February 23, 2005
Truth and Debate
Perhaps some of you have noticed my link to WatchBlog.com. The political debate there covers left, right, center, and weird pretty well. I stumbled onto it because Shem has it linked on his blog. I enjoy reading the debates - there's something in me that loves a good argument, and they seem to mix it up fairly well, though it seems the leftist people outnumber the rightist.
I have, very foolishly, commented on various threads on that page. It's difficult for me to read the debate and not want to jump in with my own opinion. But I'm not sure whether my comments are helpful in any way; I always question my posts after I make them. I am trying to discipline myself to listen without commenting, at least until I'm more familiar with the people and positions.
The more I see of modern debate, the less I value it. Granted, it's important to be able to debate and fight and argue over things. I've tremendously glad that in this country, we yell and shout and scream and call each other names instead of knifing and killing each other. Free and open debate seems to be wonderfully cathartic, at least to some kinds of people. It lets you vent righteous anger, and keeps society together. That's the positive thing I see about debate.
However, I am increasingly convinced that no-one is listening. The sides do not listen to each other, except to find ammunition for their next post. Of course, this is not confined to WatchBlog (actually, they're far better than other things I've seen) - I've noticed it in most political commentary and theological debates. No-one is listening. They are yelling at each other, each armed with their own proofs and statistics and arguments and counter-arguments for the other side.
All I want is to know the truth. I want to know the truth about the war in Iraq; I want to know why we went to war and why it turned out the way it did. I want to know the truth about America - why we are the country we are and where we're going and why. I want to know the truth about God - does He exist, is the Bible reliable, what is this whole 'being a Christian' thing about. I want to know the truth - the whys behind it all. I want to know what is good and right and just and fair.
I don't think that most of the debate I've heard is asking those questions. It is answering those questions, or trying to. Different people have different answers, and they're shouting them at one another. I suppose that's a good thing - I mean, shouldn't people know the answers? I just wish there was a little more humility in their assertions, a little more graciousness towards the other side, and a respect for common ground.
On the other hand, I realize that truth is important enough to argue over. If you know the truth, it's worth fighting for, arguing for, and standing firm for. I wonder if I'm becoming so overwhelmed with the scale of the ideological battles going on that all my dismayed reaction boils down to is the platitude "Can't we all get along?" No, we cannot all get along. Truth matters.
To some extent, I wish I were more sure of the truth. I were I was so sure of myself and my position that I could take my place among the combatants and fight for my beliefs without listening to my enemies. I suppose it's my curse and my blessing - I listen. Or I try to. I always try to listen. And sometimes it feels like my head is going to split, because two rival ideas are inside, striving for victory. Most of the time, listening doesn't really faze my beliefs, but I become a little less certain of them every time I can't easily defeat an opponent's argument. Which is often. I wish I knew more! But then again, maybe it's a blessing to be so naive that all I can do is listen. Maybe I'll figure it out and become wise.
It's hard listening. And it makes those on my side nervous. I think they wonder about my loyalty; they wonder if I'll stick with them. I listen to atheists and to Planned Parenthood and Democrats and to Socialists (it's hard to find a good Communist these days) ... I listen to the enemy. That's always dangerous. I feel my certainty on things slipping away.
I can't help it - a person's first loyalty is to the truth. "But," they reply, "you know the truth. We know the truth. Those are the enemies of the truth!" But that's just what the enemies say, too. How can a person be sure of what is true? How can a person be certain? All the questions that really matter - why questions - are virtually intractable. It's almost enough to force a person to give up politics and philosophy and take up mathematics. But you're always dragged back to the questions, because they really do matter. What is right? What is good? What is true? Where are we going, and why?
I'm not going to try to answer those questions now; they've been talked to death over the last few thousand years, and they'll be talked over even more into the future. I'll just quickly summarize the common wisdom - Listen. Think. Read.
Here's an additional idea that has come to mind recently - criticize only that which you love. And a very old idea that easily gets lost ... love your enemies. Do good to those who hurt you.
Now, I suppose my thoughts here make me sound awfully good and wise, at least to some ears. "How nice and noble!" people might say - "at last someone is willing to listen." I wonder if it just makes me a coward. The modern secular world seems to be hell-bent (in a disturbing way, literally) on making little skeptics everywhere - people who aren't sure of anything and won't commit to any idea. It's an attractive option, I must admit - the gunfire from the war subsides if you don't take any sides. If you pull off and take a seat, you don't catch nearly as much fire. It's the chicken way out. Perhaps the enemy capers about in joy, knowing one more person has landed on the fence.
Blast it, this war does matter! We cannot take the easy skeptic's way out, because then truth will be lost to those who don't care about it. The truth must be found and defended. The trouble is, it lies on all sides of the war. You catch fire from all directions seeking for it. And too often, once someone finds truth, they sit down and stop and fight over their piece of it. Truth must be defended, yes, but those who defend just a piece of it wind up defending their truth against someone else's. It's so hard to remember that truth is not on your side; you are (supposed to be) on truth's side!
