I’ve seen some awful things in my life.
Bodies strewn, with the clothing still smoldering.
Blood seeping through snow.
Fireman choking for air, screaming at their collegues to ‘get the hose on it, someone is inside.’
Police officers throwing up in bushes, tears streaming down their faces.
Coronor office personnel scrapping black stuff off metal into plastic bags.
The thousand yard stare.
I can still smell what I’ve seen.
The metallic sweet of drying blood.
The ripe fish smell of burnt flesh.
Decay.
Feces.
Vomit.
The electrical arch as lines snap and bite at rescuers and those fleeing.
The sour sweat of fright.
The copper of fatique.
I can still taste tears.
I wake up with them streaming down my face sometimes, startled, hyper-vigilent.
I hear anger and rage.
The screech of metal.
The moans of pain.
The sounds of boots hitting a face.
The air in the mouthpiece of a Scott air pack.
The whacking drone of the medivac chopper.
Gunfire.
The pager going off.
That is in part why I take my faith, my words and my life very seriously.
Too seriously sometimes, I know that.
And it is why I get saddened and sickened and occasionally angry when I see goodness or hope or faith being mocked or trivialized by those who claim to hold it.
For what? God, help me understand. For what?
I dunno, nothing says germ free like 700 degrees Kelvin!
The world is not a safe place.
We are not sin-free.
We will cry peace when there is no peace.
But I’ll be damned if I sit by when kindness and goodness and gentleness and patience and meekness and love and respect is mocked by a college student or a middle aged man to further a personal or political agenda.
I’d plead with you if it would do any good.
I’d rebuke you if I thought I’d be heard.
Your words matter gentlemen.
Stop.
As for the rest of us - I guess we have to decide whether we sit with the scornful and foolish. I don’t know when it’s okay to shake the dust off my feet.
I can’t.
Life is far too precious and I am still capable of shame.
For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. John 17:8-9
We are. Please think about it.
Published 4 years, 8 months ago
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Great.
By the time I went home last night I was already depressed as hell and I hadn’t even seen the latest Claybourn comment thread.
God help us.
Good post Bene. Young people are finding their way in the world and I agree, sometimes it is painful to observe them. I was that young once, made my mistakes, although without blogs or instant media access, I tended to be asked for more respect for others, probably because my world was more real. I saw death and pain for what it really was, it wasn’t plastered on TV sets and in our movies as much. I had the opportunity to practice faith in service to others. My culture didn’t mix with our faith either, something this student has not experienced, faith and culture are one and the same for many Americans and Muslims and others.
Having served the Muslim community in death, I can only respect what they believe, as I respect Hindu’s, Jews and other belief systems. In the end, when death comes, we are all God’s creation. We have much in common. How we treat each other in life and death is more a reflection of our faith than mere words.
Mockery is a form of violence. How can God be honoured by such arrogance?
One who does not mock or scorn, people like Richard Hall are statesmen of the faith. He is a gentleman and a gentle man, His humour in the face of these men-children is delightful and honours the One we serve. The blogosphere is a nicer place because of kind and thoughtful and considerate people like the two of you.
“Mockery is a form of violence.” What then are we to make of Jesus’ and John the Baptist’s words to the Pharisees? Elijah’s words to the priests of Baal? Paul’s wishes that the circumcisers would go all the way and emasculate themselves? God himself scoffs those who ignore him. You can find plenty of other examples of mockery in the Bible, and much of it by “the good guys.”
These are not meant to be rhetorical questions.
So, maybe mockery really is a form of violence. I’m not sure violence per se is condemned in Scripture; to the contrary, God frequently commanded it.
Hi Roy:
Good questions. Thanks.
Mock: ridicule, scoff, mimic contemptuously, jeer, defy or delude contemptuously, sham imitation (without intent to deceive)
The bible uses the word mock about 35 times in different forms.
What was the purpose of warnings about mockery in the OT?
What was the purpose of properly used mockery in the OT?
