By Brent Woodard
Windermere Valley Shared Ministry
There’s a scene in the 1987 movie “Broadcast News” where Aaron, a good friend, talks with Jane, who is being seduced by Tom. Aaron says to Jane about Tom, “I know you care about him. I’ve never seen you like this about anyone, so please don’t get me wrong when I tell you that Tom, while being a very nice guy, is the devil.” Jane balks at hearing this and says about her relationship with Aaron, “This isn’t friendship. You’re crazy.” But Aaron goes on, “What do you think the devil is going to look like if he’s around? Nobody is going to be taken in by a guy with a long, red, pointy tail! What’s he gonna sound like (he then makes the sound of scary hisses)? No, He will be attractive! He’ll be nice and helpful. He’ll get a job where he influences a great God-fearing nation. He’ll never do an evil thing! He’ll never deliberately hurt a living thing . . . he will just bit, by little bit lower our standards…”
The writer of this script, James L. Brooks, who wrote for The Simpsons, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and many other productions over a 50-year career, was once asked what he was proudest of as a writer, and he responded “The devil speech in Broadcast News.”
I believe the message of the speech is that evil is rarely obvious at first; if it were, it would be easily recognized and rejected. Instead, evil begins by looking attractive, and promising good. But once it takes hold, and has power over, it begins to do things that truly harm people and the common good.
It is dangerous to call anyone evil or the devil. Demonizing people we are in opposition with is an old, unenlightened inclination. Perhaps this is why Jesus didn’t want people to demonize enemies. He wanted his followers to love enemies. But he did warn against false leaders. He said they “come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Calling a situation evil is strong. But, when millions of people die in war or from genocide, it seems appropriate to call it evil. When wealthy people or nations withhold medicine or food from the poorest people in the world, and they die, as they are, this seems evil. Scapegoating marginalized and vulnerable people to feel better about one’s group or to gain political power has the scent of being evil. Consistent lying for personal gain … well, you get the point.
In the movie Broadcast News, Jane has a truly good friend who sees what she cannot see and bravely, kindly speaks up. Though she doesn’t want to hear it at first, her friend’s honesty, and honest love, eventually reaches her. It shows there is a different kind of power in friendship, in truth-telling, and in love. While it’s not guaranteed, this way of being may be how we eventually help one another discern evil when it comes looking good – or, put another way, when ravenous wolves come dressed in sheep’s clothing.
