The Arrogant Emu

These, then are a couple of observations for Sunday, that is, last week’s Sunday, the last day I spent at home.

(after listening to an anecdote in Pastor Brockett’s sermon)

How can anyone ever speak ill of their family, in front of them, to an outsider? I can understand a child doing it - indeed, as a child, I’ve done it myself. Say, speaking to a friend whom I have over to play with me: "This is my brother Blin. He’s a monkey. And this is my brother Michael. He’s stupid and noisy. Aren’t families stupid?" But this is speaking to someone whose approval you think you value more than the approval of your stupid siblings, and speaking about those who have, in the whole scheme of things, the same low power status as you do. But parents speaking ill of their children, or adult children speaking ill of their parents, in public, or to near-strangers and casual acquaintances? Don’t they understand that your family is also yourself, that speaking ill of your family, far from putting yourself above them, brings you down with them?

Of course, I should probably bear in mind that not everyone takes for granted, as I do, that his family members, whatever their failings, are still superior in nature, character, and moral judgement to any of the outside world. But still, parents should never belittle their children, in the hearing of those very people, to other adults!