The Holy Post Explores Joy and Anger in Divided America, Drawing on Martin Luther King Jr.'s Teachings
Skye Jethani, in 'Letter Four: Joy' from his new book 'The World Born in You,' addresses his young adult children about navigating a divided, post-Christian America. He contrasts the current culture, which he describes as designed to promote and reward outrage, with historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. Jethani notes that King, despite the justifiable anger of Black Americans during the Civil Rights Movement, warned against harboring anger and advocated for channeling its energy 'constructively' and 'peacefully' to address societal oppression. Jethani argues that today, Christians are as prone to celebrating anger as the wider culture, often equating contempt with concern in an attention economy where the loudest voices gain notice. He suggests that a lack of expressed anger is now often misinterpreted as apathy, leading to criticism for not being sufficiently outraged.
