Blessing and Cursing

[Ernie]

Here is the article I mentioned would be coming.
https://www.plainnews.org/2020/04/25/bl ... d-cursing/


More public articles here.
https://www.plainnews.org/topic/public/

[Josh]

I’m a little uncomfortable with that article.

It seems to be claiming that criticising an organisation is somehow a sin.

[Neto]

Skimmed it, so maybe the stated conclusion is not the gist of the article, but the idea to say something good about a person before saying something critical will generally, in my opinion, come across as getting the person's attention by saying the good thing, so that they are listening when they get blasted. I do not think it is good to mix positive & negative comments. If we often compliment people, then maybe we have the 'right' to make corrective comments, because they will understand that we are 'for them'.

[Ernie]

I’m a little uncomfortable with that article.

Does not surprise me.

[Ernie]

Skimmed it, so maybe the stated conclusion is not the gist of the article, but the idea to say something good about a person before saying something critical will generally, in my opinion, come across as getting the person's attention by saying the good thing, so that they are listening when they get blasted. I do not think it is good to mix positive & negative comments. If we often compliment people, then maybe we have the 'right' to make corrective comments, because they will understand that we are 'for them'.

Yes, I have never enjoyed flattery ahead of a scolding or rebuke.

I think it depends on how the compliment is given. Saying something like, "I have something I want to talk to you about today. Before I say that, I want you to know that I do appreciate you as a person and I like your..." might be a good thing?

[AnthonyMartin]

I appreciated the emphasis on another's well being versus another's downfall. Different from criticism. Some who loved me enough to criticize me with my best interest in mind was indeed a blessing, not a curse.

[joshuabgood]

Generally I appreciate the article. I would add that a rebuke spoken in the interest of discipleship, is not the same as a curse in my view.

[Josh]

A blessing in my life has been learning to accept and hear criticism or concerns without becoming defensive or attacking the person delivering.

[Wade]

Skimmed it, so maybe the stated conclusion is not the gist of the article, but the idea to say something good about a person before saying something critical will generally, in my opinion, come across as getting the person's attention by saying the good thing, so that they are listening when they get blasted. I do not think it is good to mix positive & negative comments. If we often compliment people, then maybe we have the 'right' to make corrective comments, because they will understand that we are 'for them'.

I agree with your assessment Neto. However, I did read the entire article and what I did pick up on was having a mindsight that wants the best for another person I may disagree with and truly be speaking in a way even if negative that is for their spiritual well-being. So well I probably won't follow his direct advice I would like to practice what I understood the heart of his article was saying.

[Bootstrap]

It seems to be claiming that criticising an organisation is somehow a sin.

Is it? This is the definition it is using:

Blessing is the doing or saying of something that promotes the well-being of an individual or a group. Cursing is the doing or saying of something that promotes the downfall of an individual or a group.

This can be a prayer, of course, asking God to bless someone or curse them. But blessing can also be speaking well of someone, as opposed to tearing them down.

It's one thing to remove an abuser from a position and another to wish their damnation. It's one thing to point out the flaws in someone's argument, or even to question their arrogant assertions, and another to question the person's integrity or intelligence.

There's a grey area that gets tricky. If someone is blatantly lying, then exposing that fact will reflect on their character and reputation. If someone is abusing others, that will reflect on their character and reputation. In either case, we should seek what is good and true, and sometimes there is no real way to do that without questioning someone's knowledge, truthfulness, or character. In that case, it's really a question of discernment, what is the best way to seek what is true and good, who needs to know, who is being affected? Jesus did, after all, attack the Pharisees very directly in Matthew 23, and he did it in public, perhaps because they were tearing down others and cursing others in public, using the authority of God to do so. That had to be questioned in public.

I think there's a time for that. I would only do that with discernment among people I trust deeply. But tearing down others can be a continual habit for many. It goes along with arrogance. It can be a lot like playground bullies who raise themselves up by tearing others down. And there is nothing remotely godly about that.