What if the request for dialogue actually meant the open exchange of ideas without seeking to convince the other party that they are wrong?
I like the idea of rethinking how we organize ourselves as a people based off a great blog post by Clark Cowden where he asks PC (USA) congregations to consider looking for the things that we agree on rather than spending countless dollars, hours, prayers, tears and the like on the areas where we disagree.
Too often I hear folks in our culture request a sit down for a talk or dialogue about the issue only to end up in a heated debate where both sides consider the other loveless heathens that have lost sight of the mercy of God.
What if we sat down to learn about the other so that we can discover the common humanity that is present. The people that you and I struggle with are not issues they are people. They love, hurt, suffer, rejoice and long for a hope filled tomorrow.
Is it possible to stop the power grabbing and rethink how to structure the way we work together on the areas that we agree on. Everyone with a beating heart hates global starvation. Can’t we put the same, or better yet more energy into eliminating global hunger?
Rev. Shawn J. Smith 