Billy Graham: Being Critical

Q: Our aunt takes great delight in criticizing others — and not just people she knows (probably including us), but also those she doesn't know (like politicians and celebrities). It gets tiresome listening to her, but what can we do? She's always been like this. — Mrs. D.Y.

What can Mrs DY do? She could try talking to her about it. She could return the favor to let her see how she likes it. She could try changing the topic. There are many things that could be tried or done. I will agree that it can get old when someone acts like a broken record about something. Depending on what it is and how pervasive it is, you may be able to brush it off and think "That's Aunt Suzie..." But other times there might not be much other choice but to ay something in order to get to the root of it.

A: No one likes to listen to someone who constantly criticizes others or endlessly complains about someone or something. The Bible is clear: "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure" (Philippians 2:14-15).

Well this smells like it's about to get super ironic...

Why is your aunt like this? Often, I've found, people who constantly cut others down do so because it makes them feel superior. Others do it because they want to draw attention to themselves, showing how clever or intelligent they are. Still others think it gives them the right to tell others how to run their lives (although it doesn't). But whatever the reason, a critical, complaining spirit is wrong in the eyes of God.

But wait... Billy weekly tells people how to live their life. In the USA Christians regularly try to legislate their faith so that they may impose their religion on others. They want to tell people they can't have an abortion. They want to force religion into government. They want to dictate what students are and aren't taught in school. They want to criminalize homosexuality, or at least strip them of equal rights and talk of them like they are less than human. A politician that is local to me makes no secret of judging transgendered individuals and sought legal challenge against their rights. The Christians that constantly tell everyone else that they have to live by their Bible, and proselytize door-to-door. Billy recently supported the notion of forcing children to go to church whether they wanted to or not. The irony here is almost too deep to take!

Many of these things are things that Billy and many other Christians support. Yet here he is saying that people shouldn't tell people how to run their lives, and that God himself is apparently against such action. So I have only one question for Billy... How would you like that egg on your face cooked?

-Brain Hulk

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