I was listening to MPR this weekend and caught parts of the show Speaking Of Faith. The topic was about faith and politics, and about how the left and right tend to vary in their fundamental thinking. Part of the conversation really hit home to me.

Krista Tippett talks with conservative columnist Rod Dreher:
Ms. Tippett: The distinction Rod Dreher makes between conservative and liberal approaches to religious truth was displayed by Barack Obama and John McCain in their back-to-back interviews by Rick Warren at his Saddleback Church in August. Where Obama gave a complex answer on what his Christianity means to him, McCain gave a concise answer, followed by a story from his time at a Vietnamese prison.
…
Mr. Dreher: Religious progressives find the search and find seeking to be so important. Religious conservatives put their emphasis on the finding. And as long as John McCain can say, bam, ‘This is what I believe; I’m going to stand firmly here’ — that’s what religious conservatives hear, and they’re satisfied with that.

Please do not misinterpret this post as “anti” or “pro” anyone. This is really about the bigger picture, not the two major party candidates. (Besides, I may vote for a 3rd party candidate.) It is important to have ideals and values, and I understand that when you’re running for office you often have to be concise or you aren’t properly heard.

Now that I’ve gotten the disclaimer in, I have to say that I feel very funny about “Bam!” tendencies in general. I really enjoy the process of deciding, the thinking and discussing, and the openness to additional information. Having someone just say “This is it” without backing up their thought… well, it’s just not enough for me. I experienced that “Bam!” mentality during one of my college classes, and it was a big turn off. Tradition, just for the sake of it, without explanation of it’s value, troubles me. Conversly, one of the reasons I love my husband so much is because we have great, deep conversations where we explore ideas and don’t feel we have to arrive at some absolute decision. I love the mental gymnastics involved in that kind of discussion; I really enjoy contemplation.