Cheryl Schatz

Paula,

I think you made some good points in that we need to give other people and their communication a little more slack.  It is also a very good idea, as you suggested, that we seek first to understand.  If we are misunderstanding a person’s communication, there is no point in switching into an apologetic mode or attacking a perceived “enemy”.  If we would all work hard on trying to understand the argument that is given by a person who doesn’t share our view, then we can either embrace their argument or argue against it in an understanding way.  Often people just end up talking past each other and getting no where.  Why does this happen?  Likely it is because people come to the communication “table” with an opinion that they have already decided is set in stone.  This doesn’t make them willing or able to listen to what someone else has to say.

It is not wrong to have a strong stand on one’s view.  However the more confident one is on their own view should allow them to actually hear what others say because other viewpoints should not be a threat.  And if perchance someone has a point that one had not thought of before and it lines up with the scriptures and it is logical and reasonable, we would do well to humble ourselves to be proven wrong.  Truth should be more valuable than one’s own ego.