Hopeful Message from Brooks

I am encouraged by this article, A Natural Alliance - New York Times. Columnist David Brooks makes several comments that, in moments when I'm able to muster some hope in the current political climate, carry with them the potential for positive change. Some highlights that I appreciated:

"My third thought, which may be more profound than the other two, is that we can have a culture war in this country, or we can have a war on poverty, but we can't have both. That is to say, liberals and conservatives can go on bashing each other for being godless hedonists and primitive theocrats, or they can set those differences off to one side and work together to help the needy."

"Millions of evangelicals are embarrassed by the people held up by the news media as their spokesmen. Millions of evangelicals feel less represented by the culture war-centered parachurch organizations, and better represented by congregational pastors, who have a broader range of interests and more passion for mobilizing volunteers to perform service. Millions of evangelicals want leaders who live the faith by serving the poor."

"Serious differences over life issues are not going to go away. But more liberals and evangelicals are realizing that you don't have to convert people; sometimes you can just work with them. The world is suddenly crowded with people like Rick Warren and Bono who are trying to step out of the logic of the culture war so they can accomplish more in the poverty war."

For some reason in the last several weeks I've come across people whose opinions I respect and who are able to look to the future with hope and confidence. Thankfully, I've been able to hear them and take what they've said to heart. I don't want healthy skepticism to sink into cynicism out of which there is seldom a ladder up. My hope is that Brooks and Spong, both of whom have expressed optimistic, constructive messages recently, are right.