TJP

It is Delusional not to talk to Adversaries

Byron A. Ellis-May 17, 2008

Many so-called Christian leaders have consistently argued that talking to adversaries is a “foolish delusion.” However, in Matthew 5:25, Jesus said to make friend quickly with your opponent, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown in prison. Clearly, Jesus’ words are not “a false comfort of appeasement,” but rather the truth.

What Jesus is teaching is that, unlike many would want to believe, neither party in a conflict has a monopoly on righteousness. Therefore, to presuppose that one party is right and the other is wrong, precludes the dialogue that Jesus calls for.

In business theory, we are told that communication is “the life blood of the organization,” “the glue that binds the organization,” and so on. Moreover, research findings have shown a correlation between effective communication and high overall performance.

Thus, refusing to talk to adversaries is a rejection of Jesus’ teachings and of theoretical organizational findings.

For those of us that profess to follow Christ it is arrogant to reject His teachings. Likewise, it is arrogant to reject scientific findings. It is this arrogance of many in leadership that has consistently failed to improve human conditions and have led to foolish choices and conclusions.

For instance, to assume that the crude oil market is competitive and therefore that the competitive economic model is applicable leads to incorrect conclusions for the causes of crude oil price increases.

The Saudis have unequivocally confirmed that there is enough supply to meet current demand. This has been the conclusion of Byron A. Ellis as far back as 2006; he noted in “Middle East Instability Drives Crude Oil Prices” that the rise in crude oil prices was due to the invasion of Iraq and the ensuing regional instability that it created. Furthermore he predicted, “Higher crude oil prices will, more likely than not, lead to worldwide economic slump.” 

Others, however, attempt to evade their poor policy choice (the invasion of Iraq) by attributing the rise in crude oil prices to scarcity. However, in a competitive economic model of supply and demand, higher prices would have led to an oversupply of crude oil. Producers would sell as much crude oil as they could to capitalize on the higher prices (revenue maximization), thereby shifting the supply curve downward. And, a downward shift in the supply curve with gradual change in the demand curve would lead to lower prices.

But, since the current crude oil price rise is not related to scarcity, but rather to the risk premium induced by traders’ expectations of shortages. Traders form their expectations based on regional (Middle East) instability that could potentially disrupt crude oil shipments. And, as long as the war in Iraq is continuing crude oil prices will continue to increase.

Communication with adversaries does not mean acceptance of their philosophy or way of life, it merely means that it leads to a greater understanding of behaviors. Understanding behaviors prevent incorrect signals and misperceptions. For instance, the label of terrorist means different things to different parties; an attack by unaffiliated agents on civilians causes terror, but so does the dropping of bombs on civilians by affiliated agents.

Jesus’ message in Matthew 5:25 is that neither party is innocent, and if the parties do not resolve the conflict, the judge, He, will resolve the conflict and the resolution may not favorable.

Barack Obama offers the version exposed in Matthew 5:25. However, for some this approach is devoid of superiority. Thus, they labeled it as “foolish delusion,” but their policies of not talking to adversaries have created world chaos, diminished living standards, and is contrary to The Great Commission.

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