The Nature of Conflict

Economist Robin Hanson has an interesting way of framing how we look at conflict between groups:

 Our fight, of [A] against [B] over [C], is but one battle in the ancient war over [F], along the great divide between [D] and [E]. Many do not realize how many of our apparently mundane conflicts are, in reality, battles in this ancient war. Today is a crucial day in this war, so we must not give up, and we must not lose hope, or someday [D] may lose [F] forever. Fight, fight!

(there are further comments at EconLog, if you're interested)  Hanson notes several group membership divides that can be used for [D] and [E], including "tyrants vs. freedom-lovers, rich vs. poor, faithful vs. heathen, urban vs. rural folk, men vs. women,[...]" and many others. Although it's never spoken of in these terms, I would say a lot of unnecessary conflict occurs along the Mechanics vs. Mystics divide, although most of the time we either like to frame it differently (Hanson's "intellectuals vs. ignoramuses" is a favorite of mechanics, while his "artists vs. undiscerning" seems preferred by mystics). This is an aspect Hanson doesn't explore, although I'm sure he would find it interesting: we often talk about the divide between [D] and [E], not because it is the real dividing line we care about, but because it sounds more important than the divide between [M] and [N].  When we notice and accept that a conflict is along mechanic vs. mystic lines, it becomes a lot easier to communicate and a lot harder to cling to being the "winner" of the conflict.

Aside from that admittedly minor contribution, I find it slightly terrifying to admit this is how many, many Christians I know think about their relationships with the non-Christian world. There is a divide between [D] Christendom and [E] Everybody else (Babylon?), and the war is over [F] civil society / American culture / our Christian nation / etc. Now, I'm not denying that this divide exists, nor that it is important. But I vehemently deny any version of the Christian worldview that says " Today is a crucial day in this war, so we must not give up, and we must not lose hope, or someday Christendom may lose civil society / American culture / our Christian nation / etc forever." If we believe Christianity, then we believe that Christ is God, and that no enemy can even vaguely approximate Him. He cannot lose anything He prefers to win!  Fear of losing something, anything, to the secular world simply doesn't compute with Christianity, and thus Hanson's 'ancient war' framing cannot rightly reflect a Christian view of the 'great divide.'

Again, this doesn't mean I think Christians shouldn't stand up for what they believe is right in public forums. Far from it. But we need to remember that we're not fighting a battle against an entrenched foe who may yet win the day if our courage fails.  We are spreading the world---with the gentle bedside manner of an oncologist (or the compassionate friend of an addict)---that sunrise is almost here, and will soon be here whether we want to keep our drunken nighttime revelry going or not. The change of seasons is not a war we need to win; it is a part of the nature of the world that we do well to keep in mind. And so it is with the victory of Christ.