Proposing Principles of Respectful Conversations

Today I felt encouraged when someone shared with me this statement from a group they joined. It says to me that in various ways some people are seeking some of the principles I and others try to teach in marriage and other relationships.

It seems that more and more people are hungry for more respectful interaction at many levels. I personally wish dialogical principles could permeate all the different political, religious, professional, and other groups in our society and the world. I hope this group and others can stay true to the principles of process, no matter what the content!

Here’s what the group says:

“. . . . . . . aims to reinvigorate the public sphere, drawing from diverse backgrounds and diverse perspectives, with the goal of expanding the influence of the people in America's political arena. We do not require nor adhere to any preexisting ideology. We encourage deliberation guided by reason amongst the many viewpoints held by our members. We see our diversity as a strength, not a weakness, because we believe that faithful deliberation from multiple vantage points is the best way to achieve the common good. It is in the responsible and reasonable practice of deliberation that we hope to contribute to society.”

(I’m not including the name of the group because I’m not promoting it – I just want to share what I think is a positive direction of a growing group of people toward honoring difference.)

Perhaps in whatever groups or relationships you or I belong to, we can propose our own set of principles to speak and act respectfully and civilly when we have differing views, experiences, cultures, religions, political opinions – or ways of paying bills, cleaning the house, and resolving accidentally hurt feelings.