成人论坛

From Sheridan Voysey, Writer and broadcaster:

In 2016 I found myself in the United States at the time of the Presidential election. Heading to Nashville airport one morning, my taxi driver told me he was thinking of voting for Donald Trump and asked me what I thought. An hour of lively but friendly discussion followed. As we pulled into the airport he said sadly, 鈥淚 wish we could keep driving, because I can鈥檛 have conversations like this with my fellow Americans anymore. We鈥檙e so busy shouting at each other we鈥檝e stopped listening to one another.鈥�

I empathised. In previous months we鈥檇 seen the Brexit referendum bring its own measure of division here, even within families. A few months later I watched friends become enemies during Australia鈥檚 intense debate about marriage. Some have called these politically polarised moments the 鈥榓ge of outrage鈥�. It seems to me that in taking a stand for our chosen cause, we鈥檙e in danger of losing civility in the process.

Ever since that Nashville taxi conversation I鈥檝e wondered how we can stay neighbourly in times of disagreement. That pondering has led to some commitments I want to make:

I want to treat others with respect, not contempt. That means no name calling or insults towards those I disagree with, or trying to silence them with derogatory labels.

I want to treat other viewpoints fairly, not maliciously. That means taking time to understand them, refusing to spread unverified stories, and acknowledging their merits, even if they don鈥檛 in total convince me.

And I want to disagree thoughtfully, not defensively. Some words, actions and policies should be opposed, and opposed firmly. But when passion runs hot, rashness can follow.

My model for all this is Jesus, who could be found having dinner with his opponents and whose nickname 鈥渢he friend of sinners鈥� suggests he hung around people who broke his own moral rules. Jesus remained neighbourly to those he disagreed with.

We鈥檙e in a time of important change. Stands may need to be taken. But I hope that when history looks back it can also be said that we took a stand for civility too.