Politics And Religion – Which Is Easier To Debate?

A number of people have asked me how I got involved in writing and debate. The short answer is defending the Christian faith. I became a believer at 29. That means I led a life outside of the Christian faith for much of my formative years. It also meant that I spent a good while thinking about it beforehand. The same is true of politics. I was not always a conservative guy. Looking back it is interesting to recall how I got here. Maybe you feel the same if you are older.

If we are honest life seems to just happen. That truth comes into focus the older you get. We should not lay claim to the achievements in our lives as a matter of personal pride. We should at least first admit we did not have control over most things. I’ve said it before, we are born with certain personalities we did not choose. We did not choose our race, our parents, the location, or the income level we were born into. For more context and more details see my previous post on Understanding Each Other.

If you think discussing or debating politics is hard, try religion! If you are skilled at religious debate then debating politics is not so hard. There are similarities in debating politics and religion. People generally fit into categories and each category is a sliding scale. The most egregious are those who are so committed to an idea that they cannot even consider another point of view. These are the people who talk past each other or end up in bitter disagreement. The new term is “The Haters” and they exist on all sides of political and religious issues. Luckily for me, I’ve been on both sides when it comes to religion and politics. That is one reason I’m good at debate. I’ve walked a mile on both sides of the street.

Having been on both sides I learned to ask sincere questions of those with opposing points of view. Not so much on this website but in personal conversations with people. If a person displays an imperious attitude when asked a question there is little sense in a continuing conversation. You might probe a little more gently to see if you can break down the barrier but it is often pointless. That is the perception most people had of President Trump. There are millions of people like Trump on both sides of the political spectrum. I have dealt with many on each side.

However, an imperious attitude does not mean the person is wrong. It simply means you are not likely to influence them. It also means they are not likely to explain themselves well. The people I respect most in life are those who can articulate why they believe what they believe. These folks make for a lively discussion or debate. They also serve to further my understanding.

Nobody cares much for the troll that simply throws out some talking point with no substance. Things like Trump is a racist, Trump killed hundreds of thousands (referring to China Flu) and etc. Then there are the anti-religious arguments. I used to make them myself. You can’t prove there is a Creator and therefore one does not exist. People never stop to understand the law of non-contradiction. If I cannot prove there is a Creator then you cannot prove there is not a Creator. There is no basis in fact but they are welcome to their opinion as long as they admit it is an opinion. Once people start stating their opinion as if it were fact we run into serious trouble. It has been a precursor to the slaughter of millions throughout history.

When people hear I’m a Christian they frequently ask what denomination I belong to. I often do not know how to answer that without going into great detail. Better to ask me what I think about a particular Christian or religious doctrine. The same would hold true in politics. Ask me what I think about a particular policy position. Politics is so much easier than religion. That is because the body of reference material and evidence for modern governments and economics is relatively easy to find. No system or policy is perfect. We generally know what works and what does not. Liberal ideas must always be counterbalanced by conservative common sense.

In conclusion, that is why I suggest politics is much easier to debate.

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