Walk the Walk

Several years ago, I got into a debate with a friend – let’s call her Susan – over Facebook. She was arguing for abortion, and I was arguing against it. Susan was using some arguments that I now know originated with a paper titled “A Defense of Abortion” by Judith Jarvis Thompson. The arguments were the strongest I had encountered, and while I now know how I should have argued my case, at the time I didn’t have the preparation or the words to communicate my point. This led to an exceptionally frustrating 3-day long debate. Tensions were high. Near the end of the debate, I finally found the right words and communicated that my belief was (and is) that there is a moral culpability in choosing to engage in sexual activity. I said that the choice to have sex while also not accepting the responsibility for any child created in the act was wrong.

At the time I wasn’t yet married, and I was able to respond that I was a virgin by choice. I explained that part of that decision was because of my Christian faith, but that I also chose to live that way because I refused to engage in any sexual activity out of wedlock that could potentially result in a child. Once I had said this, the tenor of the debate changed instantly. Susan stated that she really respected that I was willing to sacrifice to live my principles. I didn’t convince her to join my side, but I did win the debate. I succeeded in making room in her mind for my viewpoint.

If we look past the story, there are a few principles underneath that can help all of us participate in politics better. The most glaring is the importance of living the moral and political principles we believe in. We can’t just talk the talk, we have to walk the walk. If we believe that it’s the job of normal people to help the poor and that the government should stay out of it, then the best thing we can do is to actively help the poor often. There are a lot of good ways we can do that, but the important thing is to do it. If I hadn’t been able to tell Susan honestly that I was living my principles, then her assertion that I was a hypocrite would have been valid. I would have lost both the debate and my credibility, and worse I would have tarnished the principles that I supported. Rather than creating space for my viewpoint, I would have lost her respect and hardened her hatred for pro-life people.

Additionally, there are ways that we can further elevate this idea so that we make our case even stronger. If I believe that it’s the job of normal people to help the poor and that the government should stay out of it, and I have a political opponent who has the sincere opposing belief that people are selfish and won’t willingly help the poor, then my active engagement in helping the poor will only go so far. I may create some room for my political opponent to respect me, but my opponent can still argue that I’m a corner case. They can say Zac is a good person that helps the poor but he’s abnormal and his actions don’t prove that most people will. The solution, then, is to get more people on board. If I recruit 10, 20, or 100 people to help me help the poor, then suddenly my argument has a lot more weight. The more people I get to walk the walk with me, the harder it is for my opponent to tell me I’m wrong.

It's important to remember that we are all human, and all of us make mistakes that betray our beliefs at times. My encouragement to each of you is to consider your beliefs and principles. If your actions don’t align with those beliefs and principles, then change your actions. It might take time and work, but as you do, you will strengthen your ability to engage in political discourse and action. You’ll make yourself the proof of your principles and make room for your opponents to respect you.

Key takeaway

• When we back up our words with actions we validate our arguments and strengthen our political positions.