The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual’s own reason and critical analysis.
Dalai Lama
Last night, my wife and I watched the documentary ‘Lord: Save Us From Your Followers’ (which I absolutely highly recommend, by the way. It’s on-demand on Netflix).
The documentary was written and produced by Dan Merchant, who is Catholic. Merchant travels around and tries to do something that is novel in the United States: Have a discussion / healthy debate about religion.
I always appreciate a healthy debate, whether it be about religion, sports, education, or the topic of your choice.
The problem with healthy debate is it requires you to, not only have a position on a topic, but also hear out the other side (side note: hearing out does not mean believing in it yourself).
Debate opens our eyes and our ears to topics and viewpoints we would have otherwise ignored. It allows you to broaden your horizons and hear exactly why someone else believes in what they believe, without being preached at or converted (because that is NOT debate).
Living abroad, I was taught to avoid any discussions of American views, for fear of getting into a bad situation. Instead, I embraced talk of why non-Americans felt the way they did about our country, and learned quite a lot from my debates and discussions.
We are taught early on to avoid discussion on religion, politics, race and other hot-button topics in our society for fear of offending others. Isn’t it ironic the topics which we are taught to avoid are the ones that cause the greatest divide? If we were all more open about these topics, we’d learn a lot about each other and a lot about ourselves as well.
Educate yourself, take a stance, think critically, and then seek out others who oppose your view, and learn from them.
I appreciate those who disagree with me, who challenge me to learn more about myself by engaging in discussions that challenge my beliefs and make me a better person.
The next time you meet someone who has an opposite viewpoint, take the time to engage them in some healthy debate and discussion. You may be surprised what you learn.
Appreciative Revolutionary: Ryan Knapp (@ryanknapp)
Bio: Ryan Knapp is the founder and director of buffalofutsal where he gives everyone the opportunity to create memories by playing the beautiful game. When he’s not playing soccer, he’s probably our for a swim, a bike or a run. Follow him and connect with him at www.ryanjknapp.me.
Favorite ice cream flavor: Birthday Cake Remix
I appreciate Ryan’s kind heart and his positive attitude and outlook on life!
