Let's Stop Being So Thin-Skinned

Sometimes I hear or read things with which I disagree, or, I encounter something which casts groups with whom I am affiliated in a negative light and I find myself thinking, “Hey, what’s going on here? This is not fair. The person(s) responsible for that communication need to apologize. That bothers me!”

But then—when I’m thinking right—this type of realization occurs to me, “Hey, relax. People are allowed to express opinions even if you don’t agree with them. Lighten up. Everyone doesn’t think the same way you do. Everyone doesn’t see the world the same way you do. Don’t be a baby.”

My dear friends, I honestly believe it will be in our own best interests for all of us to stop being so overly sensitive. (Including me.) Also it will help us to stop treating everyone like wimps who cannot handle any type of disagreement with their views and opinions, or any criticism of groups with whom they may be associated.

Please understand, I am not endorsing disrespectful, dishonest, hateful language. I believe it is important for us to be loving, gracious and respectful toward each other. I really do.

Also, I am not writing this post in anger. I would honestly like to be helpful. I am concerned. I write this in an effort to offer some thoughts about the general direction of our culture. It seems we are becoming overly sensitive, unable to confront any type of communication which might challenge our thinking or point-of-view. This inability to hear any challenge to our position on matters will not serve us well.

Of course, this cultural over-sensitivity is only likely to change if people will stop claiming to be victimized by any minor remark with which they disagree. As I admitted earlier, I know the feeling. I don’t like hearing ideas that challenge my positions. It is easy to feel defensive and cry, “You can’t say that! I’m very delicate!” But come on, we can handle some differing opinions once in a while, can’t we?

In the book of Acts there is a story about Paul debating Epicurean and Stoic philosophers while he was in Athens. It also mentions that Paul went out to speak in the public square “daily.” In other words, he was sharing the gospel message with people who had not heard it before. He was using reason, logic and sharing evidence from his own eyewitness testimony. Everyone did not believe him. Everyone did not agree with him. In one passage we are told the philosophers said this about Paul: “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” (Acts 17:18)

Paul did not respond to these comments by crying and trying to create a safe zone in which no one could respond in ways that challenged what he was saying. He did not say, “They called me a babbler. That’s it, I’m going to get a lawyer.”

He kept on going back and talking, listening, reasoning, debating. He realized everyone would not agree with him. Reasonable, mature adults understand this reality.

I acknowledge that some language can be incredibly mean, hurtful, inappropriate, rude, irresponsible, offensive and even destructive. Again, I am not condoning such behavior. But I’m concerned we are becoming too small, too weak, too insular and too willing to be sheltered from differing ideas and opinions.

We need to be bigger than this. I say this with love: Our culture needs to grow up.