The Political Critic

I could've easily labeled this the Celebrity Critic, because the concepts behind both are nearly the same. So, what brings me to discuss critics of public figures? Simply put, it's all the hubbub surrounding criticism of President Obama. One side details daily about how poorly the new president is doing, while the other tells us that it's not fair to criticize him before he has a chance to prove himself.

I have my own critical review of the current administration which I will save for another day. Today, I want to look at critics of those in public, because so many of them can be right and so many can be way off base...all at the same time.

Yes, some public figures deserve to be hammered for their actions. But, sometimes, this hammering can go too far. I can disagree with the policies of the current president. I can publicly state my views. I can even run for office to overturn those policies and institute my own. But, as a Christian, I still must maintain a level of respect that honors my God.

I spend a lot of time listening to talk tv/radio, and there is one thing I'm having difficulty with - the name calling. I'm hearing more and more of it, and it's not limited to any one political persuasion. Disagreements with public individuals, especially politicians, more and more are surrounded with word play on the public figure's name. Words such as "dummy" and "idiot" are becoming commonplace. And, this all has me wondering where the line is that shouldn't be crossed in public criticism.

As Christians, we need to become aware of this line. Jesus said we are supposed to love everyone just like we would want to be love. Translation: criticize those around us in a manner we would feel acceptable to be criticized should we deserve it.

The way we critize those in public will speak volumes to those around us who we are trying to influence toward a decision for Christ. If we're nasty, they'll look at us and see no difference than the world around them. If we're courteous and wise in our discussions, they will notice that we are not like the world around them. Time is short, make a difference today to those around you by guarding the way you criticize others...even those in the public spotlight.