The Flavors of Venom

War is not always waged with military missiles, guns, and ammunition. War is often initiated with words. This one says this, believing they are absolute guardians of the truth. That one disagrees. Attacks ensue. Slanderous comments are slung in all directions. Personal assaults erupt. Reputations and lives are damaged, sometimes crippled beyond healing. And well do we humans know that venom comes in many flavors.

The divisions are often fueled by differences of opinion on how to go about getting things done that need to be done. Governance, we call it. Decision making. Direction setting. Resource allocation. All that important stuff that keeps people from falling into complete chaos and anarchy. And, of course, whenever and wherever people are involved, politics are too. Citizens organized around policy. The populus guided by specific structure. And a ready source of venom.

Many of us lump religion in with politics as arenas of life to avoid discussing at family reunions or neighborhood gatherings. Religion, too, is a plentiful provider of venom. “Rightness” runs rampant among believers of every stripe. Lines are drawn. Doors are slammed shut. Labels are applied. Arms that could embrace are folded tightly as if in self-preservation. Hands that could collaborate with each other grip closed as if in fear of a dreaded disease. And humanity suffers as the various flavors of venom flow in so many directions.

It is often said that it sometimes takes a disaster or tragedy to bring people together. The fallout of that horrific day in September 2001 bear witness to this odd phenomenon, if only relatively briefly. We Americans understandably didn’t like the taste of foreign venom injected so violently into our democratic way of life. Natural disasters which destroy lives and property can have a similar effect on communities, states, and regions. Solidarity up against a common perceived opponent can be a powerful force. Yet the danger, of course, is that the response can be laced with yet another flavor of venom.

Life on this planet has never been an easy go of it, regardless of how one believes it all began. Humans are dependent upon the ecological systems inherent in earth’s design. Humans are also dependent upon other humans in all our splendid variety which affords plentiful opportunities for comfort and conflict, delight and destruction. It appears that there’s not a one-size-fits-all antidote for the flavors of venom that occasionally flow through our brains and spill out of our mouths. Perhaps we could use one of our hands to cover our venomous lips and the other to reach out to a nearby neighbor in need no matter what they think or believe. That could be a tasty treat for all!

Concocted by Rev. Rebecca Taylor, Pastor, without seasoning from AI