tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115477135776146347.post9004043434195737977..comments2023-06-29T03:09:14.241-07:00Comments on Journey of a Thousand Miles: Derek Linhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10592108804208616512noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115477135776146347.post-64599481093834368942008-07-01T10:35:00.000-07:002008-07-01T10:35:00.000-07:00Hi Rene,I've been following your messages at the T...Hi Rene,<BR/><BR/>I've been following your messages at the Tea House. You definitely have many interesting things to say! I look forward to reading more as you continue to share your wisdom.<BR/><BR/>- DerekDerek Linhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10592108804208616512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115477135776146347.post-91688871092724207392008-06-22T07:44:00.000-07:002008-06-22T07:44:00.000-07:00I love this. Both "argue" and "debate" carry a co...I love this. Both "argue" and "debate" carry a connotation that someone wins and someone loses. "Discuss", on the other hand, doesn't carry the same suggestion.<BR/><BR/>Evangelizing is one of the things that I always took exception to in the church that I grew up in. I don't want other people trying to convince me that theirs is the only way, and I don't want to do it to others.<BR/><BR/>Twelve-step programs such as AA have a policy of gaining membership "by attraction rather than promotion". <BR/><BR/>This is one of the things I like about the Tao. If I'm living as I should, then people will want to know how I got where I am. At that point, it may be appropriate to open a discussion (never a debate or an argument) about what living in accordance with the Tao has to offer.Renehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03924879103570150061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115477135776146347.post-34544070604502777812008-06-21T21:54:00.000-07:002008-06-21T21:54:00.000-07:00Thanks! I can sense through your comment that you ...Thanks! I can sense through your comment that you have a definite affinity to the Tao.Derek Linhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10592108804208616512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115477135776146347.post-46918485774532601372008-05-22T00:34:00.000-07:002008-05-22T00:34:00.000-07:00I have always felt this way about debating, but co...I have always felt this way about debating, but couldn't seem to come up with good reasoning. Many debates have happened where I ended up angry and frustrated. Perhaps the aggressive nature of debate is what triggers the aggression in humans. Or maybe debate invites one to foolishly try to prove himself to be correct.<BR/><BR/>Of the things that the Tao teaches, I think that perspective is one of the most important. We perceive many things as truth, but there is more than one "truth" in a situation. By turning our thinking in a debate into one of partisanship ("You either agree or disagree with me!"), it breeds dissent.<BR/><BR/>That's just my perspective, though. Very insightful post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com