The Bible says in Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
James compared the tongue among the members that defile the whole body and in James 3:2 said, “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”
[Jesus said,] “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37)
It is from this perspective that we as Christians should view the current visceral national rhetoric. Words mean things and mean words have legs, that as James said, set the course of nature on fire-a fire of hell.
There are many examples of this vulgarity that have overtaken our nation. Maddona, after the inauguration said, “Yes, I have thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House.”
Ashley Judd suggested that Trump and his daughter Ivanka had incestual relations in a vulgar tirade.
Michael Moore said that Trump was mentally ill and that he agreed with “progressive” congressman John L. Lewis (D-GA) that Trump was not a legitimate president.
Communist Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said, “I hope they (Republicans) leave their bodies to science. I would like to cut them open.”
These words have set the stage for violent acts against conservatives, Christians and supporters of the president. And it hasn’t stopped with the loss of four special elections.
Johnny Depp this past week said, “I think Trump needs help. There are a lot of dark places he could go. I’m not insinuating anything; by the way this will be in the press and it will be horrible but when was the last time an actor assassinated a president?”
Angry over Trump hoaxing the media about whether there were tapes of conversations between he and fired FBI Directory James Comey, Elise Jordan on MSNBC said, “My advice would just be to Republicans who do cozy up to him, it’s like hugging a suicide bomber.” The inference of death-beheading Trump (Kathy Griffin), the assassination play in New York, and these words-stir emotions of hate.
And it’s that kind of hate that cause people like James Hodgkinson to go off the deep end and try to assassinate conservative congressmen. The Daily Caller has documented 35 known attacks by liberals on conservatives since July 2016. Townhall documented 20 liberals who called for violence AFTER Hodgkinson opened fire on Republican Congressmen.
The names included: Bill Maher, Montel Williams, members of the media, including Washington Post, New York Daily News, Daily Kos, Village Voice, and several elected officials. The Washington Free Beacon assembled a list of 30 Conservative congressmen who have been attacked or have had death threats since May 8.
These are just a handful of examples you can use in your discussions of how the mean words are instigating violence. Words mean things.
Have a blessed and powerful day!
Bill Wilson