Bad Things Can Come in a Small Package

Earlier this week I agreed with those who avoid discussions about politics:

Count me in the feigning-ignorance crowd. Stress harms one's mental and physical health. Our jobs, finances, and family problems are stressors enough, and voluntarily seeking more in political discussions seems crazy to your humble blogger.

This year is especially off-putting because the negative campaigning seems worse than ever. It's more about how awful the opponent is, rather than what the candidate is for. And political argumentation today involves not only how bad or evil the other person is, but the millions of people who support him or her.

Vilifying others is too easy and appeals to our worst instincts.

(Image from Jared Michael Matthew)

Today's New Testament reading is from James 3: [bold added]

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue-- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.

In my youth I had an acerbic tongue, which I now understand partially stemmed from my own insecurities. Just as a recovering alcoholic avoids an environment where he could relapse, so do I stay away from situations where I would be tempted to diss my fellow man. So...no politics.