American elections are way too nasty. Political ads and campaign speeches are filled with attacks, condemnations, criticisms, verbal assaults, unproven accusations, and even false charges that candidates from all major political parties— including incumbents—lob at each other. Our Constitution guarantees us free speech, but that right should never be taken as a license to slander. Like falsely yelling “Fire!” in a crowded theater, slander is not protected free speech.

We now live in a highly loquacious, instantaneous, intractable mediated culture, and a cowboy named Steroidal Slander is on the loose. When the character of another is involved, he’s quick on the draw.

What’s the remedy? For one, someone needs to model a higher standard! And of all people, those who name the name of Christ who hold public office, ought to be the ones who model that higher standard! Christ must make a difference in this area of the life of the believer. Ephesians 4:31 states, Let all … slander be put away from you. This passage is our study for this week; I’m hoping as we better understand what putting away slander means, we can holster our guns. Listen on!

Capitol Ministries
capmin.org