Conversing with a Liberal

I watched much of the coverage of the DNC Convention in Boston tonight.  Having gone over to a friend's house to watch the cable news networks, I debated and discussed the issues of conservatism and liberalism with her dad for about 4 hours.  Holy cow!  I never knew I had such valuable information in me until it was forced out in debate!  I also never realized how somebody professing Christianity can take some of the most inconsistent views I've ever come across.  This guy absolutely refused to divorce oratory skills and charisma from moral character and integrity when it came to evaluating a president.  In other words, he thought Bill Clinton was a great president because he could speak well, regardless of his moral bankruptcy.  He also could not bring himself to claim a specific ideology as right or wrong; "Each can be right at different times.  Reagan's ideology worked during his presidency, but it would not have worked during Clinton's, and vice versa."  The whole time I'm thinking, "Aren't there such things as principles that are generally true regardless of time or situation?  Small government in principle is better than big government in principle.  Democracy best fits the nature of man according to a Biblical understanding of human kind.  The theme of freedom is universal to all people, regardless of race or religion.

Although we never convinced each other of anything, I had a great time with my friend's dad; never once did we get angry at each other.  We threw good-natured insults at each others' candidates and laughed at each others' crazy views all evening.  But the real bonus of the night?  After the dad went to bed I stayed up talking to a new acuaintence about her views on John Kerry, Bush, abortion and homosexual marriage.  I set her straight on 3 of the 4--nicely, sincerely, and non-confrontationally.  We had a very friendly conversation.  I think I might have converted her to the light.......At least I have her something to think about.