I Am Not Charlie Hebdo!

Many have written and will continue to address the slaughter of the satirists in Paris earlier this month. From what I have read, almost all the angles have been covered except one: what does the Bible have to say to those of us who attempt to follow its teachings about satire or extremely caustic remarks? Dr. John Stonestreet of Break Point wrote two very fine blogs on this topic and among much of what he wrote was this enlightening echo of Dr. Francis Schaeffer: “Secularism has no framework to understand the reaction of radical Islam, because the only thing sacred in secularism is personal autonomy.” As people who believe God has given to us The Book as our framework for behavior and thinking. How can we apply Scripture's principles to our spoken and written words?

What I have done is just take some of the verses that have come to my mind and print them together, giving their references at the end. Even this highly selective grouping is rather impressive for all of us to incorporate as a constant framework for our thinking, speaking and writing.

“The godly person speaks wise words and promotes what is truly fair and just...Sound judgment will protect you, understanding will guard you, from the way of the wicked, from those who speak perversity [those who speak contrary to morality, wisdom, logic or the truth]...Speaking recklessly is like the thrust of a sword in its cutting, but the words of the wise bring healing...The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of the fool belches forth reckless utterances...The good person out of the good treasury/motives of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of the evil treasury/motives produces evil, and his mouth speaks from what fills his heart...take thought on how each can provoke/spur the other on to love and good works...Do not be speaking against each other...I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” NET Ps. 37:30, Pro. 2:11-12, 12:18, 15:1, Lk. 6:45, Hebs. 10:24, Ja. 4:11, Mt. 12:36