A Kindly tongue

"A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the human heart" is one of the quotations given in a study book. This, I take to mean that speaking kindly towards someone is more likely to have the hearer respond positivly. We have all seen the effects of one person swearing or shouting - they are ignored, treated with pity, or seen as somehow deficient. Not useful if that person is the manager of the office! What is worse is when others respond in a similar manner and the 'conversation' degenerates into a slanging match - totally unproductive and can become harmful.

How very sad that many modern comedy shows, quiz shows and other 'entertainment' is liberally peppered with "four letter words", language that was in my childhood, considered as obscene. frankly there are programs on radio and television that I just refuse to watch/listen to, simply because of the language used by the presenters and their guests.

The Baha'i teachings have much to say on this. Here are just a couple of examples.
"He must never seek to exalt himself above anyone, ... and refrain from idle talk. For the tongue is a smoldering fire and excess of speech a deadly poison." "Be fair in thy judgement and guarded in thy speech."