Simon Cox Blog: Being Cordial Even When We Think Differently

Wednesday 26 September 2018

Being Cordial Even When We Think Differently

We must walk in the footsteps of Jesus. To do this, we will learn to love those we disagree with.

Have you noticed the trend away from thoughtful conversation, civility, and compassion? Have you been struck by the increasingly combative nature of communication in the media, the political realm, the online world of social media, and culture in general?

It seems like people have a very hard time disagreeing while still respecting and loving each other.

In a growing number of situations, it seems like people believe that if we don’t agree on specific topics, we must be angry with each other. Or when we stand on the opposite side of the aisle, we hate each other. If we have an honest disagreement, it must ignite into some kind of combat.

I grew up in a home, and a time of history, when people could disagree and still love each other. I remember a time when people could talk civilly, express divergent points of view, and still have lunch, laugh, and do life together. As a matter of fact, I watched my dad and mom disagree with strong and articulate words on many topics and still love each other deeply.

My dad was a strong and articulate Republican. He believed what he believed and would express his views with clarity and conviction. My mom was a staunch Democrat. She headed up the local teachers’ association of the public schools and expressed her convictions openly and with passion and precision. I had the honor of doing my parent’s renewal of their wedding vows at their 50-year anniversary, just a few years before my mom passed away.

I can still remember my parents heading out to vote together, hand in hand. My dad would say something like, “We’re heading out to cancel each other’s vote.” He meant it. He knew that their votes would end up being a net zero because of their antithetical ...