Can We Practice Mercy in Social Media and Politics?

Many political leaders and social influencers show mercy only to people they agree with.  That isn’t what Jesus meant by “Blessed are the merciful.”  Can we show mercy consistently in our social media and politics, even to those we don’t agree with?

Image by Julian Christ, provided by Unsplash via Wix.

“Shall we talk for victory, or truth?”

This is a question that Samuel Johnson is said to have frequently asked his dinner guests.  He was recognized as one of the most insightful commentators of the 18^th century and the author of the Dictionary of the English Language.

He pithy question captures two major choices we have when we engage in social and political conversation.  Do we seek to win the debate, or advance our knowledge?

Civil discourse begins with a desire for truth.  Without that, people talk past each other, or over each other, or don’t let the other side talk at all.  We must place a higher priority on finding the truth than on winning the debate if we want to learn and grow, individually and as a nation.

Some of our nation’s prominent politicians and social media personalities have normalized an environment where civil discourse is no longer welcome.  The objective, always, is victory, even at the expense of truth.

Looking for the truth requires humility and mercy

The truth-seeking that Dr. Johnson invited requires two characteristics that Jesus praises but that those who prefer victory over truth reject: humility and mercy.

If truth is our goal, humility is needed because you may not have all the answers.  Environmentalist and author Bill McKibben quoted Ken Squier, the owner of a small, community-based radio station, as saying to someone who called in to one of his shows, “Well, I disagree with you, but you may be right.”  That is the kind of humility we need if we want to engage in discourse that leads to truth.

If truth is our goal, mercy is also needed – first, to temper the human inclination to destroy one’s political opponents, which would make it impossible to learn truth from them at a later time; and second, to establish an environment where you also will not be political destroyed when you are the one who loses.  Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matt. 5:7).

Mercy as an act of personal forbearance

What does mercy look like in social and political discourse?  Sometimes mercy means withholding judgment:

• When Jesus told us to be as merciful as our Father in heaven, he immediately added, “Don’t judge and you will not be judged.  Don’t condemn and you will not be condemned” (Luke 6:37a).  Mercy stands in opposition to judgment and condemnation.

• James, the “brother of the Lord” and author of one of the books of the Bible, wrote that “judgment will be without mercy for the one who has not shown mercy, but mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).  Mercy holds us back from unrelenting judgment.

• Even Shakespeare, who was not necessarily known for his devotion to God, understood this.  He wrote that mercy “is an attribute to God Himself; / And earthly power doth then show likest God’s / When mercy seasons justice.”  In other words, we act most like God when we temper our judgment with mercy.

Mercy is not holding your co-workers’ mistakes against them.  Mercy is overlooking an unintentional slight by a friend or an unhelpful word or action from a fellow church member or neighbor who is under stress.  Mercy is responding to a social media post you don’t agree with gently and without personal attack.  Mercy shows forbearance.

Mercy as an act of political forbearance

People in many different positions on the political spectrum have found it increasingly hard to show forbearance in the political world:

• Some people who would be appalled if the government told them that to keep their jobs they must present Donald Trump’s views show little concern that other people might be forced to violate their conscience and express views they do not share on sexual issues.

• Some people who are in the pro-life camp show little concern for women who suffer the tragic loss of a pregnancy due to miscarriage and then have their lives turned upside down for a second time when they are investigated on the possible charge that they may have caused an abortion.

• Some people on the pro-choice side show little concern for the conscience rights of medical professionals who consider an unborn child to be a human person and are unwilling to participate in acts that, in their view, would involve them in the killing of another member of the human family.

• In social media and on college campuses, some people show no willingness to allow those who disagree with them on important issues the courtesy of speaking their mind, instead attacking them mercilessly, with threats and actions such as doxing that are designed to shut them down or scare them off.

• Even in many of our churches, people whose views don’t lineup with the majority are afraid to speak honestly, for fear of being dismissively labeled and judged by their fellow Christians, despite Jesus’s teaching to “judge not, lest you be judged” (Matt. 7:1).

The beginning of mercy is to listen to others, even those who may not be like you, and to try to understand why they feel as they do.  You don’t have to agree with them.  (Similarly, you don’t have to agree with my examples above.  These things trouble me, but I may be wrong.  If you don’t agree with me, I hope you will respond with mercy, just as I would like to respond with mercy towards you.)

What are some examples of this kind of mercy and forbearance?

• Ken Squier allowed people to express views on his radio station that he did not agree with.

• The Good Samaritan helped the injured man even though he was a Jew – a member of a group that often hated Samaritans.  He didn’t ask what this particular man’s views were regarding Samaritans.  He saw a human being in need of help, and he jumped into action.

• God doesn’t agree with a lot of what we say, but he lets us keep talking.  Our consciences may be poorly formed, but he still allows us to act on them.

Jesus gave a practical reason for mercy: Those who show mercy will themselves receive mercy when the tables are turned.  That should be a good enough reason for people in politics and social media to show a little forbearance.  The tone they set and the actions they condone may eventually be applied to themselves.

But for Christians, there is an even greater reason for forbearance.  When we show mercy, we are acting like God.

The apostle Paul called us to be like the Lord Jesus Christ and make no room for our false desires (Romans 13:14).  Jesus’s mercy, which is the kind of mercy that is generous to all people, is in short supply in our contentious social and political venues.

If we can model a mercy that not only treats kindly the people who agree with us but also shows forbearance toward our opponents, we will be providing the world with an image of what God is like.

You can explore more about what Jesus said in the Beatitudes here:

• Matthew 5:6-12: Blessed are those who are focused on what God cares about.