23 JUN 07: THE LABELMAKERS

(BLOGGER'S NOTE: You may find this item humorous, serious, or a little of both - but we offer these thoughts from time to time, as we keep a seventh-day Sabbath.)

"Draft-dodging, pot-smoking, womanizing Bill Clinton." That's the way Sean Hannity described the then-President years ago, when his radio talk show was heard only in Atlanta. Hannity always had to put three adjectives on the man - and seemed to wish Mr. Clinton wore them all around his neck.

I'm reminded of Sean Hannity's approach in the wake of an e-mail we received earlier in the week. A reader declared he'd never visit this blog again, because we described some people as "loudmouths." I assume this reader never visits political message boards - because that word would seem downright tame.

It's easy for people in all walks of life to pin negative adjectives on others. This past week on her blog, Rosie O'Donnell described her former co-hosts on "The View" as "heteros." Yet O'Donnell's apparently still in the running to host "The Price is Right" - while if I used the opposite label to describe her, I'd probably be disqualified.

Sean Hannity's habit of sticking three adjectives on people he opposes annoyed me for years. But then recently, I came upon a surprise. What would you think of people who said these things:

1. "The people of C____ (location) always tell lies. They are greedy and lazy like wild animals."

2. "Who does that worthless P_____ (ethnic community) think he is?.... I can kill this worthless P_____."

3. "When you give to the poor, don't blow a loud horn. That's what show-offs do...."

The words of a "shock jock" radio host? Not at all. All three quotes are taken directly from the Contemporary English Version of the Bible. And they weren't said by immoral "villains." They're the words of people commonly considered heroes - though they stop short of using the language Jack Bauer might use on "24."

Quote #1 was written by the apostle Paul, in his letter to Titus. He was quoting a prophet of Crete, describing the people of Crete -- then calls it a "true saying." Today, some might consider that racial profiling. But people who believe all of the Bible is inspired have to believe God allowed such a statement - and they have to hope no one from Crete never finds those verses in front of them.

Quote #2 was uttered by David, shortly before he brought down a Philistine named Goliath. In the King James Version, David calls him an "uncircumcised Philistine." How he moved in so close to find out without being crushed, I have no idea....

And believe it or not, Quote #3 comes from the mouth of Jesus, in the "Sermon on the Mount." It sounded so judgmental - but then again, one of these days He plans to do that sort of thing on a wider scale.

The point of all this? If you think name-calling and labeling of people is simply a modern problem, you're wrong. And if you think only "bad people" do it, you're wrong again. There are apparently times and places when pejorative adjectives are appropriate. As someone once said: the truth can hurt - but it's still the truth.

The apostle Paul reminds me in Romans that God puts a stinging label on everyone, including you and me. We're sinners - and we have to die someday because of that. Amazingly, the only way to have that label removed is to turn to the Jesus who called some people "hypocrites." It may not seem fair. But since Jesus is God, His name-calling is probably very accurate.

I'm not one who normally resorts to calling other people names. I usually turn negative labels on myself, because I see plenty of faults in my life. It's better that I pin them on personally, than wait for other people to do it - because God may already have pinned the labels on me, anyway.

So I need to turn to God often, asking Jesus's intervention so I can be forgiven of the sins which put labels on my life. Maybe you don't need Him (or think you do), but I do. Thankfully, God is a forgiving Father - so the labels affixed to us don't have to be stuck on permanently with Super Glue.

BLOG CLARIFICATION: The daughter of Pioneer Little League President Rick Chadwick called me, to make clear she was NOT playing in Little League when she dated an umpire. She was out, so that made her safe - if you know what I mean....

SCHEDULED SUNDAY: MUCH more about Pioneer, as a key figure in the debate speaks out for the first time....

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