The Cracked Acorn: Silence

A fellow lady employee has severe hearing loss. When she got married, and the children came along, she had to resort to an aid to hear the children at night in their bedroom. She was so adapted to silence that the least sound now kept her awake; she could hear all the household and neighborhood noises. (She was willing to take a giant step to have a family and children!)

We live in a noisy and busy world. Places that promise peace and quiet are almost nonexistent. Out of the turmoil of “Why can’t we pray in the public schools” has come “the moment of silence.” I am all for it. But it cannot last since silence is defined by the absence of speech or an agreement not to speak. We are warned that this interferes with our country’s right to free speech. One poll brought out that it was “cool,” it brought into the school a sense of unity among the students, and that it was a good time to reflect on nice things.

Those against the “moment” say that it is an open field to spread religion during the silence and bring their own materials that could conflict with school policy. If prayer in any form is allowed on school grounds, then all persuasion groups must be allowed to pray in their own ways at some time during the day. We worship God but find out that it is not the same God to some. What happened to ONE NATION UNDER ONE GOD?

Paul tried to reason with the Greeks on Mars Hill (Acts 17:22-31), drawing their attention to their noted “unknown God.” If I have fallen off my soapbox and can’t get up, it is because the “moment of silence” is a speeding bullet deflected into the public school system that should have stayed in our homes. If we had turned off the TVs and stereo systems and enjoyed the “silence” with our families, this would never have become a national issue.

“To sit silently takes a lifetime to learn. It seems that only the old are able to sit next to one another and not say anything and still feel content. The young must break the silence. Silence is pure and holy. It draws people together because only those who are comfortable with each other can sit without speaking. ” (from The Notebook)

And the people bowed and prayed;
To the neon God they made,
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming, and the signs said,
‘The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls.
And whispered in the sounds of silence! (Simon & Garfunkel)