How do we avoid “bashing”? That is, how do we speak frankly about past mistakes and present ills without coming across as someone who sees no value in a given institution?

Church bashing. America bashing. Whatever bashing comes to mind. I’m trying to learn how to critique constructively rather than criticize destructively.

As I’ve pointed out before, there were always be some who prefer a Photoshopped version of history, that edited version where everything our group did was right and everything others did was wrong. Some will go the other way, validating what others have done without valuing anything that we have done in the past.

So where’s the line? How do we avoid the extremes? I’d appreciate any insights you have to give.