if I were a rhetorical question, I would look like this

[the_siobhan]

Is it possible for somebody who is pro-life and somebody who is pro-choice to be friends?

Is it simply a matter of difference of opinion? Or is it more than that? Is there an underlying difference in values that makes it impossible to be friends?

What do you think?


What I'm listening to right this second: Stromkern

Comments

[50-ft-queenie.livejournal.com]

Yes, but with conditions. As with any other important topic in my life, I have no issue with people holding different viewpoints from me provided that they are respectful of mine. Someone who lectures me on the wrongness of my beliefs will not be a friend of mine for long.

[medakse.livejournal.com]

Someone who lectures me on the wrongness of my beliefs will not be a friend of mine for long.

I completely agree. However, I am often faced with a personal complication to this very thing.
Sometimes, I feel like I have to persuade someone that her beliefs are wrong. Take the Iraq war, for example. I believe it is wrong for many reasons, and I feel it necessary to explain to people who disagree with me why I think they're wrong.
I worry, then, that I am suffering under the same misconceptions that many pro-life (or pro-capital punishment, etc.) people do: trying to "fix" someone else's beliefs.
i.e. I worry that I end up lecturing others on the wrongness of their beliefs, despite the fact that I get upset when they do it to me.
That make sense?
I guess I worry sometimes that I'm a hypocrite.

[50-ft-queenie.livejournal.com]

There's a difference between explaining why you hold the beliefs that you do, and trying to "fix" someone else's beliefs, and there's sometimes a very fine line btw the two.

Cliche as this may sound, I try to stick to statements such as 'I believe this because of X", and stay way from telling people what they ought to do or believe.

[medakse.livejournal.com]

There's a difference between explaining why you hold the beliefs that you do, and trying to "fix" someone else's beliefs, and there's sometimes a very fine line btw the two.

Absolutely. And I try very hard to remember that.
I think that sometimes, I can't fathom someone's lack of enlightenment. If I meet someone who is racist, or homophobic, I feel the need to "fix" their beliefs. I try to do this by explaining how I feel the way I do, and it's worked sometimes, and sometimes it hasn't.
I know these issues are completely different from abortion, but it's where I find I try to "fix" things the most.

[panic-girl.livejournal.com]

trying to "fix" someone else's beliefs.
On the abortion topic, being pro-choice isn't about trying to change someone's mind, it's about letting them do whatever the hell they want with their body. If you don't want an abortion, fine, no one will force you to have one! :P

With the war, ugh. That's tough, and I can totally see how you get stopped up...

[medakse.livejournal.com]

On the abortion topic, being pro-choice isn't about trying to change someone's mind, it's about letting them do whatever the hell they want with their body. If you don't want an abortion, fine, no one will force you to have one! :P


Exactly. I had a friend in college who dropped our feminist theory course. When I asked why, she said, and I'm quoting as near as possible here, "f**k those feminist bitches and their society without men. I don't need that bullshit in my life."

And I was shocked. Utterly shocked. And I wanted to tell her, "well, let's see: give back that abortion you had, and then stop wearing pants, having a checking account, going to college, and living alone. And then we'll see what kind of feminist bitches they are then."

But I didn't say that. And I regret it to this day.

With the war, ugh. That's tough, and I can totally see how you get stopped up...

And I live in very conservative Texas. Remember, this is where I got asked in class, "Why do you hate white people?"

!!!!!

*shakes head*

[panic-girl.livejournal.com]

...and their society without men
I always loved that one too. For the reasons you mentioned and also, HELLO STRAIGHT PERSON HERE! Just because I want equality does not mean I don't like men! Please people, a little perspective! ;)