So today I was listening to Dr. Laura on the radio and a Lesbian girl called in and asked a great question. " In a relationship, Whats the difference between a bump in the road and a real problem?" Dr laura said basically that a bump in the road is something a bad day or a random out of character moment, some kind of unique circumstance that is not the general flavor of the relationship - something that isn't a pattern. When you keep having the same kind of problem or facing the same kind of issue or disagreement over and over it is not a bump in the road and it might be time to move on.

Anyways that got me to thinking on another subject. Some of you might be surprised to learn that I listen to Dr. laura in the first place. She is religious and republican, yet I actually listen to her pretty regularly. A lot of the time it is true that I disagree with her views about things - especially about religion obviously. However I have always believed that you should hear other points of view from your own. Some people only like to hear or read things that tend to agree with them. This is intellectually short sighted I believe. As someone who believes in trying to see all sides of various issues and consider alternative points of view I find that I like to listen to what the "opposition" has to say. Rush Limbaugh is another example. If you find you just can't listen on the radio to someone who disagrees with you without getting really angry - what are you really angry at? I am not saying you should talk in person to the idiots on the other side of any issue, (Don't cast your pearls before swine I always say.) but listening to what well spoken, intelligent and thoughtful people (no matter how misguided) have to say at the very least can make you realize where your own arguments are weak for your side of the road. IE - If they ask questions or make statements that you can't easily answer then you in turn must seek more information, and see where it leads you always open to the idea that your mind can be changed. That is the key that I must stress. That is the difference between me and people who blow themselves up. They KNOW they are right, they are not open to new evidence. They refuse to consider any other options to such a degree that their surety rises to the level of murder and suicide. As a good follower of science we must consider all truth to be "provisional" awaiting update should better evidence come in. Anything else is dogmatic adherence based on tradition and authority and that is what gets people killed.

(picture is Dr Laura in her younger days, lol)