Both Sides of the Aisle

Of all the distinctive SBC political jargon, I prefer “both sides of the aisle”. I want to believe we are Christians who are using blogs to encourage one another to think and re-think ideas. A lot of that is going on, and it is great. Once an idea is expressed it can be independent of individual personalities. Once an idea is expressed, it can stand or fall on its own merit. But I am probably done with inter-active political blogging. The spiritual consequences are too severe.

What I am about to describe can be found easily on both sides of the aisle. There is not a “side” that has taken a clear stand for virtue. So this article is written to all of us. Notice that I used the word “us”.

I want to address gossip and slander, and the initiation of gossip and slander on both sides of the aisle. When we post an article about an idea and attach that idea to a person, by name, the results are demonstrably predictable. Once the results are recognized to be “predictable”, the blog administrator’s “initiation” of the results is intentional. The comment streams begin to fill with gossip about the individual. Often, the gossip becomes slanderous, in that the person’s reputation is damaged. On occasion, those who comment launch accusations at one another. This is all sin. It is not the Holy Spirit at work. It is not Christian. Yet it is too acceptable on both sides of the aisle. And the consequences are severe.

Our Lord has some things to say about this kind of behavior. I will not even attempt to be exhaustive in reminding us about the Words of our God. Hopefully, we will spend some time in serious prayer, study and reflection about this issue. If we care to look, slander is listed, by the Holy Spirit, among such gross sins as murder, sexual immorality, swindling, and idolatry. Do we not know? Do we not care? Are slanderous sentences worthy or wicked?

Certainly the blog administrator is responsible for the sin that flows in the articles the administrator posts. Is the blog administrator responsible for the sin that flows in the comment stream? When gossip, slander, accusation and unloving words are predictable in response to the blog administrator’s article; is the administrator of the blog justified in believing that initiating such public interaction is holy before our God? If we initiate discussion about a person that we know will result in gossip, slander, accusation and unloving words, and then allow such wicked words to be posted in the comment stream, do we quench the Holy Spirit to do so?

Balaam advised the Midianites to entice the people of God to sin at Peor; and paid for it with his life (Numbers 31). Balaam initiated the temptation. Balaam gave the opportunity to sin to the people of faith. Perhaps he did so for money and personal acceptance by the local leadership. He certainly chose a side to do so.

Do we initiate the opportunity for the people of faith to sin by allowing the posting of comments that are gossip and slander? Do we enhance the spread of sin by allowing the sinful comments to stay? Do we allow such comments to stay so that the influence of those we disagree with will be damaged? Perhaps we do so for political persuasion? Do we do so for political influence? Do we conclude that we are building momentum for “our side” and not realize that the momentum we are building is toward divine opposition?

God has been rather clear on the nature of “sin” in this world. Have we become so “mature” in our faith that “sin” is no longer a useful term? Have we grown beyond the opinion of God?

On SBC political blogs, do we see a relationship between the size of a blog’s readership and the frequency of a blog’s initiation of gossip about personalities? Can we see that brothers and sisters in Christ are being villianized?

“Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!” Matthew 18:7

“Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.” Luke 17:1, 2

Is a blog article that insinuates slander (stopping just short) and provides the opportunity for the appearance of gossip and slander in the comment stream one of those things that cause people to sin? How about enabling the continuation of the gossip and slander through allowing sinful comments to remain and the commenter to “find a home”? When a commenter finds their comment posted (and not opposed by the blog administrator) are they not encouraged and emboldened to post similar comments in the future? Is that not causing people to sin?

We are inerrantists. Let’s not be angry about it. Let’s not be apathetic about it either. Do you think these passages of Scripture (above) apply to un-moderated comment streams? If you decide that they do; what confidence can you have that the blog administrator is in fellowship with the Holy Spirit?

If we find ourselves passionately participating in the gossip, slander, accusation and unloving words of a comment stream; what confidence can we have that we are in fellowship with the Holy Spirit?

The SBC blogs that delve into SBC politics are rather polarized. The aisle appears to be getting wider. So I ask my brothers and sisters on both sides of the aisle: “Is our loyalty to our political friends greater than our loyalty to our Lord Jesus Christ?” Are we going to continue to approve of those who are advocating “our side”, sinfully, as if that is what God wants us to do?

Loudly proclaiming ourselves to believe in inerrancy, do we ignore the inerrant word? Is not inerrancy the belief that every word in the Bible is true and as full of authority as if God breathed the words personally? How then can we ignore the spirit of gossip and slander?

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22

Are we deceiving ourselves by ignoring what God says about gossip and slander? Will not such willful sin move us toward a depraved mind? What can we do if our thoughts no longer are blessed by the Holy Spirit’s influence? Is such a condition even possible?

What does it look like when God is giving people over to a depraved mind? How far down that road do you want to go? How far do you want to follow?

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have been filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:28-32

I know of no blogger, anywhere, who is practicing “all” of the sins listed above. For myself, I do not want to be guilty of any of the sins listed above. Yet, many of the above sins are found in the blogosphere, and please notice that gossip and slander are listed among the deeds of the wicked in this passage of Romans.

Please notice also that those who do such things, and approve of those who practice such things, deserve death. Do we care? Until an SBC political blog becomes holy, it is not really part of the kingdom of God, is it? The very nature of allowing a comment to stay in the comment stream is, of itself, a form of approval. Every blog administrator deletes the comments of which they do not approve.

It causes me a great deal of grief that such behavior, and the approval of such behavior, is found on both sides of the aisle. This wickedness is “ours” not “theirs”.

Slander is: to bring to ill repute, defamation by which another person is damaged; abusive speech that would injure the reputation of another; hurtful, injurious speech; verbal abuse intended to injure someone’s reputation; insulting and disparaging an opponent in political and social life; to say bad things about a person; to criticize, judge, backbite, gossip, condemn and grumble against another person. This definition is a compilation of the four (synonymous) Greek words translated as “slander” in the New International Version of the Bible. I plead with anyone who doubts the accuracy of this paragraph to study it on your own.

SBC political blogs on both sides of the aisle advocate the contemporary American values of “freedom of speech” and “transparency”. So do I. But gossip and slander, and the initiation and tolerance of gossip and slander, are devilish forms of transparency. We have a Constitutional guarantee of “freedom of speech” but God will oppose wicked speech whether the “Supreme Court” grants it or not. Are we culturally Christian, or are we Biblically Christian?

I am probably done with inter-active political blogging. Unless we are discussing ideas, apart from personalities, I don’t even want to know what the blogosphere thinks. I care much, much more about what our Lord and Savior thinks.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

I will not open this article for comments.