Sticks, stones, and words can hurt me, really?

I want to be clear, I am not OK with bullying or name calling, I think they are quite sinful and don't deny they can cause pain. However, I am shocked at the change of attitude regarding dealing with people's hurtful words since I was a child. I fear far more damage will be done as society shifts the focus from ignoring hurtful words to silencing them!

When I was young, if someone said mean things to me and I told a parent or teacher, they may or may not have said anything to the one who said the hurtful words, but they would likely have told me - "Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you". This was good advice, because it kept the one on the receiving end of teasing or insults from being enslaved to the opinions of others.

The underlying principle involved was that they had the right to say things to us, even stupid or hateful things, but we were to not see their words as in any way defining us. To suggest to a child or even to an adult, that someone else's words have the power to do the same kind of harm as physical injuries, is to set up a scenario were the only way to protect people is by outlawing some types of speech, as we limit certain kinds of physical contact.

This unfortunately is exactly what is happening. People are being told that suicides, depression and countless other problems are simply the natural and unavoidable result of people being damaged by the words of others. The video below suggests that the suicides of LGBT people, especially youth, are actually caused by the hurtful words of others, especially in the church!

Now, I feel terrible for the youth who got to such a place in their lives that they felt the only option was to take their own lives. Further, I would say there needs to be some sensitivity to were people are at, even when were they are at is in sin. Our goal is to communicate truth, so we need to be tactful when dealing with issues that are likely to cause strong reactions. However, do we really want to affirm to young people, or anybody for that matter, that the words of others are so powerful? Or that being liked and accepted by others is so important? Would it not be far more loving to teach them that the words of others are merely opinions, and only true to the point that they line up with....? 

OK, now I have hit a snag, how are we to evaluate the words of others? If nothing is absolutely true, then there is no reason anyone should ever be offended by anything! If God has given us the truth, then the only thing we really need to consider is whether the words of others line up with what God says.

If you still reject the notion of God's word being knowable, or that the Bible is it, then I at least ask that you consider if you really want to live in a world where what you can and can't say is determined by the individual sensitivities of the 7,000,000,000 other people on the planet?

Or, would you rather advocate free speech, and embrace the reality that - "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me".