I don't watch the Sunday morning news shows; nor do I watch any of the "debate" shows on CNN. They're theatre, not real opportunities for dialogue, and I'm hungry for people to talk to one another without playing to the audience. Apparently, "Meet the Press" featured four prominent Christians trying to talk to one another.
I think true dialogue requires more than this.
A friend and I talked yesterday about what dialogue really means. If I'm completely honest, I realize that what I want is to bring the person I'm in dialogue with over to my point of view. There are issues that I feel so strongly about, I'm not going to back down. But can I defend my views and engage in respectful discussion with those whose beliefs are, dare I say it, abhorrent to me? How can I oppose the hate mongers without hating them?
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I think it gets down to what you were saying about truth. The yes, but principle.
My brother's best friend Sam is a christian republican, but he is super intelligent, is willing to disagree with us without being derogatory, has a beautiful sense of humor (particularly irony), comes up with arguements that are different from the Rush Limbaugh/Fox News crowd, which results in fascinating conversations.
The same thing for my friend Oren, who is also a republican christian.
I think republicans like San and Oren are self deceptive about what Bush represents. I don't think if they were President of the US that either one would be making the same choices that Bush has been making.
Their sin is self deception. It's unfortunate and destructive, but it doesn't change the fact that they have good hearts and love their fellow human beings (which more than can be said for their chosen leader.)
But yeah, voting for Bush is a nasty habit, but it's not the whole person. It's just a part of him/her. Look for redeeming qualities, and you can maybe you can value such people for other reasons.
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