The benefit of civil discussion.

It has become obvious to me that civil discussion has become fairly rare.  We shove and push and yell and scream at one another whether brutally trying to convince someone that our way is right in face to face encounters or even by way of sound bites and sensational headlines and persuasive writing.

There is a story that was told to me years ago. I've even forgotten who told me the story.  I don't remember if it was told as a true story or not. Regardless, it makes a fitting point here. I will tell it as a fable:

Once upon a time there were two boys who grew up near one another.  They played together on almost a daily basis and went to school together.  As the grew up, they each prepared for their bar mitzvah ceremonies, they graduated from high school and then went on to college studies together. The two young college graduates then enrolled in rabbinic studies together and ended up serving synagogues in neighboring communities.

About half way between these two relatively small communities was a diner.  Each week day, after their morning chores and duties were completed, these men met together for coffee and morning snack and a good dose of 'arguing the scriptures.'  The two men grew old together continuing their daily custom of meeting at the diner with rare exceptions.  Finally one of the men died and the remaining man grieved greatly.

The adult son of the remaining man came to his father and asked why he grieved so, especially considering that the two men did nothing but fight every time they met together.  The old man looked sadly at his son and said, 'Son, how you mis-understand! The scriptures tell us that man sharpens man as iron sharpens iron.  I grieve because I no longer have a trusted friend with whom to wrestle.'

Civil discussion takes place only among those who respect one another.  The discussion may be lively and even appear harsh at times but the deep and abiding respect that the participants have for one another assures that the exercise remains healthy and for the edification of each, not the destruction of either.