Comments:

ilmomof3 - 2004-07-17 22:45:06
Sometimes those conversations lead to a deeper understanding for both sides. Maybe she's having similar contemplations. I thank the Goddess every day for MarshAster and my conversations with her post-9/11 -- it made all the difference in the world and ultimately led to me taking a different perspective than my original reaction. I'm not suggesting that you will change W's mind, or even that you should try to, but I do think it's more of a growth experience to talk with someone who DOESN'T believe/think the way you do than it is to "preach to the choir." Even though getting riled with the choir can be more fun. ;-)
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Ang - 2004-07-17 23:06:15
I agree it can be difficult not to get riled up. There are times that I had to bit my tounge when people would bash Middle Easteners. Especially when I was pregnant since Gabrielle is part Persian. Some people are just set in their ways and no matter what you say nothing will change their mind. Sometimes you just have to learn to accept it.
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YoUnGhAwK - 2004-07-18 02:12:38
I would have to agree with ilmomof3 in the case that it is health to speak with those thats opinions varry from our own. We already know how we think of a situation, but what we don't know is how the other person see's the situation or what their understanding is. In striving to gain true compassion, we have to strive to understand how others see the world. So it doesn't mean we have to chose how they think of the situations, but to understand their views and why they believe that way will give us the ability to not place judgement on anyone. For instead of seeing someone that doesn't think like we do, we will see a great soul in front of us on their path to understanding things. We will always come across people in our lives that believe different than we do, actually I would be greatly shocked if you found someone that believed things in every way that you do. It's what makes us all different, but it's also those differences that make up the whole of creation. Debates are healthy for the soul, as long as they are heald amongst open minds, but the moment one mind closes to the other there is no longer a debate but an argument. Open your mind and your heart and actually try and think about the conversation as your friend would, from her perception of the world, it's then we will see ourselves as many peaces to one greatness. :)
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The_Doctor - 2004-07-18 03:50:08
Logical fallacy ahoy!

Everyone's Entitled... In anything except a completely authoritarian dictatorship, people are not forced to hold a given set of opinions. But the mistake is the fact that we do not force people to have this or that opinion on a subject does not mean that one opinion may not be much more intelligent, much more practical, much more humane than some other opinion. Be careful not to confuse the equal value of people with the equal value of opinions. "You're entitled to your opinion" is a way of giving up, a way of saying that he or she doesn't want to argue about the issue anymore. Certainly there are times when further discussion is useless, but that does not mean that every opinion is as good - as 'entitled' - as every other.
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