Roger Lawson gave me an article that appeared in a recent issue of the Dayton Daily News titled "Rudeness Rules As New Normal, Surveys Show." The article was written by Tom Feran. I have included the first half of the article below:
Rude and crude with attitude is becoming the new normal for behavior, according to the fourth Annual "Civility in America" study.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans say that incivility is a major problem, and four out of five think it is leading to an increase in actual violence, the survey found.
Midwesterners, and especially Ohioans, may have a higher tolerance for incivility when it comes to cursing.
According to the survey, 72 percent of the respondents nationally said they consider cursing uncivil. But a geographical breakdown shows that 66 percent in the Midwest consider cursing uncivil.
The higher tolerance for cursing in the Midwest coincides with a study released in May which found that Ohioans curse more than people in any other state.
That study, by the Seattle marketing company Marchex, mined more than 600,000 consumer phone calls to businesses in 30 industries nationwide. Behind Ohio in the category of states where people are most likely to curse were Maryland, New Jersey, Louisiana and Illinois.
People were found least likely to swear in Washington state - where the profanity rate was lower than half of Ohio's - and Massachusetts, Arizona, Texas and Virginia.
Besides having the foulest mouths, Ohioans also had the hardest time using the words "please" and "thank you," according to the study. It ranked Ohio in the top 5 "least courteous" states.
We do not need a survey to tell us people are "rude and crude with attitude," but it is interesting to learn that our state is among the worse. As our nation continues its moral decline, and offensive behavior becomes more and more acceptable, it is no surprise that rudeness and incivility are becoming even more prominent.
Rudeness and crudeness may be normal and acceptable behavior in the world, but it must never characterize the speech and behavior of the child of God. I have been told that my great grandfather had a saying, "There is no excuse for being rude." When we consider the teaching of Scripture, we see that is especially true for the Christian.
We are to rise above the base and uncivil attitudes and habits of those in the world around us. We are not to conform to the world and blend in with society (Rom. 12:2), but we must strive to remain the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13) in the way we interact with others. Our speech is not to be laced with profanity and insults, but it must "always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one" (Col. 4:6). Paul commanded the Ephesians: "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers" (Eph. 4:29).
The article quoted above went on to define civility as "polite and respectful conduct and expression." The actions and attitudes of Christians must reflect the love of God, not the incivility of the world. We are not to return evil for evil (Rom. 12:17-21). While others seem to be forgetting their manners at a record pace, Christians are to "put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another..." (Col. 3:12-13).
Whether it is appreciated or not, there is still a place for kindness and civility in our world today. If nothing else, we are to act and speak in a "civil" manner because God requires it of us. However, forgotten words like "please" and "thank you" have a positive effect upon the world around us. Like rays of sunshine breaking through a cloudy day, such words remind others that there is still some civility in this world. There are exceptions, but politeness usually brings out the best in others.
Let it never be said that a Christian was rude and uncivilized. As the world around us continues to lower its standards, Christians will stand out more and more as lights shining in a world of darkness. While this will certainly make us easy targets for persecution, it will also allow us to point others to something better than this world - their Savior, Jesus Christ.