If you are on social media, watch television, read the headlines on msn or other websites, then you have noticed a change in people’s attitudes that is not necessarily for the good. People are “letting it all hang out” and blowing up the internet with their opinions without mercy and with ugly words of hatred towards anyone who doesn’t agree with their opinion.

I saw an article the other day about a jewelry business who has billboard ads that are quirky, cute, catch attention, and are all about love (from the point of buying that engagement ring for that loved one, smile). They put up a billboard that I found quite brilliant – simply because I always love it when people made use of political or other topical issues in a sweet or fun way.

They made use of the phrase, “take a knee” – without thinking of anything except selling engagement rings. The phrase on the billboard, “If you’re going to take a knee this season, please have a ring in your hand!” is accompanied by a picture of a man on his knee before his girlfriend; he’s holding up an engagement ring. The owner stated they were not thinking of anything except it was a good play on words that his daughter came up with.

While some got a chuckle out of it, a crowd of critics hit social media calling it racist, disgusting and  bigoted. One even told the owner’s daughter to kill herself and other graphic threats.

America used to laugh at things like that. America used to have a sense of humor. American people knew how not to take themselves so seriously. Americans have always used satire or humor in advertising, in cartoons, in comedic monologues, and the like. There have always been comedians making fun of sitting Presidents and other popular issues in the news.

Now we have today’s current President and such vitriolic spewing of caustic, venomous, unbelievable poisonous words and opinions, it boggles the mind. It’s not meant to be funny. It’s hate-filled opinions. We have people making comments on social media that are cruel and vicious, calling people ugly (literally) and suggesting they kill themselves because they’re ugly. Women are coarse and men are calloused.

It seems now so many Americans have not only lost their sense of irony and humor, they are becoming mongers of hatred.

To tell someone to kill themselves in light of the issues of suicide and shootings facing us today, is walking in hatred, and actually giving over and moving into the camp of the enemy. People are playing in the devil’s playground, who is the author of all things hate-filled.

This growing hatred is actually nothing that should surprise faith-filled Christians. If you know anything about the Bible, you know that part of the “end-times” talks about the very things we see in the media. Just read 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Message version:

1  Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead.
2  As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse,
3  dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical,
4  treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God.
5  They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.

As Christians, are we supposed to participate in this vicious opinion sharing? I think verse 5 tells you the answer.

God has given us a command (not a suggestion) that we are to walk in love toward others. We are to be a light in a dark world. We are to represent Jesus and all He stands for. We are to temper our words so they are words that heal, words that diffuse anger, words that show God’s love.

What about love? In all this ugliness out there, where are the people representing the characteristics God commands us to walk in? Where’s the respect of another’s right to have an opinion opposite yours? Where’s the forgiveness? Where’s kindness and mercy?

Where’s the love?

The saddest thing about this hate-filled atmosphere growing today? So many of those very people being opinionated and acidic… are Christians.

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