Be kind but be real

I have always enjoyed politics and debate , in the same way some people enjoy sports or wild camping or hobbies.

I also enjoy good robust debate on politics , indeed I have set up a website which allows me to post a broader range of stuff than appears on my church web stuff (politics, culture, arts , travel etc)

I always try to stay respectful when talking about politics or culture as I know the atmosphere can get toxic at times.i also have several people who talk into my life that I live and respect who tell me occasionally to wind my neck in and I do so.

I also have a keen sense of humour, I like a laugh but always try to stay the right side with it and avoid hurtful and disrespectful humour ( again I probably don’t always hit the mark!)

Sometimes I am a tad envious of those church leaders who seem to transcend all this and are choc full of gravitas and wisdom and such. I wish sometimes I could be like them but I am what I am and am happy in my own skin.

Looking through my blogs as well there is a tread of the need to be civil and courteous to each other. I certainly since the very public suicide that started the #be kind movement have looked carefully at what I post. I am far quicker to realise and defuse potential flash points now than I have ever been. Overall the #bekind movement is to be applauded.

However I am seeing this more and more abused in recent days. To give you a comical example on happy keyboard warrior went on a famous celebrities twitter account to type abuse at them, as soon as another Twitter darling said something nasty back they quickly took offence and of course the #bekind tag was thrown back.

That’s a obvious example but I am seeing it in other areas too, Christians trying to shut down other Christians from having any political discourse. Basically anyone with any critique of our leaders or political strategies are silenced usually with a #bekind or it’s bedfellow #bepositive. This isn’t right , free speech and free thought are important and we would do well not to curtail these things.

So yes let’s endeavour to be kind, but let’s also try to be real.

Look I know not everyone will agree with this but please be kind to me.