Below is an email message I want to pass on:
“America is spiraling out of control. The evidence of tyranny continues to mount: ObamaCare, Benghazi, the IRS targeting scandal, the Department of Justice improprieties, wire taps of the media, the monitoring of law abiding citizens’ phone calls, emails, and social networks, the imposition of immoral mandates, and the loss of religious freedom and the right of conscience.”
Written to “pastors and patriots,” the author is Mathew Staver, head of Liberty Counsel that is an unofficial arm of Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University law school. He regularly sends out emails like this that contain false and misleading information and outrageous accusations to hundreds, maybe thousands, of “Christian” recipients who think the way he does. Talk about the resurrection of the dead. Staver and his followers have brought Machiavelli to life again by implementing his “the ends justify the means” philosophy in their desire to disparage President Obama.
It may actually be true that our nation is “spiraling out of control,” but if it is it is not because of the reasons Staver cites. Rather, it is the kind of mean-spiritedness he represents that has reached pandemic proportions. Anyone who listens to talk radio and television gets a full dose of mean-spiritedness. We also see it in Congress when individuals oppose what may be a very good policy for the nation solely to defeat the opposition, in states where gerrymandering districts has made “loyal opposition” all but impossible, and when one side of an issue attacks the character of those on the other side, as Staver does regularly. Mean-spiritedness is a real and serious problem we have as a people.
So I propose an antidote, which literally means “something that relieves, prevents, or counteracts.” That’s what America needs, something that can effectively counteract the “disease” of mean-spiritedness. It has several ingredients I can only mention briefly. You add the details.
The first is a dose of humility. We may be passionate about what we believe, whether it is religious or political, but there is never a time when we could not be wrong. To bear that in mind when we speak is essential for civility. We also need to apply the humility test to people we read or listen to. Do they speak as if they possess absolute truth, or do they acknowledge they could be wrong with phrases such as, “This is how I see things,” or, “This is what I believe.” It’s a dead giveaway of a mean-spirit if they don’t. What is more, does what they say lead you to hope or does it simply play on your fears? It’s not difficult to know which it is.
The second ingredient is concern for the common good. The only way we can avoid mean-spiritedness is to care about the whole and not just the parts. If my focus is only on me, or my age, economic, political, or social group, I am very susceptible to a mean spirit. If I listen to or support leaders who set one group over against another, disparage those who oppose what they think, I can be sure the seeds of mean-spiritedness are taking root.
A third ingredient is gratitude. People who are grateful for what they have in life and for the life they have tend to be humble and concerned about others. They don’t feel entitled. They feel blessed. You have to work really hard to be mean-spirited when you feel grateful for your life. But we also need to ask ourselves if leaders we support talk like grateful people. Do they appreciate what they have, understand that they didn’t get where they are on their own, or are quick to recognize the contributions of others to something they are doing? If not, turn them off. Stop listening to them. They will eventually infect you with mean-spiritedness.
A final ingredient is faith in the goodness of life. Einstein once said that most important question a person can ask is, “Is the Universe a friendly place?” That’s easy for people who believe in God. It’s a little harder for people who don’t. But everyone can by choosing to believe there is a basic goodness to life waiting to be discovered or uncovered. A mean spirit runs counter to this basic conviction. Listen to people who believe in the basic goodness of life. They have something to say worth hearing.
I suspect there are other ingredients that could make the anti-dote to mean-spiritedness stronger, but I believe these – ordinary as they are – will go a long way in counteracting its presence in religion and politics today. I do in fact believe our nation is at least close to spiraling out of control because of this “disease,” but I don’t believe most people are infected with it, at least not yet. At the same time a minority can ruin anything for everyone else, if the majority lets them. It’s a matter of choice. The anti-dote is there for the taking
linnposts.com 
I agree wholeheartedly. However, you said “Anyone who listens to talk radio and television gets a full dose of mean-spiritedness.” Isn’t one of the anti-dotes just to not listen to negative talk radio? I sure don’t, and I am not friends with people who are mean spirited. However, Staver’s cronies/followers are going to continue to listen to him and there is no way anyone can convince them otherwise. What we also can do is not give people like Staver additional attention by quoting him. I’m afraid the Staver listeners don’t also read your wonderful blogs; otherwise maybe they could be convinced. Anti-dote: send out your positive blogs along with Staver’s negative ones?
Thank you, Jan for a positive word about a path forward. Mean-spirited, negative attacks never achieve positive progress.
