The Word is Responsibility!
Professor Michel Abs
The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)
It is the word, that which the mind deems necessary, and when it is uttered, it transcends the speaker and can lead them to paradise or to hell.
It is the primary means of communication after humanity moved from a state of primitiveness to one of speech, from which logic is derived.
It is in constant contact with the mind, and some anthropologists have even said that speech is the father of the thought. The word programs the mind, and based on that, electronics engineers have invented software, without which a computer is useless.
The word is dangerous, for it reveals the inner thoughts of the human heart and mind. How many times have we said about someone, “I wish they hadn’t spoken!”
The word is the treasure of historical memory for nations, civilizations, and cultures. It carries generations of meanings, and from this, the science of linguistics was established.
Our popular culture is rich with sayings and proverbs that give the word its due place and highlight its importance in human life.
“Your tongue is your horse, guard it, and it will guard you,” says the popular wisdom, for how many have been led to peril by the words they spoke?
Another saying tells us that the Creator gave us two ears and one mouth so that we may listen twice as much as we speak.
The word, if spoken, may dominate you, but if not spoken, you dominate it. Yes, human being is a prisoner of what he speaks, which is why wise men also said, “The best of speech is that which is brief and to the point.”
Additionally, the danger of the word lies in pairing speech with action, as another popular saying goes, “The best of speech is that which is confirmed by action.”
A popular saying also suggests that words are not taxed, but with the rise of human rights, the fight against defamation and bullying, and the existence of laws that respect these phenomena, speech has become an unavoidable responsibility. It may lead a person to face charges of slander, defamation, or bullying if they harm others without proof of what their tongue has uttered.
Before the culture of human rights and making people responsible for what they say, accountability occurred within society without resorting to courts. Imam Al-Shafi’I told us, “Do not speak of another’s faults, for you are full of faults and others have tongues.”
As for the prayer of repentance of Saint Ephrem the Syrian, it mentions that idle speech is one of the greatest sins in human life. He says, “O Lord and Master of my life, deliver me from the spirit of idleness, curiosity, love of leadership, and idle talk. Grant me, Your sinful servant, the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love. Yes, my King and God, give me to know my sins and faults, and not to judge my brothers, for You are blessed forever. Amen.”
God honored us by making the Word flesh and dwelling among us, fully assuming His responsibility toward humanity. In fact, He gave the Word as atonement for our sins, so should we not take heed?
How many words have killed, how many words have ruined flourishing homes, and how many words have destroyed a person? If the speaker knows the implications of their words, that’s a tragedy. But if they do not know, the tragedy is greater, as it is tied to ignorance and indifference. In this age of sprawling social networks, how much we need ethics to control our words!
The Arab poet said, “Wounds from the sword heal, but wounds from the tongue never do,” and the writer Said Taqi al-Din stated that, “If you want to kill someone, do not shoot them, rather, spread a rumor about them.”
As for the incarnate Lord, the Son of Man, He made the matter clear, for He said, “Anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be answerable to the council; and anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”
Will humanity take heed?