Politics and religion. The two subjects you’re not supposed to ask about.

I blow it on both counts. I continually ask people about their spiritual and political beliefs.

Why? The very reason you’re not supposed to ask. People usually have passionate feelings about both subjects—witness Laura’s Nov 18th post about the raving Twitter woman—and I’m fascinated with the answers.

One of our readers asked a question regarding Twitter-Whacko-Woman and I think it begs an answer.

Our reader said,”How could she have expressed her views without alienating you or those other 63 million Americans? I’m just asking because if we do too much “moderating” of our views, it seems to me we eventually end up saying nothing of consequence. When does one take a stand and risk the controversy (and alienation) and how far is too far?”

I believe we should take a stand all the time. Before the election my wife’s cousin and his partner Carl came over for dinner. Carl leans so far left he’s lying down. So when I asked him about the election he talked for fifteen minutes about Gee-Dub Bush, President-elect Obama and the state of our union.

When he got done I said, “Thanks for telling me what you think.”

He stared at me—knowing I sit in a much more moderate camp—flabbergasted I didn’t do what most moderate friends do when he talks politics: Hammer him, pointing out why he’s dead-wrong.

He asked how I felt, I told him my passionate beliefs, and we both finished the evening feeling we’d learned something. As it turned out, we agreed on more points that we disagreed. But I doubt we would have discovered that by jumping on our highest horse and raining down clichés and exaggerated statements on each other.

Is it overly optimistic to think two people with radically divergent views can say, “This is my passionate opinion, what’s yours?” and respect the other person enough to listen?

With every word you write you’re marketing yourself. And when you’re marketing yourself on the Internet via blog, Web site, Twitter, forum, etc., you’re probably pasted it up for the world to see forever.

Express yourself passionately, just don’t pretend you’re perfect and have 100% of the correct answers.You don’t. I don’t. And if we listen there’s a chance we might learn something.

Tags: Blogging, opinions on the Internet, Twitter