Say Something Nice

Laigle's Forum ^ | 5-29-07 | Donald Hank

[found_one]

On May 29, 2007, Christian Newswire ran a release entitled Return Civility to Christian Discourse, about a religious group in South Caroline that had this wonderful new idea to stop saying bad things about people and religious groups.

The release cited the Anglican Communion as being “on the verge of rupture,” but ... did not mention that the rupture is over the acceptance of gay marriage and gay religious leaders who had outed themselves in that denomination.

Here is an excerpt:

"...First Baptist Church ...and the Charleston Baptist Association, ... have declared the first Sunday in June as Say Something Nice Sunday. On this Sunday Christians of all denominations are urged to step back from strident discourse and to utter no word of criticism about another person or another religious group. In fact they are urged to go further and to say nice things about others and other religious groups. ….."

Now, some would say that if religious groups were just pretending to be Christian, then it might be dangerous not to be able to criticize them.

But who would pretend to be a Christian? Especially if they could quote scripture? Aren’t we supposed to trust each other and teach our kids to trust everyone?

Like Eve, the matriarch of the Old Testament. She trusted even the creepy-crawlies in the garden.

How could trusting people be wrong? Thou shalt not surely die, as the Good Book says.

So with this solid Biblical reasoning in mind, I tried this niceness idea with my family. I had to bite my tongue a few times, but I managed to get through 12 hours without saying anything bad about anyone. Even when those 2 neighbor kids keyed my car. I just smiled.

...

[found_one]

Mitch Carnell is back. He ran another post at Christian Newswire in which he denounces a lady for refusing to dialogue with him and accuses his father of abusing him mentally as a child. He still considers himself "nice."

[Beowulf9]

I’m working Sunday and so I’ll put up my statement now;

‘The Devil is a hard worker’.

[svcw]

Oh, those Baptists.

[theDentist]

...stop saying bad things about people and religious groups.

Hmmm... how about: "Those extremist muslims are very efficient when it comes to beheading infidels in the name of Allah."

[Between the Lines]

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (James 3:9-12)

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. (James 1:26)

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6)

[streetpreacher]

Being nice doesn’t mean lying.