Becoming The Very Thing We Detest

Periodically, I'm 'stopped in my tracks' by an arresting quote.

Such was the case, recently, when I read a Twitter feed by Eugene Cho, founder and visionary of One Day's Wages.  Eugene said:  

"...Be careful not to dehumanize those you disagree with. In our self-righteousness, we can become the very things we criticize in others..." https://twitter.com/EugeneCho/status/827210981491093504

Frankly, the level of dehumanizing of those 'opposite' us, often 'opposing' us -- is at an all-time high.

It manifests itself in multiple ways.  As we instinctively, ruthlessly...

• 'Cut' -- each other -- with negative, presumptive talk -- rather than seeking to understand each other.
• Label -- each other -- as 'liberal-conservative,' 'young-old,' 'old-timer'-newcomer -- rather than seeing each other beyond categories and 'silos'.
• Demonize -- each other -- as racist, bigots, permissive, narrow -- rather than 'diving deep' for one's true motive and intent.  
• Name-Call -- each other -- as Tubby, 'Rocket Man, 'the Little Woman,' 'Liar-in-Chief,' 'Oldster,' Kid, 'Shrimp,' Idiot, Fundie, Baby-Killer, Crooked, Deplorables, etc -- rather calling each other by our true name/identity as valued children of God. 

I am not saying we're to excuse the behavior of others -- especially evil behavior.

But when our behavior becomes catty, sub-human -- hateful -- reduced to cutting, labeling, demonizing, name-calling -- we really are no better than the very people who concern us.

The last person you might imagine, cut, labeled, demonized, called names was Abraham Lincoln.  After all, a larger than life memorial dominates the Potomac-side of Washington, D.C., lionizing Lincoln as a leader among leaders.  

Yet, when I visited the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, IL, I was shocked as I entered a central gallery, surrounded by headline after headline from publications of Lincoln's day, vilifying the 16th President in the most ruthless, even hateful way.  http://lincolnlibraryandmuseum.com/m6.htm

Mark Bowen, writing in The Atlantic, summarizes just a few of the scathing comments made about Lincoln by his contemporaries:

"...George Templeton Strong, a prominent New York lawyer and diarist, wrote that Lincoln was “a barbarian, Scythian, yahoo, or gorilla.” Henry Ward Beecher, the Connecticut-born preacher and abolitionist, often ridiculed Lincoln in his newspaper, The Independent (New York), rebuking him for his lack of refinement and calling him “an unshapely man.” Other Northern newspapers openly called for his assassination long before John Wilkes Booth pulled the trigger. He was called a coward, “an idiot,” and “the original gorilla” by none other than the commanding general of his armies, George McClellan..."  https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/06/abraham-lincoln-is-an-idiot/309304/

Now privately, Lincoln, of course, was mortified and deeply wounded by such comments.  But publicly, Lincoln worked hard, and intentionally, not to return 'fire for fire' -- or -- an 'eye for an eye.'     

A representative example was the closing lines of Lincoln's First Inaugural Address.  Faced by fierce voices, from both north and south, related to secession, Lincoln could have easily lashed out and joined the vitriolic, damning rhetoric.  But, rather, Lincoln took a more modulated route:

"...I am loth to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield, and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature..."  https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/06/abraham-lincoln-is-an-idiot/309304/

Jesus would concur.  For Jesus also called us to yield to the "better angels of our nature."  

Jesus' words in the Sermon On The Mount, in particular, point in this direction -- persistently.

           

  “...You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also...You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven...If you love those who love you, what reward will you get...And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others...Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.  (Matthew 5:38-48, emphasis added). 

That last phrase:  'be perfect' is often misunderstood.  But in it's most literal sense, is quite revealing.

To 'be perfect' actually means, to be mature.  

In essence, Jesus is summarizing all that he has said, thus far, in the Sermon On The Mount.  As Frederick Dale Brunner notes:  “…Ever since his Beatitudes, Jesus has been describing adulthood. And in the commands [that follow the Beatitudes] we learn…” what adult disciples do.   (For an excellent discussion of the rationale for translating ‘perfect’ as ‘mature’ see:  Frederick Dale Brunner, The Christbook:  A Historical/Theological Commentary, p. 223-225) 

Specifically, we learn, again under the tutelage of Brunner, that 

"…Maturity, adulthood…is a whole-souled commitment…to the protection of every other person.  Maturity is looking at every person…and saying, at least to oneself, ‘I will never, God helping me, do anything to hurt you': neither by angrily lashing out at you, lustfully sidling up to you, faithlessly slipping away from you, verbally oiling you up, protectively hitting back at you, or even justifiably disliking you…" (Frederick Dale Brunner, The Christbook:  A Historical/Theological Commentary, p. 223-225)

That's how we grow-up, Jesus declares.  That’s how mature satisfaction, fulfillment, and wholeness, truly comes.   

The Apostle Paul strikes a similar theme in Ephesians 4:14ff 

“…Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves...by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.  Instead -- speaking the truth in love -- we will grow to become...the mature body of...Christ...[building]...up in love…” (Ephesians 4: 14-16, emphasis added).   

And so, rather than 'pulling back' from Jesus (because of a seemingly impossible ideal, e.g. perfection) -- we lean deeper into Jesus -- who, in reality -- is not asking us to 'be perfect' -- but rather -- to be whole and mature -- the "better angels of our nature" -- becoming more like Him.

For Gandhi is right:  "an 'eye for an eye' leaves the whole world blind."  

And, boy, is there a lot of darkness these days!

• A lot of cutting...
• A lot of labeling...
• A lot of demonizing...
• A lot of name-calling...

Sure, that's 'the mean.'  But that's not mature.   

I am not advocating that we gloss over differences -- placate evil -- or -- fail to confront each other.   Please hear me.   

But I am advocating that we confront in counter-cultural ways, not returning 'fire for fire,' but engaging each other in forthright -- but -- non-ruthless, hate-full ways. 

Paul says it so well in Romans 12:14ff -  

“…Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath…Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone...Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.” … if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.  (Romans 12:14-21. The Message). 

So, surprise your adversity with goodness.

Yes, speak the truth -- but -- eventually -- with love (Ephesians 4:15) and a sense of peace...even forgiveness.

Addressing the United Nations in 2013, Bill Clinton told the remarkable story how Nelson Mandela, -- after spending 27 years in a jail-cell on Robben Island,  Pollsmoor Prison, and Victor Verster Prison -- invited his jailer (from Robben Island) to his inauguration, when Mandela became President of South Africa.  Mandela, recounted to Clinton, that that decision -- along with the inclusion of white opposition parties in his government -- began the day he was released from his cell on Robbin Island, after over two decades of confinement.  

"...Clinton asked Mandela: “Tell me the truth: when you were walking down the road [from Victor Verster Prison] that last time didn’t you hate them?” Mandela answered: “I did. I am old enough to tell the truth ....I felt hatred and fear but I said to myself, if you hate them when you get in that car you will still be their prisoner. I wanted to be free and so I let it go. (emphasis added)”https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/nelson-mandela/10501060/Mandela-looked-his-enemy-in-the-eye-and-held-him-close.html

When we cut, label, demonize, name-call -- we also hate -- no better than the persons we detest.

In fact, we're their prisoner.

A better route is to let go of the hate-speech -- and confront -- in a truth-full -- but -- more generous way.

And thus -- be free.