PLAYING DEVIL’S ADVOCATE

I AM GOING TO TELL YOU WHY ‘PLAYING’ DEVIL’S ADVOCATE IS SMART AND WHY YOU SHOULD TRY IT

WHAT IS PLAYING DEVIL’S ADVOCATE?  A person who expresses a contentious opinion in order to provoke debate or test the strength of the opposing arguments. ~The Oxford Pocket Dictionary  Person appointed by the Roman Catholic Congregation of Rites to contest the claims of those put forward for beatification or canonization (i.e. being recognized officially as saints). ~The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions

WHY THIS ‘GAME’ IS GOOD  Test your beliefs Religious Political Social  Test other’s beliefs  Understand the other side  Either become stronger in this belief or abandon it altogether

 Ask yourself “Why?”  Did you grow up blindly with a belief?  What is your reasoning for this belief? If you don’t have one, you should find one  Ask them “Why?”  Their answers might help you to grow  If they can’t answer, they will understand exactly the answers they must seek for themselves TEST WHAT YOU’VE BEEN TAUGHT Test your beliefs Test other’s beliefs

UNDERSTAND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT  Do some research about what you believe  Do some research about alternative beliefs  Weigh the pros and the cons of both sides

 If you do your research on the opposing argument, when you encounter a situation where someone else questions you, you will be better prepared to retort  If you do your research on the opposing argument, you might find some facts or ideas that you’d been missing prior that influence you to switch sides THIS COULD GO TWO WAYS Grow stronger Abondon

TRY IT  On your way home think of all the beliefs that you have held on to for so long, then choose one. When you get home, look it up… Get definitions Find books and articles Don’t be afraid or stubborn Don’t just listen to what others say… HEAR it