A few years ago a parishioner of mine (at the Episcopal church) launched a campaign asking people to 'be nice'.
It reminded me of the Oh God movies when those posters appeared asking people to think about God.
This fellow's campaign was very successful, at least according to billboards and placards.
But I'm not sure about people's hearts.
My son is in marching band.
So is my wife. Actually she is helping with color guard.
This isn't their first go at it.
It is mine.
Wow.
So I participate the best I can--I'm on pit crew. This means I show up and load a trailer. I drive to the competition (with my wife--so it is officially a date). I unload the trailer and move stuff on a field. I watch 'judges' walk and talk and criticize.
We get home at four in the morning. (feels like it)
I love watching and feeling my son's and wife's excitement and I really do enjoy it.
However.
This past week, as I stood in the high school band room, I made the following observation:
People are not nice. They don't know how to talk to each other or even ask someone a question in a nice way. No--everything is a demand. Like the person is entitled to talk however they want--demeaning and demanding.
This is a learned behavior of communication that is oppressive and demonic.
I am not asking for Christianity--just civility.
The part that really gets me is that it goes unchecked.
This way of communication and social interaction has become the norm.
Did you hear of the fans cheering a quarterback who was hurt?
No social norms, no civility, not even the ability to just say nothing....not in a band room--and not at a stadium.
It's getting worse and what do we try to teach? Turn the other cheek? Shake the dust? Defend the weak?
Yep--satan just keeps pinging.
