During an interview, a former network news anchorman said that a "doctrinaire" person cannot be a good news reporter. He then defined a doctrinaire person as someone who has deep convictions of absolute truths in the areas of politics or religion.

If he meant that a reporter should present the truth in an objective manner, unaffected by personal biases, I would agree. But if he meant in a more general sense that we must not bring convictions of right and wrong to discussions of politics and religion, I would strongly disagree. After all, none of us would have political or religious freedom were it not for men and women who had convictions for which they were willing to die.

In the Old Testament, young Queen Esther was convinced that God had placed her in the palace to be His instrument for the preservation of her nation. Because of this, she risked her life by approaching the king without an invitation. Since then, millions of believers have taken similar risks, and many have died for their faith.

It is not a virtue to be stubborn over minor issues that are not addressed in Scripture. But on the essential issues of the Christian faith we should, like Esther, be willing to die for our convictions.  — Herbert Vander Lugt