Biologists say that threat detection is a basic trait of every living, sentient being. However, in a vastly polarized political landscape, it can be difficult to recognize the difference between real and perceived threats. From the far left to far right of the political spectrum, individuals often fall prey to distorted perceptions of danger, magnifying some threats while downplaying or ignoring others. This phenomenon not only perpetuates division but also hampers our ability to address real societal challenges effectively.
In this podcast episode, Curtis Chang and David French delve into the complexities of threat perception in today’s polarized world, through a Christian lens. Both founding friends of the Good Faith podcast, they explore how biases and fears can distort our understanding of genuine threats, and what Christians can do to help bridge the gap (personally and among communities) between real versus perceived danger to find unity among opposing opinions and beliefs.
This excerpt has been edited for length and clarity.
Curtis Chang: The fact is that in our pluralistic society, there will be disagreements. There will be situations where my viewpoint is not actually the officially sanctioned and empowered viewpoint. And in one way or another, then I have to seize the structures of power to make sure that that happens. And when both sides are doing that, that’s an incredibly destabilizing. Dangerous.
David French: One of the things that is happening is that we’re looking at actual problems that exist in institutions that are real, that do exist, but then exaggerating them and then destroying the institutions or hollowing out the institutions. And that is a dreadful development.
Curtis Chang: David, it seems to me like it’s another distinction to make on this sort of spectrum level is to really make a sharp distinction between persecution and not being in power.
David French: You bring up the P word, persecution. And I think this is a word that very much looms large in the Christian imagination. And in an interesting way, you almost see sort of a persecution hunger from people that they want to put themselves in the position of I am a persecuted, heroic warrior for the faith, right?
If you have the power to be pugilistic, question whether you’re persecuted. If you have the power to silence somebody, if you have the power to exclude somebody from your community, if you have the power to do that, question how persecuted you are. You might be annoyed, you might be angry, you might be properly outraged, but question how persecuted you are when you have the power to be pugilistic.
The Good Faith podcast comes out every Saturday. Listen and subscribe here or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Curtis Chang is the founder of Redeeming Babel.
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