What’s the Foundation for Your Beliefs?

Today I really wanted to write about what I love doing and that’s working with pigs! But as I drank my coffee and read a particular blog on Monday morning, I decided I needed to take a non-ag topic one step further.

Greg Peterson, of the famed Peterson Farm Brothers, posted a blog entitled, “My opinion as a Christian of what the Bible says about homosexuality.” As I read this post, I became more and more amazed by how grounded this young man is! The Peterson Brothers have been great advocates for agriculture with their entertaining and informative videos, but this particular blog post goes beyond agriculture.

While at first glance it may appear that Greg is stepping outside his bailiwick, his faith is a large part of his personal identity. The cover photo on the Peterson Farm Bros Facebook page makes their priorities clear: “Faith. Family. Farming.”

Greg’s blog post pretty much focuses on one subject, but he makes several good points including:

• It is my goal as a Christian to love each and every person on this earth, regardless of what they believe, the choices they make, or how they treat me.
• Loving someone does not necessarily mean agreeing with what they believe or what they do.
• We can have different opinions and still be friends. Love between two people can exist despite differing opinions.

Just think how much better our world would be if we all adhered to these three basic “rules”! There is so much strife and discord in the world today from what happened in Ferguson to the July attack on a U.S. military recruitment facility to Friday night’s cold-blooded, cowardly killing of a Texas deputy and Saturday’s protest by Black Lives Matter.

Just think how much better off agriculture as a whole would be if we adhered to the “golden rule” when discussing topics like conventional farming vs. organic farming, GMOs vs. non-GMOs, standardized food labeling, and the list goes on! Why must food fights turn disagreeable… Is cheap food leading to entitled Americans? Food is so economical here that we can choose food for our families based on our personal preferences, and we have such choices because we live in a free America!

Like Greg Peterson, I believe that we are not here to judge. I also believe we should do what we can to respect others’ viewpoints. We must understand that everyone grew up in with different experiences that helped formed how they think and what they believe. That’s why it’s so important for us to listen and try to understand why people think the way they do. After all, a civil discussion can lead to mutual understanding.

I have other opinions that are very similar to Greg’s, and perhaps those beliefs have been shaped by our farm upbringing. As an American, I expect to have the freedom to worship and live the way I see fit.

As a society, it feels like we’re losing our way. It’s time to get back to the value system that shaped this great country. It’s time for all of us to work hard and earn what we receive. I honestly believe that too much is free in this world now, and it’s skewing how we live and think. Hard work, determination and faith is what made this country great. Let’s head in that direction again!