The Myth of Progressive

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mattrose
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The Myth of Progressive

Post by mattrose » Thu Aug 06, 2015 11:20 pm

I thought I would share my most recent blog post...

The Myth of Progressive
I find it frustrating that more and more people taking on the label 'Progressive Christian' are less and less vehement against the evils of abortion. They'll usually admit that abortion is unfortunate, but they often fall short of calling the killing of an unborn child wrong. They are more angry over the willingness of conservative Christians to call abortion evil than they are with social liberals calling it a legitimate choice.

The response of 'Progressive Christians' to the Planned Parenthood videos is an excellent case and point. Progressives are more likely to be found defending Planned Parenthood and critiquing the video-makers than they are grieving the atrocity that is the abortion industry. Whereas they were reluctant, but willing, to jettison the entire institutional church due to scandal in the ranks, they are apparently unwilling to jettison the institution that is Planned Parenthood. The former was quickly aborted, the latter should apparently be kept alive. If only the babies were considered as sacred!

The conversation for Progressives automatically went toward all the 'good' that the Planned Parenthood organization does. I have to ask... why not, at the very least, vocally call for the de-funding of the abortion branch of the organization? After all, it's just a line item on a budget (sort of like Planned Parenthood considers baby parts just line items).

In my observation, Progressive Christians are almost incapable of making a good argument (and they do have some good ones) without simultaneously expressing their inner-anger toward Fundamentalists and Conservatives. If a conservative says abortion is evil, the Progressives automatically assume that said conservative hates babies as soon as they are born. It's as if no one is allowed to say anything unless they say everything every time.

There seems to be a radical disconnect here. Progressives are supposed to be those most likely to defend the cause of the poor and needy. Don't babies fit the bill? I guess, maybe, babies get largely ignored by Progressive Christians because their are so many of them that they don't make up a minority group. If you point out that abortion is the leading cause of death in this nation, they are more likely to quibble over the amount (since it's impossible to deny the reality) than they are to lament the fact.

I've seen Progressive Christians defend Planned Parenthood because it's possible they didn't break any laws. IF they didn't break any laws, that only makes the problem bigger! Conservative Christians could barely care less about how 'legal' Planned Parenthood's practices are. We care about the babies. To hell with the laws! Literally...to hell with them. Some day we'll look back and wonder why it took so long to de-fund Planned Parenthood's chop shop. I hope that day comes before eternity.

Until then, I think it's time to re-evaluate the title 'Progressive' for these Christians. Progress can no longer mean just following two-steps behind social liberals. Sometimes you only make progress by going backward. Progress would be repealing Roe v. Wade. Progress would be de-funding Planned Parenthood's abortion program. Progress would be defending these babies instead of the organizations that maul them (even while trying to find less crunchy methods for doing so) and negotiate prices for the leftover pieces.

When your version of progress looks like defending Planned Parenthood, the word progress has for you become a free-floating noun defined by the world instead of an adjective belonging before the word Christian.

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Homer
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Re: The Myth of Progressive

Post by Homer » Fri Aug 07, 2015 8:36 am

Very good Matt!

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Re: The Myth of Progressive

Post by crgfstr1 » Fri Aug 07, 2015 8:56 am

I agree with you Matt. I see this process as another sign that rather than coming out of Babylon many Christians are being deceived and sucked further back in. Just as the early Catholic Church took on many pagan traditions the pope is now saying that it is okay to be Muslim or any other religion. He is starting pull together a one world religion. He is also reaching out to Christians too and I fear the progressive ones will like his "progressive" message and be sucked into a one world and very bad religion.

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Re: The Myth of Progressive

Post by steve7150 » Tue Aug 11, 2015 1:08 pm

Yes Matt it seems the word "Progressive" whether used in Christianity or politics seems to mean progressively away from God and progressively toward whatever is expedient.

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mattrose
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Re: The Myth of Progressive

Post by mattrose » Wed Aug 12, 2015 9:24 am

It does seem like that.

I think there have been times in history (and even some areas in the present) where 'progressive' really did mean progress. But nowadays it's more likely just used as a label to trick people into thinking progress is being made or, more likely, by people who falsely think they are making progress when all they are really doing is going backwards (away from God).

I think Jesus was a conservative on some issues and a liberal on others. I think it has to be taken issue by issue.

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Re: The Myth of Progressive

Post by steve7150 » Wed Aug 12, 2015 10:20 am

I think Jesus was a conservative on some issues and a liberal on others. I think it has to be taken issue by issue.









What issues do you think he was liberal on?

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mattrose
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Re: The Myth of Progressive

Post by mattrose » Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:39 am

steve7150 wrote:What issues do you think he was liberal on?
I think he was progressive/liberal on the value of children, women, foreigners, and certain ways of reading the law

It seems to me the 'conservative' position at the time was that children were less valuable than adults. Jesus valued them as children.
It seems to me the 'conservative' position at the time was that women were less valuable than men. Jesus valued them as women.
It seems to me the 'conservative' position at the time was that foreigners were less valuable than Jews. Jesus valued them as foreigners.
It seems to me the 'conservative' position at the time was that the letter of the law was emphasized. Jesus valued the spirit of the law.

It is always appropriate, in every generation that I can think of, to be conservative on some issues and progressive on others. At different times in history we have needed to make progress in our thinking about gender, race, etc. At other times so called progress is actually just a departure from biblical guidelines.

steve7150
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Re: The Myth of Progressive

Post by steve7150 » Wed Aug 12, 2015 12:00 pm

I think he was progressive/liberal on the value of children, women, foreigners, and certain ways of reading the law







Thanks, good answer

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morbo3000
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Re: The Myth of Progressive

Post by morbo3000 » Wed Aug 12, 2015 9:04 pm

I've been listening to EWTN (Catholic Radio) in my car lately.. completely annoyed with the Christian "Positive" station.

Lovin' it. Actual spiritual/theological depth.

Anyway... you hear a lot about abortion there. And it got me wondering, "Whatever became of the pro-life movement?" I had just mentioned that to my wife when the videos came out. It's been buried by other social issues. And soooo important.

I'm curious who specifically you mean re: progressives ± abortion. Can you give some names?

I'm a progressive. And definitely pro-life.

Jeff
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mattrose
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Re: The Myth of Progressive

Post by mattrose » Thu Aug 13, 2015 10:34 pm

morbo3000 wrote:I'm curious who specifically you mean re: progressives ± abortion. Can you give some names?
I think the main catalyst for my post was Rachel Held Evans. I like Rachel in a lot of ways... a lot of what she says. But she also really annoys me.

I don't hate the label progressive. I wouldn't be offended if I were labeled a progressive. My post might even be considered a critique from within :)

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