[Digging4Truth]

Reminds me of a few posts I made on my forum sometime back....

Here is one...

I tire these days of the increasingly common attitude that if you disagree with someone then you are hating them or you are bashing them.

This not only happens in religious and political conversations but sometimes happens in just normal everyday conversations as well.

Not only does one tend to be labeled a "basher" for disagreeing with people but there also seems to be an "attack mode" mentality when "discussing" these things. Calm, orderly and substantive discussion seems to be a lost art these days.

I am sure that I am guilty of the same thing from time to time but I have to say that, at least, I am guilty of it far less than I used to be. I guess I have seen too many things that I had deemed as truth turn out to be false to make too much of a one sided "absolutely true" type stand.

Even concerning things that I still feel are "absolutely" true I still want to be able to weigh another opinion and honestly give it thought and study lest I cut myself off from some further truth that God may have for me to learn.

I have learned a few things about the mindset that I have to possess to have honest and open study of any issue:

1. If I have not reached a place that I can see where they are coming from then I have not yet put down the walls that keep me from honestly hearing what they have to say.

2. There is some truth in nearly everything that anyone believes even if what they believe is in error. These truths must be accepted as truth. Truth is, after all, truth and should always be recognized as such. The reason for this is two fold.
A) When you act negatively to something that both of you know is truth then the person you are speaking with will not see you as having an open and honest mind. (And they are right by the way )
B) If you see something that is truth but, because it is part of something you do not believe, you treat it as error then you are in no way being open and honest and you are not currently capable of seeing anything more than you already know.

While not a perfect example of this one moment that comes to mind is from a choir practice in Texas. We were singing a song and the lyrics, while actually biblical, had a little too much of a "trinitarian" flare to them for one of the choir members and he was objecting somewhat. I turned asked him out of the blue... "Have you been baptized in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost?" to which he replied "Of course not". I then told him... You better be. It is bible. You and I both know that the name of the father, son & holy ghost is Jesus but never ever let yourself be caught denying scripture. If someone asks you if you have been baptized in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost then you should answer yes lest you be found standing against the word of God. The lesson I was shooting for is, if it is scripture then it is scripture. Cut and dried. Don't deny scripture because you don't like the "ring" it has to it. Let the word of God be true and every man a liar.

3. Do not read what YOU think is their attitude into what they say. Or, further stated, don't paint what they say with your preconceptions about what you feel they think. If you have questions then ask them. Otherwise take what they say at face value and don't taint it with prejudice.

4. Never ever attack what they believe. If the 2 of you can study together and continue to, calmly and with respect, show each other what you believe and why then, in God's time, greater truth will come to the one who is in need of it. In most cases I find that both go away edified and made stronger in the word.

There are others that I could add to this but this post is already getting longer than I expected it to be so I will close it for now.