A Passing Generation

My parents' generation and how they viewed the world has been on my mind lately. It's likely because the last sibling of either my mother or father passed away Jan. 5. My Aunt Golma, who had lived in Washington state since before WWII, was the youngest sister of my mother. She had turned 92 on Dec. 24. Mom and Dad and the eight brothers and sisters they had between them are all gone now.

Theirs is the generation born in the decades of the teens and twenties of the 20th century, during or just after WWI. Those of that age group, whether gone or still with us, lived through the Great Depression, suffered loss during WWII and perhaps Korea, and saw Vietnam through eyes the younger generation did not. During ensuing years, came baffling changes in society including those brought about by computers and a new age of technology. Through it all, they maintained an almost universal resolve to do the right thing, even if they sometimes failed.

I've been thinking about what it was like for me growing up. My parents were not non-political and they were certainly not non-religious. They believed in God and they believed the United States was a great nation. The two things were more or less naturally connected for them without the need for grandstanding in either area. Their unstated view, lived out in their everyday lives, was that following the basic teachings of Jesus by displaying kindness toward others and tending to our own business, rather than focusing on the faults of others, also made us good citizens. That's how God and country went together as I was taught by their example.

They didn't agree with everything that every elected official said or did, but it was never with disrespect that they would publicly express disagreement, if at all. Politicians didn't tell them their religion was 'right' or 'wrong' and they didn't have preachers telling them how to vote. That was not the church's job then, and it shouldn't be now. That was how church and state were naturally separated.

Think about how some in the church world talk about this country and how some members of Congress talk with complete disrespect not only to and about each other but to and about the president of the United States. It didn't start in the last six years, but it's grown to epic proportions in less than a decade. Think about how it's filtered down to how so many of us have allowed that same kind of anger, bitterness and strife to enter our own conversations related to religion and politics which sometimes filter down to other topics. To those who are 50 or older, especially, doesn't it seem unbelievable that in less than a generation we've gone from the kind of citizenship displayed by the majority of the “Greatest Generation” to what we have now?

How have we allowed this country to become ruled by people who on a daily basis invent new lows in ways to caustically disagree and who seem to take great joy in letting us know they don't intend to work together or try to reach agreement? How have we allowed ourselves to not only approve of that behavior but to celebrate the division and disgusting turmoil by taking part in it ourselves? I am encouraged by recent conversations about working together to make our local community better. As long as the talk doesn't turn to religion or politics we should be fine, because it's become seemingly impossible to have a civil conversation on those topics with someone who has an opposing viewpoint.

If we want to honor the hard work and sacrifice of the generation who lived in their prime throughout the last century, we need to return to the kind of Christianity and citizenship they displayed. If we refuse to do so, what legacy are we leaving the next generation? God help them if we won't.