I shouldn't be so scared

Something that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time is to write about when its proper and not proper to talk about your beliefs in public. I was listening to the radio yesterday and the radio show host decided to have the same subject, this really got me thinking about times when I’ve had the opportunity to talk about things that I believe and have turned back because of the company I was in. For instance, right now I’m working with an African American black man who just got out of prison for I don’t know what, but has a great head on his shoulders. He has made a lot of mistakes in his life but recently has decided to make changes that has led him down a completely different road. as I’ve been with him driving between job to job I’ve had the opportunity to bring up subjects that might be otherwise controversial. But as we get talking I find myself turning away from my true beliefs in the fear of offending him. I always wonder later on if I should have told him something that I believe in or maybe taken the opportunity to talk about the controversial subject. I wonder if this would be a good opportunity for me to refine my arguments and maybe be challenged on some things that I think. But because of fear a turn away from the opportunity to have my beliefs challenged or to refine my arguments. So when is it proper to talk about controversial issues politically speaking or maybe religious ones and even some personal things that I might be going through? Is the workplace the right place to talk about political issues or even religious issues? I wonder sometimes if I had more knowledge about a subject that I wouldn’t be so scared to talk about it. Maybe if I would read my scriptures more often and take the opportunity to study subjects about the gospel I wouldn’t be so scared to talk about the gospel with other people. I think if I would spend more time studying the issues that are available to me politically speaking that I wouldn't be so scared to talk about them with other people. The point of my thought here is that we should want to spend more time talking to each other even if the subject might be controversial, we might find ourselves being challenged and learning something. And who’s against learning? I started this blog so that I can have the opportunity to share my thoughts and beliefs with other people and to have them respond to me in a way that I could be challenged or persuaded to think differently. I would probably enjoy trying to persuade those who disagree with me to see my point. But if I continue to turn away because of fear I will never have the opportunity to refine my Beliefs or to persuade anybody of the beliefs I have in the gospel or politically speaking or any other kind of conversation that might happen. So this is my hope, that we each take the opportunity to share beliefs with other people. Talk with them about the things we’re thinking about listen to them and their responses try to learn, but stand by your convictions. I think that through it all we will probably make some friends, even if its friends we don’t always agree with but friends none the less. These friends will know exactly how we believe and why. So let’s start having a conversation about whatever you want and quit turning away from controversial subjects because of the fear.