The Power of Words: Summer of '69

"When you get to the bottom you go back to the top of the slide,

then you turn and you drop and you go for a ride,

then you get to the bottom and you see me again.

Helter Skelter."

Forty years ago this summer, Charles Manson heard this Beatles' song and thought it contained a personal message to him to go on a killing spree. Nine people were murdered, including actress Sharon Tate and her unborn child. Words are powerful.

The summer of 1969 was a remarkable moment in American history. A few short months that probably forever changed the course of the nation. Consider these events: massive Vietnam war protests (and war casualties); Woodstock; the U.S. put the first man on the moon; a fellow named Kennedy drove off a bridge in a place with a funny name (Chappaquiddick); the "Miracle Mets" won the World Series; the aforementioned Manson Family killings; and I was seven and my parents had recently brought home a new baby brother. O.K., maybe that last one wasn't that important in American history, but it sure made some changes in my life.

The Manson killings gripped the nation. Some forty years later, people are still fascinated and/or horrified by him. At the time of the killings, he had already spent nearly half his life in jail. His hippie lifestyle of "sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll" attracted a following which became his "family", comprised mostly of young women, who would later carry out the murders as per his instruction. He was convicted of "conspiracy" in the killings and has been serving a life sentence in California State Prison since 1972.

Manson understood the power of words, even if he did sometimes fail to interpret them correctly. They have an awesome power to elevate, as in our praise to God and in songs, poetry, and story. But they also have an equally awesome power to ruin and destroy. You can read about this in the Bible in the book of Proverbs and epecially in the second chapter of the book of James. And of course, in the words of Jesus himself (who is not coincidentally called "The Word").

Be careful with words--the ones you take in and the ones you put out. They are powerful.