In American journalism have you noticed that a foolish person dominates a headline only because a publisher foolishly plays up what was said, splashes it in bold print and thereby promotes the nonsense? And on and on it goes, day after day.
My take on this is, in the first place, if the fool hadn't said something nonsensical and then, secondly, if the publisher wasn't so eager to blare it forth, probably, like rotten fruit, it would have died on the vine and not misled and annoyed the listeners or readers. But, instead, such caution not being exercised, two unthinking asses control what millions then asininely think. The jawbone of an ass was a killer in Samson's time. It still is. And society sinks lower and lower.
"Blessed are those who have nothing to say and who cannot be persuaded to say it."
If fools won't stop gabbing (and they won't because that's part of their foolery) then is it too much to expect professional publishers not to put it in the headlines? But the need for sensational headlines exists for the sake of the almighty dollar. Sensationalism sells.
Oppositely, just imagine this: Some unthinking mouth says something nutty, a major news outlet ponders it and declares it for what it is, just more unverified hype or sheer and unsubstantiated nonsense, and at once tosses it in file thirteen. If this procedure was practiced daily, newspapers would be reduced to once-a-week editions (they're struggling to stay in business anyhow), the crazy proliferation of TV news shows (often endlessly repeating the same thing) would would give way beneficially to edifying productions and fascinating experiences of every day life, and the never-ending-talkativiness of the over paid and too numerous pundits (did you ever realize there are so many experts on any subject introduced?) would finally be silenced by other than the 'mute' button and, lastly, the entire demeanor of humanity would be uplifted in meaningful and dignified ways. Greater calm would pervade society and stress pills would be dumped in the trash can by the millions.
Sadly, in our day, some leaders too often exhibit their own low level of decency when they harshly and nonsensically spew forth remarks geared toward grabbing those 'all-important' headlines. And so, as Spurgeon said, some men's tongues bite more than their teeth.
Is there Scripture that addresses this issue? Oh, yes, many pertinent verses. For instance:
"When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise" (Proverbs 10:19).
Again, "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will also be like him. Answer a fool as his folly deserves, that he not be wise in his own eyes" (Proverbs 26:4,5). Politically, 'tit for tat' is a common exercise that pugilistically riles up society and spreads venom throughout. You hit me and I'll hit you back, harder. And then, it all snowballs, worsens and, again, society sinks to lower levels of harshness, hatred and crime. Is this an issue worthy of addressing?
It is true that whatever moves the heart wags the tongue. But, wisdom says, between hearing it and responding, THINK! Is it necessary to respond, is it worthy of an answer, and will a retort merely spread nonsense? Good questions for any thinking person to ask himself.
In other words when a fool speaks (and many such persons love to do that), is it even necessary to respond? And, if I must, I should refuse to get down on the level of the fool. I should not leave higher ground for lower slime pits.
On the other hand, God's Word instructs that if I don't answer the fool he will think he's wise and that can't be allowed. So, I should answer him as his folly deserves in order to stop him from thinking he's more intelligent than an entire college faculty. A careful and firm confrontation will make him feel that he has just run into a wall and he'll be stopped dead in his haughty self-deception.
If it be true that "we know metals by their tinkling and men by their talking" there are assuredly many moving mouths emitting only hot air serving to merely heat up the environment and degradingly inflame the feelings of mankind. And so, we all suffer in a highly-charged world with little respect and dignity of life.
Just today (at this writing) a headline has one ex-high ranking government leader calling a higher one, a "mob boss." The response is to castigate the one making the allegation, "a slime-ball." What dignity! It degrades all of life and must be disdained. And so, the nation seethes in disrespect, hate, name-calling and a distressing existence.
And the Church of Christ is affected. It seems to me that too many in high places are forever grabbing for headlines. We traffic in clever sentences and a bumper sticker mentality, all designed to catch the eyes of onlookers. If such activity is for the sake of truth and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, all the more power to such efforts. But, if just to be known and try to change the world, it would be good to remember that Jesus will someday ultimately and adequately take care of that! And, only HE can do that!
Again, Proverbs declares: "Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances" (v.11). Is this a picture of a 'just right' painting on the wall? Or, does it reference a fine piece of jewelry? Either way, it highlights "a word spoken in right circumstances." Mere jabbering usually proves to be an odious "halitosis" of the brain. And, that's just not pleasant. Spurgeon quipped: "Believe not half you hear; repeat not half you believe; when you hear an evil report, halve it, then quarter it, and say nothing about the rest of it."
And, now that I've rambled on far too long and you've had enough of my blather, you may go ahead and apply Spurgeon's formula to all I've just written.
- dick d. christen
