Verbal Violence Is Deadly

Verbal Violence Is Destroying Us

Proverbs 10:6

Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

I ran for public office in Oregon back in 2008.

So I understand how nasty and mean people can be.

But the verbal violence today makes 2008 look like a cake walk.

I’m sure some of you have noticed some of the comments on your social media.

Vile is the best word I can use to describe some of it.

I scan my comment section, but I can tell within a couple of words whether I’m going to keep reading.

The same people who clamour for unity and discussion are those who pepper your thoughts with the nastiest replies.

Some of them are people you once called friends.

But you crossed a line by disagreeing with them.

Think about that.

The same folks who wanted us to give peace a chance and hid behind terms like tolerance and diversity, spit on you when you disagree with them.

I often wonder what they are so upset about.

What makes folks so angry that they will claw the eyes out of someone who disagrees with them?

I’m sure offline, some of them are decent people.

I know they are; we used to get along.

The reaction to COVID and the election of Donald Trump as President seems to have been too much for some.

If you disagree with vaccine mandates, follow the research on COVID that shows culture over-reacted and hid treatments that could have saved lives, and challenge those who disagree with you; sharp tongues and destruction of one’s character seem to be their weapon of choice.

We learn when we openly discuss everything, not just the ideas that make us comfortable.

Some of the closed-minded comments I get from people come from folks who used to be so open to what they call dialogue.

Where does that anger come from? Fear.

Fear of what? I have no idea.

But it must be pretty deep and pretty scary to cause the lashings, slashing, and bashing that comes out of their mouths and onto my computer screen.

When I read that proverb this morning, the one I led with at the top, it made me rather sad.

Perhaps I’m underestimating the depth of pain people are experiencing in their fear.

It’s hard to feel sorry for people who rip you apart for seeing the world and our situation differently.

We all make mistakes.

We each have our blinders, and we all need a creator to define right from wrong.