"Can't We All Get Along?" Today's Political Discourse Through the Eyes of Adam Bede Characters

In 1799 rural life in Britain was relatively similar across the country. Most people were poor and struggled to provide for their families. The romanticization of a young woman dreaming of living a life of luxury with a with a wealthy squire and the strange notion of a woman preacher would have been common encounters for rural citizens across Europe.

Mary Ann Evans published Adam Bede in 1859. This was a period of time where enlightenment thinking had become part of society long enough for it to start to sink into action. This was also a time of religious tension in England. Enlightenment principles like individual social liberty and tolerance of other individuals were portrayed in characters like Mr. Irwine and Dinah. These characters were accepting and thought that all humans deserved respect:

"These fellow-mortals, every one, must be accepted as they are: you can neither straighten their noses, nore brighten their wit, nor rectify their dispositions; and it is these people--amongst whom your life is passed--that it is needful you should tolerate, pity and love: it is these more or less ugly, stupid, inconsistent people, whose movements of goodness you should be able to admire--" (Narrator, 17:160)

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Dinah set out to prove that caring for the dispossessed is the most important part of religion and Mr. Irwine was respectful of Dinah's title as a preacher despite being a woman.

As I skimmed through the reviews the comments mentioned themes kindness and tolerance. With the polarizing climate of politics and the dangerous rhetoric taking place in media, it seems as though the notion of kindness and tolerance has been lost.

As I have sought to find the truth concerning social issues we face in society I have found that the intentions of those supposedly fighting for the dispossessed are less concerned with helping the afflicted and more concerned about hating and smearing their opposition. Has the enlightenment value of the sovereign individual been lost? Are we being forced to join ideology groups to feel part of the compassionate cause?

I definitely don't have the answers, but a song written by Kenny Chesney in light of today's political discourse comes to mind:

"Get along on down the road
We've got a long, long way to go
Scared to live, scared to die
We ain't perfect, but we try
Get along while we can
Always give love the upper hand
Paint a wall
Learn to dance, call your Mom
Buy a boat, drink a beer
Sing a song, make a friend
Can't we all
Get along."       

While the premise may be simple and commonsensical, I think Mary Ann Evens, Dinah, and Mr. Irwine would all agree with Mr. Chesney.

     

     

Not Meant for Oppression

There is only so much a human being can take. We are not meant for oppression, and this is clearly proven as we study history.

The oppressive nature of the Catholic Church overshadowed any good that it meant to offer. With the advent of the printing press, we began to see people finally have the opportunity to express themselves. Ideas poured out like a firehose, and there was no going back. From this time forward, each new era saw even more and more human creativity and determination to express oneself both individually and collectively.

Of course, along with the positive effects of freedom came the negative: war and destruction and even more oppression in other ways. I am guessing that had the Catholic Church not been so domineering over the centuries, we might not have seen such a severe pushback.

We can take this “story” of history, learn from it, and carry out better relationships in our families. Too often, we see domineering and dogmatic parents raising their children with a determination that the children will grow up to do and be everything the parents want them to. When this doesn’t happen, there is a division in families just as we saw in the peoples of our past.

Children do not like to be told how to think and what to believe. As parents, it is our job to allow them to find their own way, guiding them along with a hand of safety and a heart of love. To be sure, we will not like nor approve of many of their choices. But this is not a problem to “go to war” over. Instead, let us embrace the good and learn from the difficulties of watching others use their agency in their own lives.

Let us be the best examples of what tolerance should be.

https://pixabay.com/en/rope-wall-woman-anxiety-girl-gray-1655780/

Which is the Greatest Commandment?

Everyone loves a good underdog story. Whether its 13 scrappy colonies seeking liberty from an oppressive monarchy an ocean away, Martin Luther challenging the incredibly powerful Catholic Church, or Rocky going a full 15 rounds with Apollo Creed, we love to hear about overcoming what seem to be insurmountable odds and sticking up for the little guy. Yet to often we let our love of stories obscure the details of history when they go against the narrative. Such is the case in the reformation.

To be sure, before the reformation the Catholic Church as a worldly institution was powerful and corrupt, labeling those who threatened their power as heretics and even having enough clout to bend empires to their will. Martin Luther and later other reformers, such as John Calvin, John Knox, and William Tyndale brought about an important religious change that would make it possible later for religious freedom. However, during sixteenth century protestants could be just as intolerant as their Catholic counterparts. Martin Luther, who called for religious tolerance also advocated for the persecution of Anabaptists (another Protestant sect that believed in adult baptism). Luther also persecuted Catholics and Jews. Said he:

Heretics are not to be disputed with, but to be condemned unheard, and whilst they perish by fire, the faithful ought to pursue the evil to its source, and bathe their hands in the blood of the Catholic bishops, and of the Pope, who is a devil in disguise.

John Calvin proved to be even less tolerant, declaring that blasphemy and heresy were punishable by death because they insulted God. He went as far as to say that those who didn't kill heretics and blasphemers were just as guilty and worthy of death. Other instances include the bitter persecution that took place in England as both Catholics and Protestants killed each other under various Kings and Queens. The later Puritan movement that fled to America seeking religious freedom, did not allow for other faiths and forced out people like Roger Williams, who would later establish Rhode Island.

In saying all of this I do not wish to put down the reformers or their sacrifices, but show that even good causes can be lead astray. Too often today we provide our own narrative of events instead of looking at arguments objectively, making it so that anyone who opposes our views must be mistaken at the very least and a malignant forces for evil at the worst. It can be hard to recognize our own faults, to truly give others respect and the ability to exercise their rights, and it is easy to get swept up in the waves of righteous fury. This is why we can never forget that we need to remember Jesus Christ's admonition to "Love the Lord thy God" and to "love thy neighbor as thyself."
Image credits: Martin Luther by Luchas Cranach the Elder 1529. This photograph is in the public domain.