The Truth. In Love. Relentlessly.
Nothing that happened yesterday in DC was surprising or shocking. This is the natural outcome when we pretend the lies and vitriol and poor character of an angry man are harmless. They are not harmless, and we have likely not seen the end of a wave of domestic terrorism enflamed by the votes of people who thought Trump’s lies and bigotry were a small price to pay for political gain.
For too long, too many of us have looked away as our angry neighbors and leaders spread lies and vitriol. We have courted danger, treating politics like a spectator sport, not realizing that polemics — especially polemics that prop up white supremacy and bigotry — is a deadly game.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the time I received death threats from a member of my church. The church was in conflict. Those who were used to wielding power had found the demographics of the church changing, and they had decided I was to blame. Some folks had taken to venting their spleens by spreading angry lies about me. Another member took their lies seriously, and threatened my life.
I never blamed the person who threatened me. They were mentally unwell. However, as soon as I finished calling the sheriff to patrol my house, I called the leader of the angry faction. “I understand you think folks are just venting in your meetings,” I said, “but you need to know the consequences of their words.”
I had every expectation yesterday would end as it did, because I’ve been here before. Again and again, I’ve seen the destruction caused in churches when people who are losing their places of privilege are allowed to thrash around in angry tantrums of angry lies, because we imagine they need to be allowed their pity party.
However, when we allow angry people to tell angry lies, because we think it will help let off some steam, we’re fooling ourselves. Paul said, “Be angry, but do not sin.” Allowing lies and vitriol to fester in our midst is sin.
We are in the midst of a very dangerous season in our country. The only way we’ll get through it is if each of us decides we will interrupt the violence — even violence of speech – – every chance we get. Words have real world consequences, and angry lies lead to lost lives.
Now, more than ever, we need need a nation of nonviolent truth-tellers who will speak the truth. Do it in love, and do it relentlessly, but do it. I remain committed to this cause, and I hope you’ll join me.
Blessings, Tyler
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