Dig Down Deep to Christian Values
The following Musing is an edited version of one section of chapter 6 of my “Let’s Talk” book that is titled “Lessons Learned and Questions for Conversation.” You will have noticed by now that I place great importance on posing questions about values (what philosophers call “axiological questions”). This is based on my belief that […]
Political Conversation as an Alternative to Domination or Withdrawal
This Musing is a much abbreviated variation of chapter 4 of my book “Let’s Talk,” titled “Political Domination, Withdrawal, or Conversation.” Should followers of Jesus become involved in the political process? If so, how? I will present, and reject two common responses to these questions, the Domination and Withdrawal approaches. I will then build a […]
Changing Your Views About Those Who Disagree With You
OOPS! I apologize for a mistake in the title for my February 15 posting. It should have been “A Soft Answer Turns Away Wrath,” not “A Soft Answer Turns Away Truth.” Harold Heie __ This Musing draws on sections of chapter 7 in my book “Let’s Talk,” titled “Planting Tiny Seeds of Redemption” and a […]
A Soft Answer Turns Away Wrath
The following Musing is one section of chapter 1 of my book “Let’s Talk,” titled “Major Obstacles to Inclusive and Respectful Conversations, With the Essential First Step.” Those Christians who believe that their Christian tribe has singular insight into all of God’s truth will have little incentive to combine strong commitment with an openness to […]
Can We Please Practice a Little Humility
This Musing is the conclusion presented in chapter 6 of my “Let’s Talk” book, titled “Lessons Learned and Questions for Conversation.” As I have already proposed, elements of my personal biography deeply inform my beliefs, as do other elements of my social location, such as my gender, my race, my sexual orientation and my socio-economic […]
Strong Listening that Goes Beyond Politeness
This Musing is drawn from some highlights from chapter 7 of my “Let’s Talk” book, titled “Planting Tiny Seeds of Redemptive Conversation.” We should all aspire to practice politeness, which seems to be in short supply these days. But, in our increasingly tribalistic culture, being polite is not enough. In a conversation with another person […]
Talking About our Differing Partial Glimpses of the Truth
This Musing is abstracted out from a longer narrative, titled “Major Obstacles to Inclusive and Respectful Conversations, With the Essential First Step,” presented in chapter 1 of my book “Let’s Talk.” I believe that God knows the truth about all things. And, as one who aspires to be a follower of Jesus, I embrace with […]
Foundational Christian Values
The following Musing is the first in a series of eleven weekly musings that are abbreviated versions of various portions of my recent book “Let’s Talk: Bridging Divisive Lines Through Inclusive and Respectful Conversations.” It is my hope that you will find my sequence of Musings to cohere and flow well toward the goal of […]
Affirmative Action based on Economic Imbalance
I look back with horror at the prevalence of slavery in the history of America. Someone once asked me to conjecture as to what Americans may look back at with horror a hundred years from now. My answer was and still is the disparity in wealth and well-being between the rich and the poor. This […]
Choosing Both / And rather than Either / Or as an Antidote to Polarization in America
Much of my work over the years has focused on my calling into question either/or binary positions on contentious issues; choosing, rather, to formulate both/and positions that seek to capture the best insights from those adhering to the two either/or poles It all started many years ago, during my days as a Vice President for […]
Dividing or Uniting Americans: Trying to Recruit Two Northwest Iowans
The following was published in the September 8 issue of the Capital Democrat in Orange City, Iowa It has been accurately suggested that a rapidly emerging problem among Americans is that half of us don’t want to talk to the other half. As some readers of the Capital Democrat may recall from previous pieces I […]
Divide or Unite: My Invitation to MAGA Republicans.
The impetus for my invitation is the speech recently given in Philadelphia by President Biden on the topic “The Soul of the Nation” and two criticisms of that speech, one by a Biden supporter and one by a non-supporter. Biden’s speech was a blistering criticism of those he views as extreme MAGA Republicans; while acknowledging […]
Navigating The Abortion Debate: Conversations Based on Values
The Supreme Court has spoken, voting 5-4 to overturn Roe vs. Wade, thereby turning over to the various states the right to enact their own abortion laws. I fear that this decision will lead to an unprecedented level of vitriolic political discourse, and even to violence, as different states enact laws ranging from banning abortion […]
Hurrah for Bipartisan Gun Legislation
I applaud the imminent passage of bipartisan gun legislation that is long overdue. This is not the first time that a small bipartisan group of legislators has been able to forge bipartisan legislation. Two other examples come to mind, one old and one relatively new. In 2013, a small bipartisan “gang of eight” senators, four […]
An Open Letter to Elon Musk
Dear Mr. Musk: News of your purchase of Twitter has elicited numerous reactions, both positive and negative. I am responding positively, with some qualifications. I applaud your commitment to foster “free speech” that will give voice to the expression of any belief about any contentious issue. My applause is prompted by a very painful experience […]
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