No one has a right not to be offended

Jay Watts at the Life Training Institute blog has a great post reporting how he responded to someone who basically said she was offended that he would present a reasonable argument against abortion. Two quotes follow, which will hopefully encourage you to read the entire post.

Anytime someone disagrees with us and offers arguments for their position there are only a few options open to us in response. (1) We can quietly listen, consider their views, weigh the counter arguments, and decide they were wrong. (2) We can listen, consider, weigh, then decide we are wrong and adjust our beliefs appropriately. (3) We can listen, consider, weigh, and then decide that we simply lack sufficient information to come down on one side or the other. (4) We can offer counter arguments on the spot addressing the specific lines of evidence offered.

[…]

[W]hen some people say they are offended what they are really saying is that I’m upsetting them so I ought to stop talking…. I reject that all together. No one has a right not to be offended. Sometimes there are questions of such importance that we are compelled to engage in public discussion knowing that it will be upsetting to do so. Imagine how you would feel if someone suggested that you shouldn’t be allowed to argue for positions with which they disagree simply because they are incapable of controlling their emotions.

The entire post is well worth reading. It serves as a reminder that we are all too often “held hostage” by people’s feelings, emotions, and perceptions when discussing important issues. Obviously when a deeply-held belief is challenged, our first impulse is often to react emotionally rather than sensibly.

While Watts’ reply might not have been diplomatic, it was certainly appropriate to the situation.

HT: Tim Challies