When I was a boy, there was a civility in this country that allowed us to disagree without becoming disagreeable. We could even remain friendly with people whose opinions differed from ours. Our society has slowly evolved from that state to one in which it is acceptable to verbally attack those with whom we disagree and not just vilify them but demonize them. It is no longer enough to simply state your position and perhaps agree to disagree. You must destroy and silence anyone with a different point of view. This saddens me deeply.
I once posted a very respectful disagreement with one of President Obama’s policies on Face Book and was immediately labeled a racist, a Nazi and a hater, none of which were true, but that didn’t matter. They just wanted to eliminate all opposition even if it meant destroying the reputation of good people with a different point of view.
Christ tells us that, as His followers, we must love God, love our neighbors and even love our enemies. (Matthew 5:43-44) When we do that, we cannot take part in such attacks on others. Demonizing people distracts us from the real demons that are causing trouble from their realm. Jesus loved people who were demon possessed and set them free by attacking the demons not the people.
How can we overcome demonization when it comes our way? We can overcome all forms of opposition by displaying the fruit of the Holy Spirit through our words and actions. “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. (Galatians 5:22) The true demons around us will be exposed in comparison.
What about defending our honor or “fighting back” when we are falsely accused; do we just let them get by with it? Our words and actions will display the truth for everyone to see or hear, but in addition to that we have God’s solemn promise in Isaiah 53:17 “But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!”