The Anger of Will Smith
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Stories
You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment… (vv. 22-23a)
Much has been made of the “slap heard round the world” at the Oscars last year. The incident triggered post traumatic feelings for millions: those suffering from alopecia like Jada Pinkett Smith, those of us who have been victims of angry verbal abuse, and anyone who has ever been physically assaulted. People have been arguing about who is more to blame, the comedian who told a hurtful joke or the “best actor” who struck him.
Basketball great, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, wrote: "When Will Smith stormed onto the Oscar stage to strike Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife's short hair, he did a lot more damage than just to Rock's face. With a single petulant blow, he advocated violence, diminished women, insulted the entertainment industry, and perpetuated stereotypes about the Black community."
Abdul-Jabbar added, "Young boys—especially Black boys—watching their movie idol not just hit another man over a joke, but then justify it as him being a superhero-like protector, are now much more prone to follow in his childish footsteps."
Up and coming comedian, Steve Hofstetter, tweeted, "Comedians tell jokes, and we understand that some people aren't going to like them. We decide if what we're saying is important enough to risk negative reactions. We make mistakes; that's why it takes a while to hone a set. But assault should not be in the realm of possibility. Comedians are responsible for the words we say, so "It was just a joke" is never a strong defense. But it is way stronger than, "I assaulted someone because he mocked someone I care about.”
I agree. Resorting to violence in response to hurtful words is a weak response. It shows emotional immaturity. There are better ways to defend against verbal assault.
Author and pastor, John Pavlovitz, put it this way, "Those claiming that Rock’s joke was out of line are missing the point. Yes, his words were thoughtless and hurtful—but millions of people encounter these things every day and they don’t resort to physical retribution because they know that’s not how humanity works. If we all slapped someone who did or said something offensive to us or someone we love, the violence around us would be complete and relentless."
Yes, there is such a thing as righteous anger. There is a time to use our anger to draw attention to injustice, as Jesus did when he drove the money changers out of the temple. But undisciplined, reactionary anger can cause more harm than good.
Douglas Skinner, a Disciples of Christ pastor, reminds those of us who follow Jesus that "…anger is one of the seven deadly sins in the tradition of the Western church." He says, "...anger does not serve us as Christians and our spiritual growth well."
There is a Buddhist story about a monk who wants to find a quiet place to meditate. After failing to find a quiet enough spot, he decides to get in a boat and go out onto the lake. No one else was around, so he was sure he would finally be able to have some peace and quiet to meditate. Then, out of nowhere, he feels something hit his boat. He opens his eyes — furious — and says, “Who disturbed me while I was meditating?!” He was livid that someone would crash into him like that. He was ready to really let this person have it. And then he discovered that the other boat, the one that had hit him, was empty.
I have learned over the years that I get myself into trouble most often when I am angry. The slightest bump can set me off. This is not to say that I get into trouble because I am angry. Everyone gets angry. It is natural and appropriate in many situations. It is what we do with our anger that matters.
I remember a little-known baseball player named Delmon Young, whose anger got him into some serious trouble after being called out on strikes in a minor league baseball game. He argued with the umpire about the call and threw his bat hitting the ump in the chest. He was ejected from the game and suspended indefinitely.
I have never thrown a baseball bat at an umpire, at least not yet, but I have done things equally foolish. These days I find myself getting angry with telemarketers. I have been known to speak unkindly and to hang up rudely, especially if they call when I'm napping.
It is not just becoming angry that gets me into trouble. It is the way I sometimes choose to act when I am angry The psalmist had something to say about this a few thousand years before the movie came out, “Be angry, but do not sin.”
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StoryShare, February 12, 2023 issue.
Copyright 2023 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
Much has been made of the “slap heard round the world” at the Oscars last year. The incident triggered post traumatic feelings for millions: those suffering from alopecia like Jada Pinkett Smith, those of us who have been victims of angry verbal abuse, and anyone who has ever been physically assaulted. People have been arguing about who is more to blame, the comedian who told a hurtful joke or the “best actor” who struck him.
Basketball great, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, wrote: "When Will Smith stormed onto the Oscar stage to strike Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife's short hair, he did a lot more damage than just to Rock's face. With a single petulant blow, he advocated violence, diminished women, insulted the entertainment industry, and perpetuated stereotypes about the Black community."
Abdul-Jabbar added, "Young boys—especially Black boys—watching their movie idol not just hit another man over a joke, but then justify it as him being a superhero-like protector, are now much more prone to follow in his childish footsteps."
Up and coming comedian, Steve Hofstetter, tweeted, "Comedians tell jokes, and we understand that some people aren't going to like them. We decide if what we're saying is important enough to risk negative reactions. We make mistakes; that's why it takes a while to hone a set. But assault should not be in the realm of possibility. Comedians are responsible for the words we say, so "It was just a joke" is never a strong defense. But it is way stronger than, "I assaulted someone because he mocked someone I care about.”
I agree. Resorting to violence in response to hurtful words is a weak response. It shows emotional immaturity. There are better ways to defend against verbal assault.
Author and pastor, John Pavlovitz, put it this way, "Those claiming that Rock’s joke was out of line are missing the point. Yes, his words were thoughtless and hurtful—but millions of people encounter these things every day and they don’t resort to physical retribution because they know that’s not how humanity works. If we all slapped someone who did or said something offensive to us or someone we love, the violence around us would be complete and relentless."
Yes, there is such a thing as righteous anger. There is a time to use our anger to draw attention to injustice, as Jesus did when he drove the money changers out of the temple. But undisciplined, reactionary anger can cause more harm than good.
Douglas Skinner, a Disciples of Christ pastor, reminds those of us who follow Jesus that "…anger is one of the seven deadly sins in the tradition of the Western church." He says, "...anger does not serve us as Christians and our spiritual growth well."
There is a Buddhist story about a monk who wants to find a quiet place to meditate. After failing to find a quiet enough spot, he decides to get in a boat and go out onto the lake. No one else was around, so he was sure he would finally be able to have some peace and quiet to meditate. Then, out of nowhere, he feels something hit his boat. He opens his eyes — furious — and says, “Who disturbed me while I was meditating?!” He was livid that someone would crash into him like that. He was ready to really let this person have it. And then he discovered that the other boat, the one that had hit him, was empty.
I have learned over the years that I get myself into trouble most often when I am angry. The slightest bump can set me off. This is not to say that I get into trouble because I am angry. Everyone gets angry. It is natural and appropriate in many situations. It is what we do with our anger that matters.
I remember a little-known baseball player named Delmon Young, whose anger got him into some serious trouble after being called out on strikes in a minor league baseball game. He argued with the umpire about the call and threw his bat hitting the ump in the chest. He was ejected from the game and suspended indefinitely.
I have never thrown a baseball bat at an umpire, at least not yet, but I have done things equally foolish. These days I find myself getting angry with telemarketers. I have been known to speak unkindly and to hang up rudely, especially if they call when I'm napping.
It is not just becoming angry that gets me into trouble. It is the way I sometimes choose to act when I am angry The psalmist had something to say about this a few thousand years before the movie came out, “Be angry, but do not sin.”
*****************************************
StoryShare, February 12, 2023 issue.
Copyright 2023 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
