Leader's Insight

Have We Room for Thoughtful Political Debate?

Observations on the new "gloom and doom" from Gordon's journals. by Gordon MacDonald, Leadership editor at large

Thoughts while staring into space: Adlai Stevenson (twice-contender for the U. S. presidency in the 1950s) is credited with originating the phrase "gloom and doom."

The G&D message seemed ubiquitous in the sermons and writings of evangelical voices in those days. In Stevenson's time, the "Red threat" was peaking, and there was a bevy of "Christian" itinerants who traveled the country heightening our sensitivity to a communist conspiracy that was said to be plotting a world takeover by 1974. Evidence of this plan's actual existence was never offered. As one then edging into his teen years, I can recall sobbing myself to sleep on many nights, paralyzed with fear by the things I was hearing from the G&D communicators.

In the mid-1970s, I recall being approached by a representative of a well-respected organization who said of his leader, "B____ has just visited the Pentagon and has been told that the entire Russian nuclear submarine fleet is positioned off the East and West coasts, and the Soviets will be giving an ultimatum to the President within the next two weeks to capitulate or face annihilation." Having visited the White House more than a few times myself, and knowing how willing both politicians and some military are to use naïve preachers, I am wary of anyone who-having visited those places-comes away and tells all he/she has heard or experienced. Ordinarily, you just don't do that.

This probably explains why I have shied away from G&D pronouncements (as if anyone might care anyway). I was aware of how empty (stupid, in many cases) all of those pompous, falsely documented claims were in my childhood. Even today it's made me distrustful of many of the statistics that are offered to bolster the fundraising appeal of various leaders and their organizations. The subtle message: things are really bad; send us money; we'll save you.

Ironic then that I find myself struggling with G&D thoughts these days. Not about conspirators from outside, but about the disproportionate lack of hard, objective thinking from within my own Evangelical communion.

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