When I open up this program, one of the first things I see is: “Write a Post.” And when I first opened this page I did have something to write, rather, something else to write. But as things were loading and I was checking mail and so on, I browsed an article about the wanna-be-president Obama. I’m not sure exactly what caught my eye, but then I went back through and read the article or the transcript of a talk he gave at a Unity breakfast in Selma, Alabama. Now, this post isn’t going to be about him or really anything in particular about what he shared in Selma, Alabama, or even the contradictions in his speech — well, except one: a series of misinterpretations, really.
In the last few days I’ve been particularly impressed with the glaring contradictions, misinterpretations and reinterpretations or revisions of time honoured documents and Truths. When Timothy came home for the weekend, he shared that one of the teachers at the Bible school has returned from doing a bit of work in Washington DC and shared about the massive reinvention or revision of history being taught there to visitors of the US capitol. I’ve been mulling over all the revisions of the Word of God – volumes that are passing for Bibles, revisionist bibles. Consider… a tour guide at the Capitol called that tablet of stone – “the first Ten Amendments.”
So what did I glean from the Obama speech? It was the sobering reality that there is a dearth of biblical knowledge and understanding. It’s probably most grievous that “spiritual leaders” were present and probably not only allow for the inconsistencies but likely applauded the speech. I know politicians lie and are people pleasers (read: liars) when necessary to be so. And I know that given specific circumstances, they’ll pander to the players and the audience. So, it probably ought to just be expected that these things will occur and that we just do better to accept and move on.
But that’s where perpetrated lies become part of the accepted thinking on a matter – and part of campaign slogans that engender loyal followers. But what we must guard against is taking the slogans and believing them as truths and allowing them to be part of our speech. It’s important to search out when you hear things that don’t quite gel. Maybe others would think such little things are fairly innocuous, but it’s little things that become foundational principles by which people stake their lives. Take the term “separation of church and state;” if you didn’t read further, you might believe that it is part of the original wording of the First Amendment to the Constitution.
So, now, were you to read (or listen to) Obama’s speech, you’d have a very poignant picture of Joshua and of Moses, too, for that matter. You’d consider that it was truly their work, their ambition and original idea to march through the wilderness into the Promised Land. And… you’d think the “Promised Land” is a metaphor for whatever one wants to succeed and achieve in life. And, that he does reference God, you’d think the story is retold with Biblical accuracy. But then, that’d be a wrong assumption. Very wrong assumptions become very big platforms.
Guard the Truth. Know it. Tell it.
Lord, to whom shall we go?