Freedom of speech or moderation

A comment added to my previous post wondered why my blog is moderated, and if my "cult" requires it?

It is so sad when you meet someone without the courage to give their own name, and who seems unable to operate the 'cut and paste' as they could not spell the name Baha'i correctly. There is a world of difference between cults, and those great world-shaping, revealed religions. I hope sometime that 'anonymous' discovers the truth.

As for freedom of speech and moderation, well the Baha'i Faith teaches us "moderation in all things" but that is not the real reason for moderating posts to this blog. I have sadly been inundated with spam advertising, some indecent and I therefore took the decision, reluctantly to moderate the posts. You are all quite welcome to post comments - and I promise to read all of them. But can I make a plea that you add your name?

I realise that even being able to post my thoughts about, and quotations from, the Baha'i Faith is much more than my fellow believers in other countries can do, and that handling spam is a minor irritation compared to the imprisonment and torture being suffered by Baha'is elsewhere.

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."