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.