Or are you acting out of fear?

Then after an awful pause, the deep voice said, "Susan." Susan made no answer but the others thought she was crying. "You have listened to fears, child," said Aslan.

-- From Prince Caspian, Chapter 11

Or do you just want to get out of the woods?

"I've been far worse than you know I really believed it was him --he, I mean--yesterday. When he warned us not to go down to the fir wood. And I really believe it was him tonight, when you woke us up. I mean, deep down inside. Or I could have, if I'd let myself. But I just wanted to get out of the woods and--and--oh, I don't know. And what ever am I to say to him?" [ Susan later said to Lucy ]

-- From Prince Caspian, Chapter 11

Or are you focusing on the faults of others?

And so at last they got on the move. Lucy went first, biting her lip and trying not to say all the things she thought of saying to Susan. But she forgot them when she fixed her eyes on Aslan... The others had only Lucy's direction to guide them, for Aslan was not only invisible to them but silent as well.

-- From Prince Caspian, Chapter 11

Jim Chapman of Rocky Mountain Family Council spoke yesterday at Southern Gables Church. He preached about forgiveness in the church from Colossians and Philemon.

Forgiveness was never intended to be a private affair between you and God. 

He asks the question:

Is our church characterized and known for forgiveness of each other within the church? Is this a forgiving place?

We need to be forgivers! Let's give each other a break.

Believers must forgive each other, even if the transgressor doesn't repent... There's no wiggle room... There's no cop-out room. Martin Luther said, "Forgive, for that is God's command." ...The context here never suggests conditional forgiveness on our part.

365.

Only 365 kids awaiting adoption. 5 years ago it was 875! (That's the lowest per-capita rate in the country!)

The fact that the number is shrinking, not growing, is one more reason Colorado is a great place to live. It's not just statistics, it's characterizing Colorado - it's great fun seeing other families with adoptive parents when we take our boys to a playground.

How great would it be if Colorado was the first state to get the list down to zero (or under 10, as new kids enter even while others are adopted).

How great would it be if Colorado became known for being a state that loves adoption! What would happen then? Would Coloradans begin working with other states that have kids awaiting adoption? Would this trend begin to spread to other states?

One argument in favor of abortion I heard again recently was that you don't want to condemn your child to a life bouncing around foster homes. Not in Colorado! Here the kids get a forever family.

I'm so happy that Project 127 and so many churches have played such a crucial role in the tipping point that happened when the number stopped growing and started shrinking.

I believe one of the things that made the early church grow despite the pagan Roman Empire of the time was that Christians adopted the abandoned children in their own areas. I'm so proud of Coloradans that are following in the legacy of the first generations of Christians and grabbing hold of God's heart, woven throughout the Old and New Testaments,  for children who need families.

"I've heard this type of rhetoric a lot lately..."

"Isn't it true that you..."

"Now you're just arguing semantics."

"Let's be honest..."

"Well, that is the mantra of the people of your view."

All of these are statements I've read or heard lately. All of them are repulsive to worthwhile discourse. All of them poison the well of clear communication. (Just click on the words in the quotes to see a Google search of how these phrases are being used in news articles to slant the conversation.)

You've known people who argue like this, right? I've know several. Perhaps they like the idea of a dialog, but actually operate only on an agenda. To talk but not listen, to persuade but never be persuaded. This is not the pursuit of real Truth, but the pursuit of arguing others into submission of what the speaker thinks to be true.

I suppose we're too prideful to consider where we might be wrong, and that's why nobody likes arguments, disagreements, or confrontation. We're all just trying to score points and convert others to our point of view instead of having a real dialog. If our arguments were real dialogs, we wouldn't hate them!

If we were all seeking to reform our own minds to align closer with what's objectively true, arguments wouldn't be so frustrating. Conversations could really be like iron sharpening iron, helping each other align more closely with what's true.

I don't want to be someone that poisons the well of clear communication and drives people away. Rather than just trying to force my ideas on others, I want to always be willing to hear and evaluate where other people are coming from. I can argue well for what I think - but I'm also willing to change my mind and reform my thoughts when I'm wrong.

A dialog is a two-way "spoken exchange of thoughts, opinions, and feelings."

If you are closed to the thoughts, opinions, or feelings of others, dialog is impossible for you, by definition.

---

Questions for consideration and comments:

1. Who have you seen poisoning the well of communication? Politicians? Pastors? Friends? Yourself?
   
   
2. Does using these type of slanted phrases or arguments reveal that the speaker's position is weak, so this type of dialog-stopper must be used?
    
3. What is your reaction when someone does this with you?
    
4. Do you have the same reaction when someone you agree with does this in argument?
   
   
5. Is it possible to have a worthwhile conversation when someone tries to shut down the dialog this way?