Silence is Violence?!

I can't resist commenting on this story, where a group of people surround a guest at an outdoor diner. They seemingly surround her and scream in her face because she didn't raise her fist along with the mob. It's a short clip, and we don't know what happened beforehand. But I've seen enough of these to know this happens more frequently.

The chant of "silence is violence" is really striking. (It actually sounds like "white silence is violence", as if that has any relevance) This group-think enforced under the threat of (actual) violence is dreadful. We were first told that "speech is violence", but now "silence is violence"! It's hard to know what these folks stand for - besides wanting to enforce their world-view upon others like authoritarian monsters. To any rational person, this is not a convincing way to change people's hearts and minds. This is the same reason that contracts signed under duress can be legally voided.

But this got me thinking - the Bible sure does say a lot about speech, and the effect it has on others. Can speech (or silence) actually be considered "violence"?

Here's what I can find regarding 'silence':

Proverbs 17:28 - "Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent".

Proverbs 15:28 - "The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking", and

Proverbs 21:23 - "Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble".

It's hard to think of an example where remaining silent would hurt others. It seems pretty clear that often remaining silent is often to your benefit. In fact, it appears to be quite ridiculous to claim that "silence is violence".

However, there are dozens of scriptures warning against speech. But nearly all these verses have to do with keeping your tongue from evil and deceit. (Psalm 34:13)

2 Timothy 2:16, "Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior".

If there's one verse that seems to imply violence, it's James 3:8, "no one can tame the tongue. it is restless and evil, full of deadly poison." However, this 'poison' can be accompanied by actual violence. It's not the speech itself. Psalm 140:1-3, "O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent, those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long. Their tongues sting like a snake; the venom of a viper drips from their lips." The speech is a manifestation of the evil in their hearts.

It's hard to know how I'd react if I got caught up in a group like this. There's no rational conversation to be had with these folks, so I'd likely leave as soon as possible without saying a word. Let's just hope everyone sees the absurdity of this movement and move in opposition to it.

Let me know if I missed some obvious verses or if you have thoughts on this!