What was Jesus purpose in the NT?
Scripture has strong words about the purposes of mocking. It has even stronger words about how we are to treat and address His people and what to leave to God.
Yes, I agree with Sherm too. Mockery is sometimes a form of violence, even used by what you call ‘the good guys.’
I stated in my post when I think it is inappropriate.
Wow, sounds just like the raving idiocies you would hear from a stoned 60s hippie.
How unoriginal.
Roy:
As a parent of a special needs child and grandparent to four special needs children, I have seen mockery directed at them. I consider it violent and cruel and unkind and unChristlike.
I refuse to be derisive back.
Shall we sin more that grace may abound?
I understand and respect what you are saying.
Oog Chaka:
Who?
Sherm? Roy? Jonathan? Me? Joshua Claybourn? His commenters?
What would you like to add that is original?
I wouldn’t have this if I hadn’t seen this post at Claybourn’s site. I’m in law school with him. His latest post on the subject is excellent and I’d urge all of you to read it.
Thank you for pointing it out.:^)
I’m addressing individual believers, not geo-political events or nationality.
Joshua Claybourn is choosing to speak politically and that’s fine. I know it can be difficult at times in punditcy to address what others say without using labels in the post you pointed me too.
My hope is that rhetoric doesn’t polarize the body.
I can also hope we take the opportunity to understand and explore forms of speech and it’s impact on others.
Great Bene
I am starting to do my blog verbally,
interesting !
Cheers
I don’t know when to shake the dust off my feet either. Walking away is very hard to do - especially when they rugby tackle you from behind!
Good post Bene. I do not go to Josh’s site any more because I was so often saddened by the approach he takes in many of his posts. He’s an intelligent guy who seems to genuinely want to make a difference in this world. It is not his politics that upset me - whilst his views are often quite different to mine, I can live with that, we need a diversity of approaches to make the world go around - rather it is the way he often expresses his views that leave me wondering what he’s trying to achieve with his blogging. I guess its also about the environment that has grown over there in comments - which isn’t just about Josh, but I guess he needs to take responsibility for it on some level.
I’m happy for some healthy and vigorous debate about the issues our world faces, but I’m not happy with a blogging style that seems to me to be more about stirring the pot for the sake of it, point scoring and what at times seems to be arrogance.
I’m a bit perplexed by it because there are times that I know Josh is anything but like this, but occasionally we end up with posts like the one you refer to which seem to come from some other place.
Unfortunately these are the posts that seem to get the attention, these are the posts that obviously get all the comments, perhaps we are feeding the ‘dark side’ of Josh by allowing him to stir us up. It is an interesting exercise to wander through his archives and look at the posts that are most commented upon. A theme tends to emerge in many of them.
I agree with you Bene that we need to call him sometimes, but I’m not sure its going to make a difference sadly.
I just long for the day when a blog with as much reach and influence as Josh’s becomes a place where people can go to come together in love to grapple with the issues that face us. A place where a person feels free to gracefully argue their point and be heard and respected - a place of dialogue where we talk not to score a point, but where we talk to grow, learn and make a life giving difference in this world - a place where people on both sides of a discussion come away feeling they have been heard, knowing that they are loved and knowing that they might have just made a difference in the world - a place where the unchurched see that Christians don’t just talk about love and being one, but where they do everything they can to actually live that way.
I long for that day.
PS - I’m not sure this will make any difference. I’ve chosen to remain anon with this post because I just don’t want to get drawn into a slinging match - I have a ‘dark side’ too.
I decided to post the above comment over at Josh’s - I left it there a few minutes ago - viewed it on the site (it was accepted) but 15 minutes later it was taken off. I tried to leave another comment and now I have been banned from leaving comments on his site. I guess I was too offensive with my words.
I am sorry to hear this Perplexed.
It is a bloggers perogrative to ban, but I don’t find what you said offense. I doesn’t matter what I think though. Apparently your thoughts aren’t welcome either.