Very good anti-dotes, Jan. They represent inclusive, spiritual and democratic thinking. However, our nation’s current turmoil stems from our foundations as an experiment in dual paths: a republic, where sovereignty is vested in the individual (per natural law, living by the fruits of one’s gifts) and a democracy where sovereignty is vested in everyone, the “body politic” (based on statutory law where benefits for all are bestowed by the majority). After the civil and environmental rights era of the 60’s, which industrialists interpreted as erosion of their individual rights to pursue capitalist goals in a republic, they began aggressively “purging” left wing influences in all areas of government, media, education, religion and elsewhere. This began in 1971 with the Powell Memorandum written by then tobacco lawyer Lewis F. Powell who outlined the actions which we are seeing today and have been unfolding for 40 plus years.
Unfortunately this is an old, old story of gifted elites arrogantly using their blessings to bestow all benefits of society to themselves while subjugating the masses; aristocracy. There is great disdain for ordinary people under “natural law” which is simply survival of the fittest! We all have a great battle on our hands. We have a deeply ingrained and ancient philosophy to dislodge especially in America, but also world-wide.
Beautiful.
I wonder though, how does one bring along another who listens to Mathew Staver?
I recently had a conversation with a guy at the library. He was talking about how Obama is going to put chips into people on medicaid/medicare (he kept switching cause he didn’t know there’s a difference). He saw my skepticism and said at the end of the convo, “They have already done this in China, you know.”
Now the issue isn’t Obama putting chips in. That “belief” can be disproved pretty quick through a Google search. What the real belief is distrust in governments and it’s a feeling as well as a reason. He has confirmation blinders on, anything that confirms his belief, he’ll read (like Staver) and anything that doesn’t he tosses out (like this post).
How does one relate? Sure the easy answer is, “Be in relationship and keep at it” but… man… that’s hard…
The consensus of the comments thus far seems to be that it is difficult to reach people with reason or facts when they have a closed mind about the subject. And it is also difficult to be in conversation with them, or even to be civil to them. It is true that ideologues are not going to listen to anything that challenges what they believe, but most people are not ideologues. Many of them, however, think mean-spiritedness is on both sides of all issues. This is what I want to confront because it is simply not true. Yes, liberals can be as mean-spirited as anyone else, but the extent that they are is far outweighed by what is occurring on the right, especially among the Christian Right. Their kind of mean-spiritedness they display used to be seen as a radical fringe, but it is now mainstream in conservative circles. This is a major change people who promote false equivalency fail to understand. Helping them see the difference is the goal of my raising the issue and suggesting the anti-dote I offered.
I agree that mean-spiritedness has become very widespread in our country. I think it was especially prevalent in the run up to the 2012 election. I can ignore most of the electioneering baloney, that has always been with us. What bugged me then, and still bugs me now, was that many, and maybe most, of them came from the “Christian Right”, and specifically from people who I know consider themselves to “good Christians”. I don’t think that Jesus ever taught mean-spiritedness in any way, shape, or form. To me that is an enigma. How, or why, did they get that mean-spiritedness? I don’t have any answers.
I think your suggested antidotes are all very good ideas, and we all need to try to live by them. I suppose we will never completely rid ourselves of this attitude, but I like to think there is hope.
Thanks for another very thought provoking writing.
Thanks Jan!
We need spokes persons like you to help identify what is happening in our country. It is my thought that the genius of American people is our ability to look into the mirror and see ourselves. Hopefully our country will never lose this ability. But, more important, for us is ability to deal with moral, ethical and life giving values which confront all of us from time to time.
It is gratifying to see people on opposite sides of a situation or issue coming together with mutual respect and the ability to learn from each other. Sometimes it is helpful, though scary, to ask, “What if the opposite of what I am thinking, saying, believing or promoting is true?” Surely we all have had this kind of experience, or am I the only one!
Thanks, Les
I guess, Jan, what I’m looking for is how your antidote would have played out in my situation. Could you offer a “for instance” on that?
I’m not sure what you’re asking for, Luke. I have thought a lot about your question, though. It seems to me that preaching and teaching in the church should place emphasis on the antidotes I mention, especially concern for the common good and humility. I think too many church members support politicians and public policies that ignore both of these values. I also think the church itself ignores them, often showing disregard for the common good and far more self-righteousness than humility. Not sure if this speaks to what you were asking. Hope so.
“Antidote” is one word. NO hyphens!