Nacirema The Island

A great piece on how to rebuild trust in America. It also gives a great perspective on how to consider other opinions--it is to read them and find the fair minded reds and blues on either side of the debate. https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/Our-political-spectrum-suffers-a-drought-of-purple_170358099

An interesting take from a leading evolutionist. Side note, I believe in evolution as a religious person, and I think this is one of the issues we all need to be a bit humbler about.  In my opinion people can go a little farther to bend over for the other side's point of view. Religious people can take more scientific evidence (and actual biology classes) to enlighten their understanding of Genesis, and scientists can work hard at seeing the good things that religious people do. It's a 23 tweet read by teh way... Some thoughts on how I became respectful of religion. — Mark Changizi (@MarkChangizi) March 20, 2018

“A man convinced against his will  Is of the same opinion still”  ―  Dale Carnegie ,  How to Win Friends and Influence People

“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures bristling with prejudice and motivated by pride and vanity.”  ―  Dale Carnegie ,  How to Win Friends and Influence People “Any fool can criticize, complain, and condemn—and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.”  ―  Dale Carnegie ,  How to Win Friends and Influence People “When we hate our enemies, we are giving them power over us: power over our sleep, our appetites, our blood pressure, our health, and our happiness.”  ―  Dale Carnegie ,  How to Stop Worrying and Start Living “Everybody in the world is seeking happiness—and there is one sure way to find it. That is by controlling your thoughts. Happiness doesn't depend on outward conditions. It depends on inner conditions.”  ―  Dale Carnegie ,  How to Win Friends and Influence People “Even God doesn't propose to judge a man til...

http://youjustneedspace.com/ When you have been on social media too long, and you have had every accusation thrown at you about this or that, download this app, or Chrome extension, and use it to take a breath. When we look at computer screens too much, and forget about the humans that live around us, that they just like us are people too; beings with emotion, passion, family, and friends; we get angry, because we are missing out on the emotional cues and physical consequences that happen when we are with actual people. We forget, how human we all are, no matter what we believe, and how much it differs from other people, that we all have divinity within us. Take some time, take a breath, get some Space from the hardwirers of hate and division.

One of the greater bloggers of the Mormon Bloggernacle, James Goldburg explains the kind of thinking we ought to have in order to facilitate honest, truthful, but kind discussions about the kinds of policies we enact or the things that happen to us. https://mormonmidrashim.blogspot.com/2012/08/critical-thinking-vs-thorough-thinking.html

So I have talked a little bit about anger, with a quote from the Sermon on the Mount. There is another resounding quote that helps us a bit more. 25  Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26  Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. I don't think this means give up your valuable or dearly cherished beliefs. I think this means to work with your "enemy", see where he is coming from, and then try to see where you actually have common ground. Then your differences are not friction causing, rather they are something that enhances the diversity of life and thought that we all need. Many enemies you have at some point or another, can become your friends, but only if you try and love them. There will be those who will choose to be bitter enemies ...