My name is Jack and I watch the news too much…
I watch the news too often. Politicians and their surrogates spouting hurtful rhetoric. Reportedly "smart" and "unbiased" people telling me what to think. Apparently I’m supposed to hate anyone who doesn’t think just like me or else I’m a bigot or a liberal, I should be ashamed and hide myself until I see things as they do. Commentators explain to me why everyone on their side is okay regardless of what they say or do; they smile while they spew vile criticisms from their lips about anyone not just like themselves. And I watch this stuff thinking that by doing so I’m going to change things.
People say mean things about others; they cannot bring themselves to recognize something good about the other person for fear it would give that person an advantage. These are very smart people (those speaking) but the guile in their hearts and speech is more insidious and harmful than vulgarity and profanity; we watch in awe because they are opinion leaders with titles and letters following their names. And if I listen enough these thoughts and behaviors will grow in my heart; I will learn if I say enough vile things about someone who disagrees with me it will diminish their influence, if I repeat things often people will believe these things are true.
Both sides preach tolerance, we are enlightened; and yet both sides are terribly intolerant of anyone who thinks the least bit different from us. News anchors ask questions designed to trap the person. Politicians and surrogates field questions but respond with trite similitudes carefully crafted to avoid answering honestly, rather making their own political statement or criticizing the opposing candidate.
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” -- James 2:9-10
We make extreme comments and accusations against one another and anyone who dares "think different" as the Apple ad campaign advised. We tend to condemn anyone who thinks something we don’t think; we all laud ourselves as tolerant and pro-diversity because we know it’s social and politically incorrect suicide to dare think otherwise. We are afraid to tell even friends what we really think because they might not like us. We get caught up in the rhetoric as if we ourselves were running for the office, and as if the world will end on November 9th if my side doesn’t win. The candidates, and many of us, feel we must malign those who are not “on our side” because the only way to win is to make others appear stupid, dishonest and total losers. We dare not commend someone for doing anything good if they happen to be "for the other candidate" or "someone who had the courage to disagree with me."
Good is good, right is right, wrong is wrong, regardless of who does it. Biblically we are told, yea verily commanded, to avoid speech which is not upbuilding. That could be difficult for those in political competition but I believe it could be done. I value freedom of speech and the right to vote in our nation known as the land of the free. It is good to be aware and do what is in our power to bring about good. The apostle Paul did not hesitate to play the card of being a Roman citizen (Acts 22:25) and one of my favorite words in the New Testament, parrhesia, derives from the right of a citizen to speak out in the public governing assembly. This word in Hebrews 4:16 and 10:19 and 35 speaks of the confidence we have to approach God just like a citizen had to speak out in the assembly without fear of retribution. But the more important principle that should guide us is love. I can speak the truth but I must speak it in love (Ephesians 4:15-16, 1 Corinthians 13, Matthew 22:37-38).
Disciples, watch your speech. And watch out what you watch and listen to on TV. Citizens of a great nation, do the same regardless of your faith or lack thereof. The words written long ago are still true, “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people” – Proverbs 14:34.
I don’t wish to know how you vote or influence you, that is your right as a citizen of the USA; but as a person, even if we are unbelievers, we benefit greatly by following the biblical teachings about love and speaking only from love for others. If we are believers we really have no choice, He gave us no other option. Guess that means I may be not speaking much, which is okay.
And then I consider the news from Aleppo or Pyongyang and so many other places. I am blessed to live in America with freedom under any of the current candidates instead of living in a nation where the president sends bombers to kill us or starves me and my children. We really need to tone down the rhetoric, we need to love others and we need to pray to God to have mercy on our nation and the world. Go hug somebody you don’t really like. Find something nice to say about them. Mid McKnight said “if you have someone you don’t like go home and bake them a cake or a pie and take to them.” He said that afternoon he received seven pies and three cakes…because in the church where he preached there were people who just didn’t like him. Bake someone a cake. I prefer blueberry pie. I love you – Jack
Jack is the Deacon of Southeast Missions in the North River Church of Christ in Atlanta, Georgia.