Argue with me, please

I found mention at Mere Comments of an excellent article by Thomas Sowell, "Begging to Disagree.” I couldn’t agree with it more!

I practically live for discussion. Ask my husband :-) I can’t get enough information about what people think, why they think it, the facts related to what they think, etc. etc. Trouble is, I’ve found it hard to get these things from people themselves, directly. I’ve found what Sowell says to be true: people think that disagreement = nasty, or that they’re right and you’re wrong and so one of us must be sinning. Or, out of desire to maintain cordiality, people refrain from sharing dissenting opinions. Sometimes, of course, this is highly advisable.

But I’ve always wondered, how can we truly be the Body of Christ if we don’t aid one another by sharpening each other’s minds as well as helping in outward ways?

There are a few essentials to good discussion/debate: a truly charitable attitude, humility, and perhaps also confidence – confidence in one’s worth apart from one’s opinions, and in one’s abilities. A discussion that lacks any of these elements can turn ugly and unedifying in a hurry. But an argument doesn’t have to be a fight.

So I very much enjoy the blogosphere -- a literal treasure trove of fascinating opinion and discussion. A virtual Starbucks. Care to join me for coffee?