At some point in our lives we all inadvertently say or do things that offend others. Likely a scenario played out one way in our heads but when it was actually did it the response was anything but what we expected. In those times we issue an apology likely coupled with the words, “I meant no harm.” Our attempted gestures of innocence were taken the wrong way and we sincerely wanted them to know about our guilt.
However, yesterday I heard those words in the most watered down form imaginable. On Saturday, June 8 an “entertainer” named Cee Lo Green performed at the Riverbend Music Festival in Chattanooga, TN. The organizers of the event said they had worked out an agreement that he would keep the show clean, but during the show he reportedly drank onstage, cursed profusely (including dropping the “f-bomb” numerous times), and at one point even mooned the audience.
His actions obviously brought some severe backlash from the organizers and those in attendance. To his credit in response Green apologized. However, in his issued apology he said, “I meant no harm!” Seriously?
Now don’t get me wrong. I appreciate an admission of guilt as much as anybody. And on occasion I have had to swallow my pride and use the “I meant no harm” bit because of an innocent statement or action that was genuinely taken the wrong way. But there are some actions that are naturally offensive. They’ve always been offensive and when we engage in them we do so with full knowledge that they will be offensive. I would clearly classify open intoxication, profanity, and public nudity in that category. And so when a person engages in these actions they cannot fall back on an apology that includes “I meant no harm.” Regardless of your intentions the results of your actions were clear from the start.
Proverbs 14:34 reminds us that “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” Somehow and in some way we have reversed that to almost universally believe that “sin exalts a nation” but “righteousness is a reproach to any people.” But what is amazing is that often the very individuals who are the most outspoken critics of religious teaching in our society are some of the first one’s to openly question the moral degradation that is destroying our nation.
How is it that we have developed into a society where even one person (though many more do) could possibly think that that a person could do these things and there be no harm done? But when a society so openly rejects God and any teaching about God things like this are a natural result. Outside of a Biblical foundation objective morals do not exist, only the opinions of men. And those opinions vary at best. We must do what we can to lead the way in restoring righteousness in our nation so that not only do instances like those described above result in more backlash from the public but that they might gradually occur less and less to the point that they hopefully do not occur at all. But until that time comes, this is just what happens when we forget about God.
-Andy Brewer