be careful how you use the word ‘you’.” The second sentence is pointed – at you; whereas the first sentence is not pointed, it comes across softer, in a general way which hopefully is less likely to produce the feeling of finger pointing.

Another excellent piece of advice from those links is about using resources to support the writing. Resources would certainly provide backup for the writer’s statements and opinions providing the resources are reliable. It is important to verify the source. (Notice I didn’t say “It is important to verify your source.”)

There are many Bible verses about the use of words. One which comes to mind is Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” (KJV). It reminds me to keep a guard on my mouth so that whatever I say or write will come out strong, truthfully, and with love no matter what the topic. Basically, rather than allowing words to spill out carelessly, at all times I need to consider my words before speaking or writing. I applaud those writers who have the talent to write about controversial topics with grace and knowledge.

The Need to be Controversial by Ramona Heikel

Although we may want our writing to make a big hit with our readers and touch many hearts and lives, I get suspicious when Christian books are welcomed with open arms by the general society.

I actually cringe when I see the New York Times Bestseller List feature a book that was written with the intent of drawing readers to Christ, and start to wonder how it got so popular. I’ll definitely read the book to find how closely it stays to the message of the Gospel.

Bear with me while I work through some logic.

The narrow road is considered the path to life in the Bible, and the wide road is considered the way of destruction. The way I think of narrow and wide roads is that a life lived on the narrow road must go against the grain of society, the same way that life on the wide road would be accepted by society.

On the other hand, if living life by Christian principles does not cause friction and controversy, I question if that life is authentically lived by faith in the savior of humankind.

If a majority of people in our society follow a path, it now becomes the wide road. So if a book is a secular best-seller, could the principles in the book be authentically Christian? Do you know of any cases—aside from the saying that the Bible is the bestselling book of all time—where a truly God-inspired book has been a best-seller?

To me this should make us prepared to be controversial in our writing, and to count controversy as a blessing for the furtherance of the Kingdom.

I’d love to know what you think.


Posted by Ramona
www.happilywriting.com