Have you ever been in a situation where you knew the people you were with differed with you in their opinions on almost everything? I regularly go on road trips with a group of friends that fall into this category. We have a great mutual respect and would defend each other to the death. But we have very differing ideas about many things.
On a recent trip, for some reason none of us could ever put a finger on, the discussions over a five-day trip centered around religion. We all fall into the category of Christian and are each resolute in our beliefs, but they are not the same! One of us is what might be termed ‘fundamental’, one is very liberal, and one of us falls somewhere in between the two. 
I cannot say what even started the discussion. Perhaps I began it with the question “What do you think of the concept of Lilith?” The flood gates were opened. One had never heard of her, so there was a lot of background to be covered. I explained how she was, supposedly, the first woman. Before Eve. And that she was banished because she wanted to be equal with Adam, not subservient. We talked about how she was purportedly a witch and that she preyed on children. Lullabies are meant to offer protection against Lilith during her nighttime forays. We all agreed, by the end of the discussion, that there was no real truth to the stories, at least from a Biblical perspective.
There was talk of the end times, what angels are really like, the Nephilim, the thousand-year reign, all of which we have differing opinions about. There was even some politics thrown into the mix, just to make it interesting, as well as separation of church and state, how much our religious beliefs should be involved in our political decisions, and the current governmental climate. It was a lively discussion, to say the least.
However, – and this is the important part -, we talked about so many things that we heartily disagree about but are still steadfast friends. In today’s mood of drawing lines in the sand and dramatic polarization, I believe it is important to be able to have an honest and open discussion without offending.
We three agree that many times, during an in-depth discussion, we have been given pause to think deeper. Delving into a subject, even if you think you know all there is to know about that subject, may open up a new insight that you had never noticed before. Several times, I have been persuaded to rethink my opinion. That does not mean I was not loyal to my original idea. It means that I am open to learning and facing the possibility that I might have been wrong. Or at least needed to rethink my position. This is how we learn. This is how we grow.
I am a strong proponent of lifelong learning. I once worked with a man who could not grasp the concept of why I worked all day and took college classes at night to finish a degree. It was absolutely beyond him as to why anyone would want or need to do that. I never made him understand that we should all continue to learn new skills and concepts. This was particularly difficult since part of my job was in-house training for the employees. He never paid attention and he never took the classes seriously. He was a real joy! In his world, education was not important. He had learned how to do his job and that was all he believed he needed to know.
He and I agreed to disagree on the concept of learning. He did what he had to do to get by and there was no open warfare. We did not see eye to eye, but we agreed to be civil. So, I know it can be done because I really didn’t like this man. And I know he didn’t like me. In this time of unrest, we all need to take a step back and try to remember that we are all just human. We make mistakes. We don’t like certain people. We want our own way. We have all been brought up differently and had varying life experiences that have molded us into the creatures that we are. But we are all God’s children and worthy of the respect of human dignity. 
A few years ago, the catchphrase ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ was incredibly popular. On posters, tee shirts, wrist bands. WWJD was everywhere! People who were not even religious wore those wristbands! Which is as it should be because love, compassion, and dignity,- things that Jesus stood for,- does not belong to any one particular religion or belief system. It is universal and it needs to come back into style.
Like my two traveling partners and me, we are never going to agree on everything. And that’s good. Think of how boring the world would be if we all had the same thoughts and opinions. What an awful thought.
My cohorts and I may not always agree, but we will always be friends! I am thankful for that.
Do you have someone that pushes you to be a better person? Or, at least, makes you think? Question things? If you do, value that person. They are precious!
