NBC Poll Underscores Why Words Matter
In a recent poll conducted by NBC News, more than six in ten registered voters said that “extreme political rhetoric used by some in the media and by political leaders” was an important contributor to the murder of Charlie Kirk just over two months ago. This included not only Republicans, but Democrats and Independents as well.
This polling highlights a deeper truth: the battle unfolding in our nation is not merely political but spiritual. It reminds us that words have power. James 3:6 tells us, “And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.” Proverbs 16:27 adds, “A worthless man digs up evil, while his words are like a scorching fire.”
Though these scriptures speak directly to believers, their truth applies universally. All people bear the image and likeness of God, and therefore, everyone carries the same power of the tongue. This includes the media and politicians who, for years, have stirred, inflamed, and normalized the rhetoric of hate and anger.
It should not surprise anyone that after more than a decade of Christians and conservatives being called Nazis, homophobes, racists, xenophobes, misogynists, fascists, and an “existential threat,” those without the heart of Christ might eventually justify turning to violence as a way to silence those they disagree with.
The NBC polling also reinforces something Americans have been saying for years: “I just wish the people in Congress would get along.” The longing for peace and civility is nearly universal. But the hurtful language dominating public life is a symptom of something deeper, a lack of shared values, a diminishing moral foundation, and a Church that has not fully stewarded the hearts it is called to reach or the public roles it is called to fill for the common good.
While Charlie was alive, traveling to campuses around the country, his message was anything but hateful. He encouraged open dialogue and civil debate. Yes, he used humor, and yes, he exposed flawed arguments, but his rhetoric was consistently peaceful, thoughtful, and rooted in conviction. This stands in stark contrast to how many on the far left communicate today.
Instead of meaningful conversation, we often see tirades filled with profanity and personal attacks. The refusal to engage in reasoned dialogue, even on basic questions like “What is a woman?” reveals the nature of the struggle we are in. Scripture frames it clearly: it is “not against flesh and blood but against rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).
When individuals from the very political camp responsible for fostering this hostile climate now admit that extreme rhetoric contributed to Charlie Kirk’s murder, that alone speaks volumes.
Yet the solution does not begin with Congress, media figures, or political leaders. It begins with God’s people standing firm in truth. This is not a call to simply attend church more consistently; it is a call to be the light God commands us to be in a dark time.
Luke 8:16 reminds us: “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.”
If believers hide their light, their voice, their convictions, their influence, the darkness only grows thicker. But if God’s people shine brightly wherever they are, including and especially in the realm of politics, then truth will confront lies, hope will challenge despair, and light will push back the darkness.
Now is the time to shine.