Can One Contend Righteously?

In Mosiah 2:32-33, King Benjamin warns his people of a specific sin to beware of: contention. Since he is talking to his people, he may be referring particularly to political and religious contention. He pronounces a wo upon those who contend and tells them that they are following the evil spirit.

32But, O my people, beware lest there shall arise contentions among you, and ye list to obey the evil spirit, which was spoken of by my father Mosiah.

33For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.

I wonder how we as American measure up individually as well as in politics with our American way of contending with each other about everything. Is being contentious really listing to obey the evil spirit?

I guess I should define the word, contention before I get too far:

1. Strife; struggle; a violent effort to obtain something, or to resist a person, claim or injury; contest; quarrel.
2. Strife in words or debate; quarrel; angry contest; controversy.
3. Strife or endeavor to excel; emulation.
4. Eagerness; zeal; ardor; vehemence of endeavor.

Is there healthy contention or is it always bad? Alma 2:5 speaks of "wonderful contentions" one with anther to vote whether or not to have a king once again. Can one debate politically without contention? Since strife is used often in the above definition of contention, let's look that up:

Strife: 1. Exertion or contention for superiority; contest of emulation, either by intellectual or physical efforts. 2. Contention in anger or enmity; contest; struggle for victory; quarrel or war.

I believe one can discuss or debate politics or religion without contending. But, I don't think it is easy. Human nature seems to cause us to slip in strife and contention.

A 'discussion' (in 1828 Webster's Dictionary) is defined as follows:

2. Debate; disquisition; the agitation of a point or subject with a view to elicit truth; the treating of a subject by argument, to clear it of difficulties, and separate truth from falsehood.

I like the idea of clearing truth from falsehood. It must take a person of sufficient character to choose not to contend with others. It takes discerning listeners to realize when a discussion has turned to contention and strife. Is it better to fight with words to the end or find points of compromise? It seems like the American political and religious fronts are full strive and contention. We get caught up in our 'rightness' and fall into temptation. What is the temptation? To contend. When we contend or agree with the contention at hand (mobs do this), we fall into the hands of the devil. To conclude, let's look at one last scripture. Jesus says the following in 3 Nephi 11:29:

For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is
not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth
up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.