Talks with my dad…

Just hung up the phone with my old man, Tim. We talked for about 2 hours, which is normal once we get going. We usually talk about life. We used to talk all the time about religion. Well, arguing is more like it. It got so bad at one point that we decided to do our arguing in written form so that when we talked to each other we could actually be “father & son”.

That’s why when we hung up the phone tonight we laughed and agreed that we were both pretty immature in how we went about discussing the things that were close to our hearts then and now. Arguing about faith, the Bible, God, etc? That’s sure to produce something good…not.

I told him we probably would never have that problem again. He agreed. I told him that on my end, not only was I immature in my understanding (as if I am “mature” now?) but also what I was defending (by manipulative argument…) wasn’t my faith, but the religion system I was learning.

So was he. Well he might not admit it that way, but I’ll sneak that one in on him.

He recommended a book that the Watchtower puts out called, “the Greatest Man to Ever Live”. Oh, yeah, for those of you who don’t know our epic battles in the religious realm stem from me bring a Baptist, and him being a Jehovah’s Witness. So, I said to him, “Hey I think I have that one…” and as I was looking through my books I noticed some apologetic books on the WatchTower Bible & Tract Soceity. These books were written to help you refute the errors of the WTB&S’s doctrine.

I wonder if they have books like that about Baptists? My dad could probably write one! Ha!

Anyway, back to the whole defense of the system thing. See, when you can write a book to break down another person’s beliefs, I think what you’re really breaking down, or fighting against, is their religious system. How else could it be so cut & dry? “When he says this, you counter with this…”

But what happens when he says something outside of that system – which my dad often does – and which I now always do…? You no longer have the system to interpret for you what they are saying, and you no longer get to swing at that system you were trained to fight against while defending the one you’re in.

You have to get to know the person you’re talking to.

You have to understand them, who they are, how they think, where they’ve been, etc. You have to be able to interpret them, not their system.

So, now my dad and I have these great discussions, and yeah he’s trying to win me over to what he believes to be right, and rightly so. But that isn’t his goal anymore. I can feel it. It’s different. And it’s that way for me, too. Cause I’m not defending my religious system. I’m talking to my father about Father.