I wish we agreed

In most discussions about my faith deconstruction journey, I often find myself playing the defensive position. It's something I need to get better at-- i.e. not to feel defensive.

I think it might possibly be because, like most deconstruction journeys, I am coming from a position of doubt. Whereas generally speaking, the religious person believes they stand in a position of conviction.

So I often find myself fielding all the questions from the other side.

And I don't actually have the answers.

I realise that after looking honestly at the questions that lead to more questions, my truthful response is simply I don't know*. And I might never know. Which is not a very satisfactory response. 

(*side note: for some this may fuel yet more questions and searching for answers--and it's this ongoing searching throughout human history that drives new discoveries and innovations).

On the other side, I know I probably won't get a satisfactory response either.

Because the answer is always: God.

God knows.

God's plan.

God's ways.

God = good.

So God's knowledge/plan/ways = good knowledge/plan/ways.

Hence it is good to follow God's good knowledge/plan/ways.

From where I stand now, I no longer hold on to that equation.

The world has changed so much. The unchanging God would have to change and adapt to this new world. There is no going back to the old ways. There should be no going back.

I do not know a way to reconcile the two perspectives: An unchanging God vs. a changing world.

Then we agree to disagree? 

How does one do that?

In the wake of the polarising outcome of the recent US elections, that is the kind of schism that many friends and family members on opposing sides have had to contend with.

There are no easy answers.

So I turn to the wisdom of the MCU...

In the words of Captain Steve Rogers from Captain America Civil War after that heartbreaking scene when Steve walks away from Tony after a fight nearly to the death:

"I wish we agreed on the Accords,
 I really do.
 I know you're doing what you believe in,
 and that's all any of us can do.
 That's all any of us should...
 So no matter what,
 I promise you,
 if you need us--
 if you need me--
 I'll be there."