#65: Arguing

Arguing in the traditional sense is pointless. Anyone who's had a sibling knows this. You argue back and forth and back and forth until someone interupts. I wonder what we are trying to prove when we argue? And how in the world do you WIN an argument? I've never figured that one out. Are you trying to make the other person say you're right? That doesn't happen often, especially when it comes to theology and politics. Can you imagine Sean Hannity and Cindy Sheehnan sitting down to argue about the Iraq war? That would be pointless. Both of them have deeply held convictions about the war. Neither of them would be willing to admit they were wrong.

Everybody knows that we all hate to be wrong, so we argue until we've worked the other person into a corner and they give up. At least, we hope that's what will happen.

I love to argue about my beliefs, but I'm starting to question my motives. Am I arguing just to win, or am I trying to inform the person? And if I am trying just to inform the person, do they even want to be "informed"? Half the time, the answer is no. So in that case, I just have to exercise some good, old fashioned but uncomfortable self-control and be quiet. And when I'm on the receiving end of an argument, am I open to the fact that I just might be wrong? Or do I not even care if I'm wrong and just blindly argue for a lie?