Alternative Truths

How important is it to be right?

Listen to me, you who know righteousness, you people who have my teaching in your hearts; do not fear the reproach of others, and do not be dismayed when they revile you. - Isaiah 51:7

In today's reading, Isaiah speaks to those who have the teaching of God in their hearts, those who know that they are right in their faith and beliefs.

Do not be dismayed, he tells them, for you will be hated.

If being hated is the price we pay for being right, I can understand why some would hold their tongues and not let the world know what they truly believe.

But avoiding conflict by keeping silent is not the goal, is it?  If there is something we truly believe is right, we want others to know.  So how do we share our beliefs without conflict?

I think we have lost the ability to be open to the thoughts and ideas of others.  We have become convinced that there is only one truth, ours, and all who have a contrary view are ignorant or naive.

Some are even convinced others are evil.

I fear that once we line up on opposite sides of an issue, we stop listening to each other.  All we hear is anger and hatred, not from us, of course, but from the other side.

I remember my mom would tell my sister and me that we needed to put aside our differences and get along.  If one did something to wrong the other, retaliation was forbidden.  Two wrongs don't make a right, she would say.

But two rights can make a wrong.

When you believe you are right and I believe I am right, there is no middle ground.  There is no place to come together.  The best we can do is ignore each other, and that is so easy to do on social media.

We can continue to pair down our circles of friends until we only hear our own voice echoing in the wind.

I guess that is the ultimate goal, to be alone, with no other opinion than our own.  And if that is where we want to be, we are on the right path.

Am I right in that?

If not, will you tell me?

More to come...