Lately, I keep seeing stuff that just makes me shake my head and wonder what’s going on with people. It’s like nobody even realizes how much negativity or evil has crept into their lives.

I read this article about the Young Republicans Club, or whatever they call themselves, and there were transcripts from some group chats posted online. What they said was racist and honestly just unbelievable. It’s not even that they call themselves Republicans—I’ve called myself that too sometimes, but now I’m starting to rethink it. It’s more about how anyone could say those things about other people.

I’m not even going to get into the details of what they said, but it just blows my mind. I see this kind of thing all the time on social media. Someone will post something totally harmless, maybe even something good, and people just jump in and tear them apart for no reason. I guess it’s easy to be nasty when you’re hiding behind a screen and nobody knows who you are, but that doesn’t make it okay. It just feels like we’ve lost all sense of decency, and I honestly can’t wrap my head around it.

Even trying to write this, I’m struggling to find the words. What happened to treating people the way you want to be treated? What happened to just being kind? And the worst part is, in that article, the people who wrote those awful things—some of them are leaders in the group or involved in politics. None of them really denied it or said it was wrong. A few apologized, but it was more like, “Sorry if you were offended,” instead of actually being sorry for what they said. So now we know how they really feel.

It just seems like things are getting worse. It really shows what’s inside people. It reminds me of that Gospel reading where Jesus is having dinner with a Pharisee, and the Pharisee is all about the ritual washing before eating. Jesus basically says it’s not what’s on the outside that matters, it’s what’s inside. And this is a perfect example—these people have some ugly stuff inside.

I’m not going to pretend I was perfect when I was younger. I probably told some bad jokes back in the day, but I’ve learned since then how hurtful that can be, and I don’t do it anymore. I know that’s not what Jesus wants from us. It’s been decades since I acted like that because I get now how much words can hurt.

So yeah, it’s about what’s inside and what comes out of us. There’s even that scripture about how what comes out of a person is what really matters. I always say, live with the end in mind. When the end comes—and it will—you’ll be judged. You’ll either be with Jesus or not. I just hope these people realize what they’re doing, repent, and try to make things right, but honestly, I’m not holding my breath. That’s just the world we’re living in now.

“Hear and understand: not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” (Matthew 15:10–11, RSV2CE)

The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of extortion and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you.  (Luke 11:38–41, RSV2CE)