The Green Lamp conversation meeting in Nössemark became a conversation about truth, and thus a different adventure compared with previous meetings. The discussion in Dals Långed was a matter of faith and knowledge. In Kungälv, the conversation included the choices made in life. In both of these conversations, the participants invited each other to very personal stories. Questions were asked and there was time to reflect together on how faith and past choices affect one’s life today.
The Green Lamp is not a debate forum where you argue for and against. Instead, the idea is to jointly examine one another’s positions, and if necessary make clear what you have in common and where important dividing lines go. Often conversations have been personal and close, and that’s what the Green Lamp seeks.
In Nössemark a philosophical and ethical question was put to the fore. There are established truths that the community stands for. Can you question those truths and still be taken seriously?
It was something of a graduation test for Gröna Lampan’s idea of the open dialogue, where all questions and topics are allowed. David Dickson, who was the conversation leader for the meeting, is unambiguous about this: ”The fact that you’re allowed to express your opinion does not mean it should go unchallenged. Listening and asking is then a prerequisite for seeing where the real dividing lines go.”
David says it was interesting to see that, at the meeting, there were two different ways of relating to truth: ”To question prevailing truths with the aim of finding a definite truth was one. Against this, there was the idea that questioning is important, and that the questioning also applies to the truths you yourself come up with. ”
The conversation in Nössemark ended only when some important dividing lines were seen. ”We were far from complete with the question of truth and questioning,” said David. ”The Green Lamp was put to the test, and we learned some things for future meetings.”
On the question of the lessons learned, he answers that he and Tatiana Pismenskaya intend to formulate some simple rules. ”Everyone should have a lamp when they attend. It is a symbol of dialogue as an opportunity to shed light on all questions. Shedding light means asking questions and allowing others to question one’s own thoughts and beliefs. ”
”Follow these rules, and it’s the Green Lamp, otherwise it’s something else,” concludes David.
Read about
The Green Lamp in Dals Långed 20 Dec 2017
The Green Lamp in Kungälv 13 Jan 2018