My Opinion

I think the problem with my opinion is that I think it's flawless.

Lately I've had a real hard time understanding other people's actions. I figure the root of this misunderstanding is my failure to understand their perspective. Perhaps if I understood their perspective, then I would understand their actions, then I really would have a flawless opinion.

For example, I often find myself wondering the following:
- Why do people tailgate? Do they think I am going slow? Do they think I will go faster if they ride my bumper? Do they expect me to pull over so they can pass? Do they not know the rules for following? Are they on the phone and thus distracted, braking only to avoid hitting me? Maybe I'm the tailgater. Maybe everybody just looks closer in my rearview mirror than it looks from me to the car ahead of me.
- Why do people flick their cigarette butts out of their car? Wouldn't one's motivation for not leaving their cigarette butt in their ashtray be because it is trash and it would clutter their car? Is the world their trashcan? Aren't they just cluttering the world by throwing it outside? Maybe they think "Oh, it's biodegradable." You could say the same thing about a McDonald's bag but we don't want it sitting there for 20 years biodegrading, do we?

Here are some other topics for which I eagerly anticipate the day I can engage someone who has a differing opinion.
- Kids & television. Kids & sugar. Kids & fast food.
- Taxes that disproportionately take rich people's money.
- Abortion.
- The origin of life.
- Bias in news.
- Debt.
- God.
- Jesus the Messiah.
- Gun control.
- War.
- Socialism without Jesus.

"Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven." Luke 6:37

I found out a long time ago on a personality test that I am "judger." I am hypercritical of myself and of other people. I view this as a vice. However, I also know that some aspect of my critical nature is something God intended for me to use for good and not evil. Of course, prayer is a critical step in refining my thought-life. I also view my understanding of other people's perspective as a path to recovery. Someday I hope to have a patient, well-rounded flawless opinion from being fully informed and from fully understanding others' perspectives.