We cannot keep silent

 

When do we speak out?

Many of the Old Testament prophets express the same idea, saying, “I don’t want to speak out…I know I’m going to offend people…but God’s word compels me.”

When do we keep silent for civility sake, and when do we say, “No. This has gone too far?” This is a huge question in our society today.

German theologian Dorothee Soelle writes about the “creep” of silence in Nazi Germany, where good church-going Germans saw things happening, but weren’t sure they should speak up, and then saw trains rattling by, and weren’t clear what they should do. These choices to turn away build gradually, imperceptibly.

As people who call themselves by the name of Christ (and all who believe in human dignity), we have a responsibility to speak out, to say, “Enough.” We must decide we will not listen to any more trains rattling by, but we’ll stand up to evil.

Two weeks ago, leaders at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. reached the place the prophets had reached. I invite you to read the whole of their letter, cathedral.org/have-we-no-decency-a-response-to-president-trump.html but here I’ve excerpted from it:

As faith leaders who serve at Washington National Cathedral– the sacred space where America gathers at moments of national significance – we feel compelled to ask…. when will Americans have enough?

“…We have come to accept a level of insult and abuse in political discourse that violates each person’s sacred identity as a child of God. We have come to accept as normal a steady stream of language and accusations coming from the highest office in the land that plays to racist elements in society.

“This week President Trump crossed another threshold. Not only did he insult a leader in the fight for racial justice and equality for all persons; not only did he savage the nations from which immigrants to this country have come; but now he has condemned the residents of an entire American city. Where will he go from here?

“Make no mistake about it, words matter… they are a clarion call, and give cover, to white supremacists who consider people of color a sub-human ‘infestation’ in America. They serve as a call to action from those people to keep America great by ridding it of such infestation. Violent words lead to violent actions.

“When does silence become complicity? What will it take for us all to say, with one voice, that we have had enough? The question is less about the president’s sense of decency, but of ours.

“As leaders of faith who believe in the sacredness of every single human being, the time for silence is over. We must boldly stand witness against the bigotry, hatred, intolerance, and xenophobia that is hurled at us, especially when it comes from the highest offices of this nation. We must say that this will not be tolerated. To stay silent in the face of such rhetoric is for us to tacitly condone the violence of these words. We are compelled to take every opportunity to oppose the indecency and dehumanization that is racism, whether it comes to us through words or actions.”

Last weekend we saw more results of this dehumanizing language in the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton. We cannot keep silent. As Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.”

Each month a member of the Cook County Ministerium will offer Spiritual Reflections. This month’s contributor is Mary Ellen Ashcroft, Vicar of Spirit of the Wilderness Episcopal Church.