Religion is not exactly a safe topic of conversation. Most people hold their religious views rather personally, and one must tread very carefully when broaching the subject in friendly conversation. This, however, does not mean that it is not a worthy topic of conversation. When I think back over the most memorable conversations I have ever had, I can’t help but notice that almost all of them dealt- at least lightly- with this subject.
My latest foray into religious discussion was couple of days ago with my roommate. I differ with him on a wide expanse of moral and spiritual issues; but he’s an intelligent guy and since meeting him the day after I unpacked this quarter I’ve wanted to hear his thoughts on the subject. I don’t believe that this country is necessarily broken down into conservatives and liberals, but the distinction works rather well in our case. I’m a Republican and a Baptist, I believe there are many absolute truths, and I believe wholeheartedly in the veracity of the Bible. My roommate, on the other hand, is a Democrat and a bit of an agnostic- though he was raised Catholic. He believes that most truth is relative and that we can know little for certain; he also believes that Christianity as a whole is a man-made religion and that much of the Bible is wildly inaccurate. We argued back and forth for a while, mainly about the evidence the universe presents us, but I try very hard not to be too pushy during such discussions and he did the same.
While I find it both informative and intriguing to hear differing opinions on religion and spirituality, I firmly believe in the power of a very real and personal God who governs this world we in habit. Nature, history, and human nature all point to a divine being, and the very idea of an omniscient creator suggests that he can be interacted with in ways specific to his personality and character. Our conversation didn’t exactly shift my paradigm, but I did learn some important things about liberal viewpoints. I have no time for idiots or people who mindlessly repeat what they have heard; but I always have time for an intelligently articulated position. He helped show me that a position very opposed to my own can make good logical sense. Though I believe his view of the world to be incomplete and incorrect, I respected the amount of consideration he had put into it. I don’t believe questions of religion can be resolved on an intellectual level and it is futile to try. Challenge the beliefs of others, but don’t make it your mission to change them. Influence can be much more effective than instruction
Erik
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"Discussion is an exchange of knowledge; argument is an exchange of ignorance" - Robert Quillen
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