Red States vs. Blue States: How Christians Can Be Purple-ers

I found this article by Chuck Colson at Christianity Today's website. Colson states, and I think rightly so, that there are "warring" factions in America, where people really, fundamentally hold different beliefs. He likens it to the differences in the nation right before the Civil War.

Colson's point is that Christians need to engage in their own "civil war," not by joining the political melee, necessarily, but by doing an "end-around" and instead do what Christians and the Church were built to do: work hard for the common good of all Americans. He says:

This is at the heart of the culture war—why the "reds" and "blues" are locked in mortal combat. It's a struggle for ultimate power. This is why we're seeing such hysterical rhetoric from the Left, which fears it's losing its power—and power is all that matters. The Right is just as bad. Some leaders say that since we're now in power, we get to impose our will on everyone else—an attitude repugnant to democratic governance.

What's the solution?

First, "red" Christians must reach out to "blue" Christians and vice versa. Ideology must not divide believers. Second, Christians are not seeking political power, so we're not out to "destroy" perceived political enemies. Nor do we line up for the victor's spoils, as if we were just one more special-interest group. Instead, we need to graciously contend (and demonstrate) that Christian truth is good for the right ordering of our lives, individually and collectively, and manifest our commitment to the common good by doing the things Christians do best: creating strong families, restoring relationships, helping the poor, working for human rights.

Christians are in a unique position to bring common grace to a deeply divided nation and offer something more than brief periods of peace between outbreaks of mortal combat every election cycle. In rejecting ideology and putting the common good first, we offer hope to America's warring factions.

Any thoughts?