Category: Political commentary

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The Danger of “the believable lie”

If I posted every thought I had about politics and lies, this would be a depressing blog indeed. I have to admit that my thoughts and reactions have been evolving over the past 5 years of political churn so although I don’t post very often, I can see where two posts may seem in opposition to each other. On the subject of lying, my view hasn’t changed: The “believable lie” is the most culturally destructive force on the planet.

Anyone who can clearly discern truth and is willing to accept truth, even though it may be an uncomfortable truth, probably feels under assault daily. We focused on the obvious untruths that flowed like water out of the Trump administration, but recent events in Ukraine have reminded me that lying to shift the mindset of a nation isn’t limited to the USA. We see that Russia, the originator of the art misinformation to blind the masses, has one-upped the US.

What I find most interesting is that believable lies often end in violence. Early on in our history it was the lie of the inferiority of black people. That led to subjugation and death, which continues today. More recently it was the lie that the last Presidential election was “stolen” and that led to the insurrection at the Capitol and the death of several. Our penchant for accepting “little white lies” has resulted in us being able to stomach BIG lies; Lies that take on a life of their own, lies that hurt, maim and kill, not only physically, but intellectually and spiritually.

Listen to what Putin says about the Ukraine: That it has a puppet regime supported by the West. That the West is supporting Neo-Nazi groups in Ukraine that suppress democracy. He, and his supporters, say these lies with complete conviction and repeat them often which makes the barefaced lie into a believable lie over time. The same tactics my friends in the Republican Party use to press their lies forward. Say anything with conviction and repetitiously, and it becomes “true”. That makes this Republican grumpy.

I am not sure what will be the way out, both for the US and the nest of lies that drive the culture and for Ukraine and the nest of lies that drives the Russian forces forward. The solution used to be to find the truth and embrace it. But with more information available to us than ever before, our ability to discern truth and then accept it has become more and more diminished.

As a Christian, my hope doesn’t reside in the ability of people to “get it”. Truth resides only in one place: our Triune God. So, if you are a praying person, pray that truth, God’s truth, will take hold in hearts that both broken and corrupted by sin. There is only One Way out.

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Where to begin?

I haven’t been able to keep up with all the inane Executive orders rolling in from Pennsylvania avenue.  But, let’s start with the ban on refugees from the 7 Muslim countries our “Fearless Leader” recently signed.  Apparently, he isn’t too fearless because the reason given for the EO was to ensure our safety (his too, presumably).  So, that set me to wondering….of the 85,000 refugees and the subset of 38,000 that were Muslim that came to the US in 2016, how many actually committed a terrorist act?  How many are we aware of that actually planned a terrorist act and were caught?  And, of course, the condemning statistic that  makes this such a joke is how many US citizens committed terrorist acts here without having to worry about an entry visa?  This is all “straw man” politics!  Raising the specter of nations of Muslims just waiting for a visa so that they can commit terrorist acts here.  That dog don’t hunt, as they say here in Texas.

This delivered to us by a self proclaimed genius of a businessman!  Well, any businessman worth his salt makes decisions based on hard facts and there aren’t any facts to back him up.  Just “alternative facts” can can be neither retrieved or refuted.

The goal is pretty clear:  POTUS will sign executive orders that will confirm and support his campaign promises and when they eventually get overturned by congress, the courts or the will of the people, he will blame the Democrats, judges of Mexican heritage, and Liberals in thwarting his efforts.  If the White House even dug down a fingernail’s depth, they would find plenty of conservatives like me, grumpy and not so grumpy, that think his approach is all wrong.  A little rationality and compassion might even turn the tide.  But, as it is, compassion has no place in the White House and rationality, well, let’s just say it appears to have taken a vacation….