Perhaps you can email Mr. Claybourn and work it out.
I haven’t banned anyone yet, and I’m genuinely sorry this happened to you.
It has to be hurtful for both of you, and indeed, we all have our ‘dark side.’
Thank you for this post, Bene. I shuddered when I first followed Richard’s link, but refrained from commenting. I can do so no longer.
Shalom,
Jan
have sent a non anonamous email to find out what is going on - no reply yet except one to say that his email box is full and overloaded and that he probably didn’t get my email. I guess I now have no way to contact him as I can’t post on his site and emails are not getting through.
Oh well - will see what happens.
Hey Jan and Perplexed:
This road seems sadly familar, doesn’t it?
B.D.–followed the links. Left a comment. We’ll see how long it lasts or what “nice” things people have to say in response.
You know, that’s the kind of guy my dad taught me to smack right across the face. But dad was big on, “You can’t start a fight, young lady, but you darn sure can finish it.”
Sherm,
Anyone who mocks someone like your child or grandchildren has amply demonstrated their character. In my gut, I wish a “John Wayne” response to such people was still socially acceptable.
Violence is a powerful tool. As such, it is prone to being misused. Some people say violence is never the answer. Sometimes a violent response to stop an evil act is the best answer.
1. I think you need to lighten up.
2. I say that in the nicest way possible, because
2. I am also very serious.
I work with kids who have been terribly abused. I see a lot of crap. I don’t see the blood all over the place, but I see plenty of emotional ruin, which can be just as bad. It’s what I do for a living. I signed up for it.
But if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.
God doesn’t want us wallowing in life’s miseries. Live life abundantly. As abundantly as you can, anyway.
It’s often hard for me to do this, with the things I’ve seen (and been through). I struggle with depression. I do understand where you’re coming from.
Julie, I don’t think anyone here is suggesting that we have a problem with laughter! Heck, I love to laugh and most people think I have a pretty good sense of humor. I can’t be sure, but I imagine the same goes for B.D.
However, not all things are funny. Not all things are good to be laughed at. There IS such a thing as innappropriate humor. That’s what we’re trying to say.
Thanks Julie:
As bloggers we are read by people from all over the world. Some things aren’t universally funny, many more are. Some humour is inappropriate.
What I as a Canadian might find funny might offend someone in Europe. I don’t need to laugh at their expense.
I don’t censor my comment section. If and when I offend someone, I’ll keep short accounts. I can hold a belief or opinion without attacking others.
If you see my post as over the top, I offer you my apology.
If you browse my archives you’ll see a lot of merriment, but not at someone’s expense except mine.
Working with abused children is quite the calling.
Good for you and good for you for keeping your sense of humour healthy. Thanks. I’m glad you commented.
Hi Missy:
You’ll be iqnored.
This is a fight you can’t finish unless you walk away. People have spoken up to Joshua about his rudeness to bloggers and readers many times.
Some see things for what they are, and leave in frustration and disgust.
Thing is, Joshua doesn’t know my identity.
I’ve addressed that clearly.
Age is unimportant.
His comment threads deteriorated far more quickly than usual this time.
It would be interesting to meet with him in your office. Thank you for the offer, he’d be in for a shock.:^) Blog on!
PS: 27/03/04 4:35 pm I used the word ‘manic’ in this comment and it was interpreted medically. I agree it was inappropriate, it’s deleted, and I apologize to Joshua Claybourn and his friends for any offense.
Thanks for the heads up, B.D. I’m assuming then that you’re far from an “old hag”, but I figured that all along.
I think I told you once, everytime I read Bene Diction I have this mental image of a bald Italian man. The kind of guy you’d see in a movie telling you that you’re too skinny, eat some more pasta….
But that’s just me. I don’t mean it in a bad way, I’m just a bit too visual. BTW, you’re welcome to meet anyone in my office anytime you need to.
I believe someone around here says it best:
Blog on!
Lol Missy:
I’m cool with that. Blog on!