Scold's Bridle
According to varous sources,
For hundreds of years in the British Isles, one of the worst things someone could be was a “scold.” This was a term used for women — and sometimes, but rarely, men — who gossiped, slandered others, fought loudly, or, basically, spoke out of turn.
So what could be done about one with such an unruly tongue? Why merciless shame and torture, of course.
From the 16th until the 19th century, women accused of being scolds, shrews, or having "loose morals" were often fitted masks known as Scold's Bridles that held their tongues with an iron gag.
The bridle was fitted over the face and head, with wearers often paraded about town to inflict further pain and shame.
Wow, this really adds new meaning to the scolding command, "Hold your tongue!"
Scripture is replete with references to the wayward tongue, James 1:26 cheif among them, "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless" (ESV).
And of course, we find a consumate passage dedicated to the subject in James 3:3-12 (ESV):
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Yet the solution to this "restless evil" is not within the grasp of our own human effort (nor even of punishment and shame). Rather, the solution llies within the heart alone:
"But whatever [word] comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what defiles and dishonors the man" (Matthew 15:18, APM).
Only a change of heart can serve as sufficient bridle for the tongue and the damage it can cause.
"The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things" (Proverbs 15:28, ESV).
"The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45, ESV).
Stomping on Jesus
A professor at Florida Atlantic University asked students to write the name 'Jesus' on a piece of paper, place the paper on the floor, and then stomp on it. While most blindly complied, some refused to do so, and one student even went to school administrators to complain.
Ryan Rotela, a junior at FAU who was enrolled at the class, told local media that he went to school officials to protest the assignment. "Anytime you stomp on something it shows that you believe that something has no value … So if you were to stomp on the word Jesus, it says that the word has no value."
Initially, FAU defended the assignment and the curriculum from which it was derived. They have since recanted and apologized. "This exercise will not be used again. The University holds dear its core values. We sincerely apologize for any offense this caused," said Florida Atlantic University, a multi-campus institution, in a prepared statement posted on its website.
The story made quite a splash on both news and social media outlets, with many decrying it as yet "another example of secularist anti-Christian sentiment."
While this news story shocks and offends all who hold the name of Jesus dear (and even many who don't), I've got more news for you. You effectively "stomp" on the name of Jesus each and every time you fail to honor Him, whether that be in attitude, action, or principal. Before you call for sanctions against the professor or the school administrators, ask yourself, "How have I stomped on Jesus today?"
"How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:29) .
Man Arrested for 'Blasphemous' Outburst That Santa's Not Real
Canadians best not blaspheme the hallowed name of Santa:
In Kingston, it’s not the Grinch but a 24-year-old man who police say stole Christmas.
As Christmas-themed floats slowly rolled down Princess St. during Kingston’s annual 2012 Santa Claus parade, an intoxicated man shouted blasphemous lies to shock children: Santa doesn’t exist.
The man, whose gelled hair “looked like a set of devil horns protruding from his head,” was reported to Kingston police, Const. Steve Koopman said.
Police arrested a 24-year-old man around 6 p.m.
“It was pretty despicable that someone, during this time of the year, would tell kids Santa isn’t real — which of course we would argue,” Koopman said.
So let me get this straight, in Canada it's a "despicable," arrest worthy offense, and blasphemous no less, to declare that the fictional Santa Claus is not real, while in the US it is increasingly found to be illegal to display on public property a manger scene declaring the historical reality of the birth of Jesus.*
Our world is indeed upside down. What is fictional is lauded and protected, while what is real is derided and condemned.
Although we don't condone a crazy man disrupting a family friendly Christmas parade, the Kingston constable has it all wrong. What is truly "despicable" is that "someone, during this time of the year, would tell kids Jesus isn’t real — which of course we would argue."
"They exchanged the truth of God for a lie …" (Romans 1:25).
*Follow this link to see the most recent battle (in CA) over a nativity display.