There was an article last night the local news about Chris Register. Chris, a cyclist, who has been touring the States on his bike calls himself a ‘recovering lawyer.’ His primary goal is to rediscover himself, his country, and who we are as Americans. He says that he never spends a day without having entered a deep conversation with someone and that has changed his perspective about life and about people in general. He said, “Once you know someone as a human being first, when you find out their political views are different, it’s OK!”
My wife and I were listening when she said, ‘This is a simple but heavy statement!’, and it is. Both the religious and the political conversation seem hostile these days. Could it be that we don’t know each other as ‘human beings’ first? Every week I have a conversation with a Pastor in a nearby town. He is a Quaker pastoring a Baptist Church. He and I could be considered on opposite spectrums as far as theology is concerned, but here we are every week having deep conversations on some of the most taboo subjects in the religious world. It’s not easy for people on opposite sides of an issue to be able to meet in the middle and talk about it. The danger comes as soon as we polarize. I heard it said one time that the true test of objectivity and unbiasedness was the ability to positively and effectively argue an opponent’s side. It seems that we can only do that when we have learned to know and respect each other as people first, because before we are pegged or pigeon-holed into any political or religious entity, we all are independant people looking for the same things; people looking for truth, people looking for happiness, people looking for peace. http://katu.com/news/local/cyclist-travels-through-portland-on-journey-to-meet-americans-from-all-walks-of-life
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