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).
White Guilt
Ali Michael, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s (Penn) Graduate School of Education says,
“There was a time in my 20s when everything I learned about the history of racism made me hate myself, my Whiteness, my ancestors… and my descendants. I remember deciding that I couldn’t have biological children because I didn’t want to propagate my privilege biologically.”
Michael lived with a black family for a time, shaved her head, and only read black authors. During this period she railed against those who dared to be white without shame.
“I disliked my Whiteness, but I disliked the Whiteness of other White people more,” she writes. “I felt like the way to really end racism was to feel guilty for it, and to make other White people feel guilty for it too.”
Michael has softened her position slightly in recent years. She’s now more at ease with being white, so long as there is adequate guilt.
“At the end of the day, we need White people to see that we are White,” she says. “When we recognize and own our Whiteness, we can account for our own portion, our one 1/billionth of responsibility for what White people have done throughout history. We can work with other White people to begin to challenge bias, ignorance and colorblindness. We can use our privilege to confront the sources of that unfair favoring.”
Because God loves and values all races of people, self-hatred is as abhorrent to Him as is hatred of others. This form of self-hatred is just another form of racism. And because God’s forgiveness does not permit us to live in shame or guilt for our own sins, it certainly will not allow us to live in shame or guilt for the sins of our predecessors.
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
“Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13).
Mr. Ugly
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP):
Pageant judges have crowned a new winner of Zimbabwe's 4th annual "Mister Ugly" contest, upsetting supporters of the crowd favorite and prompting rioting at the event.
Judges on Saturday chose 42-year-old Mison Sere, citing his numerous missing front teeth and a wide range of grotesque facial expressions, over William Masvinu, who had held the title since 2012.
Masvinu and his supporters mobbed the judges upon hearing their decision, claiming that Sere was "too handsome" to win and his ugliness wasn't natural since it was based on missing teeth.
"I am naturally ugly. He is not. He is ugly only when he opens his mouth," maintained Masvinu, gesturing at his rival.
"Do we have to lose our teeth to win? This is cheating," shouted another contestant, Patrick Mupereki. While no one was injured, there was a great deal of pushing and shoving as the results were announced and insults were hurled at the judges.
... They should just accept that I am uglier than them," [Sere] said. "I hope to get a TV contract. I already moved around schools performing and showcasing my ugliness so this is a chance to make it on TV."
The complaints of Masvinu and the other contestants may have a degree of validity. Organizers had previously announced that disabilities or enhancements would not be accepted in the competition which should focus on "natural ugliness."
This year's competition drew a record 36 candidates. The contestants participated in three rounds of modeling, with individual and group struts down a nightclub catwalk.
"Sere made tremendous effort to enhance his ugliness by pulling facial stunts," said judge Abigail Mataranyika. "Masvinu thought he is so ugly that he didn't need to try hard. That cost him the crown."
It’s hard to imagine boasting about one’s ugliness like this. Yet, isn’t that exactly what we do when we take pride in a sexual conquest, a dishonest gain, or the like? We boast and brag about things that should cause us shame.
We do all of this because, according to the Bible, we are ugly by nature. We are born in sin, coming forth from the womb with a sin nature. Sure, we lose a few teeth along the way, and our selfish contortions can add to how ugly we appear, but make no mistake about it, we are ugly from the start.
“Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5).
Thank God, though, that He is the master of redemption, the great benefactor of grace, who can turn our sin to sanctification, our guilt to glory, and our "ugliness" to beauty. He speaks of his beloved redeemed, "You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you" (Song of Solomon 4:7).