Pix title: Sunset Planet Earth, NASA, Expedition 15 crew

In the first chapter of James the tongue is prominent.  With it, James says, we both curse people and praise God.  You may not think that we curse people much, as we use the word curse  today.  But consider our propensity for gossip, or pointing out someone's supposed flaws, and so forth.  After which, we attend worship services and praise God.  It ought not to be like that, James says.  Why do we not just walk away when one of us begins to "curse" someone not present in that way?

I think it was Shakespeare who wrote, "It isn't conscience but respectability that doth make cowards of us all."  Our conscience may indeed prod us to desist in such activity, but our disinclination to offend (thus maintaining our "respectability") keeps us present.  So what can we say about a people who will remain present, and risk offending God, in order not to offend another human?