Afterthought to Words and Power

The clergy group in EG is putting together a statement on rhetoric. Here is the bit that I offered:

Words and images have meaning and power. It is very easy to forget this and to be seduced by rhetoric that is hateful, violent, and dehumanizing without realizing what it is that we are hearing. While I cannot state that one person or another is directly responsible for the tragedy in Arizona, the current national and political conversation about awakens us to the power of words and images. Violent images, words that creates those who disagree into “others” without human value or worth, and apocalyptic images evoking fear, are all dangerous and I believe abhorrent to God. We have a tradition of respect and understanding of the other. Let us recall, not only did Roger Williams feel it was important that everyone had the freedom to follow God as he or she was led, but that everyone be seen as a child of God regardless what path he or she took. Not only was Williams tolerant, but respectful with charity.

We follow a God of love who calls us to consider each person as precious no matter what he or she believes or does. We follow a God who values peace and mercy. The polemical tone that is such a part of the political discourse has no place in any faith community for it is antithetical to the nature of God.

I urge you to be vigilant of words and images that objectify others, that evoke violence, and that suggests hatred as the only response one can take.. Not only do I urge you to reject such discourse, but to call others away from it as well. Our God does not ask us to get our way no matter what, nor does our God call us to see every political issue as a dire moral moment for our country that justifies hatred. Instead we are all called to take a radical stand against those who embrace images and words of violence and show the profound love of God. Let us embrace and live the call of the prophet Micah in our own speech, rhetoric, and images: “…and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”