Gripe: verb -complain about something in a persistent irritating way.
Griping: noun-the action complaining in a persistent irritating way.
This word “gripe” has become a national pastime, and since it has become more so, since it is an inherent right.
I did not fully realize this until, I started looking at the origin of it.
This interest was sparked during the Sunday morning church service. It happened during our testimony time, where one gets up to praise God for all he has blessed them.
One lady got up and spoke of how blessed she was by the help in the kitchen. With all the other ladies who helped her and put up with her griping.
I sit up straighter as my brain said “what” when my ear caught the word griping!
I had been telling people that I had joined the Army to get all my griping over with. Military people I believed were the top dogs of griping.
Now comes this Christian lady telling us all about how she gripes!
That should not be so!
As my righteous indignation rose up, it was quickly quelled (i.e. doused or stopped) by God.
He reminded me of all the sermons about being in Gods’ Army.
So there!
Yet!
There remains this question of where did this right to gripe come from?
Throughout history one had to be silent or secretly voice your gripe. Kings, lords, dictators, and more than like Ndn chiefs could have you killed, imprisoned, fined, or banished from the tribe.
So, this curtailed public griping amid fears of reprisals.
Personally, this Ndn might have been banished without his bow and arrows, tomahawk, knife and so on. It would most certainly limit his ability to procure food and clothing.
Hmmm I wonder if those who banished tribes to reservations and told the Ndns to raise crops were vegans?
Just a thought.
Ndn people by and large were meat eaters with some tribes raising crops too.
So, griping could bring and exact severe punishment to the griper.
This is some reasons why griping remain subdued.
I think it became more prevalent as natural resources dried up. Namely food supplies, building materials, and even people from wars.
Rulers started facing angry, desperate people. They were viewed as subjects not worthy of having a voice.
That is why in history gripes turned into war of words, against the rulers and leaders. They wanted more and demanded a right to be heard.
Today more people gripe about anything and some very silly things and the internet proves this fact.
To have a reasonable conversation with facts is no longer the norm if we could find a norm.
Griping has become very intense these days.
The Bible in Proverbs 18:6 says “A fools, lips enter into contention, and his mouth calls for blows.”
Some are known for their many words but never saying anything that makes sense.
Words that make up speech are guarded by the American Constitution about the right to gripe…..or more commonly known as Free Speech.
This one thing I have learned is …..not to grip.
Now I just complain.