Of course, there are those who benefit from that oppositional positioning, those who profit financially or politically by perpetuating tension and misunderstanding. Moreover, descriptions of dialog between and about oppositional dualities are frequently reduced to stereotypes or caricatures, because after all, isn’t it so much easier to dislike a caricature, or an avatar, or a pseudonym?
We cannot privately pray in our chapels and homes for the healing of divisions and unity in our hearts, and then publicly berate those whose ideas or practices differ from ours.
It is not easy to suffer ignorance and insults from those driven by ambition and agenda. The high road is quite often the hard road, even a lonely road, but it offers the most Light.
Among the guidelines to follow is that which tells you to give your protagonist major difficulties to overcome. The warning runs roughly that the strength and the values of your hero are shown only in the challenges that he/she overcomes. Small challenges, easy path, no stretching to the very limit equals shallow character, story with little power or meaning. Intense challenges, loss, pain, fear that must be overcome, even close to despair, equals courage, strength, faith, integrity, power, story with deep meaning. Test to the limit equals giant hero/heroine, and good book.