This post is about the impasse that many Christians, myself included, are having with many in the culture concerning a wide array of issues - abortion, homosexuality, greed, parenthood, marriage,  etc....I have been thinking and praying concerning how to address this issue, and the best way I know how is to give an example. 


The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of Witchcraft in Colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693.  They are a famous example of what most would call religious hysteria and extremism.  These trials resulted with the execution of twenty people, mostly women. 


Most people look at this history as a sad, horrific, cautionary tale of religious extremism and a failure of the due process of law.  The events and historicity of the events are not what I am writing about.  What I am writing about is this - most people look at this history as a sad, horrific, cautionary tale because most people believe that these twenty people were wrongly prosecuted and put to death incorrectly.  They believe this because they do not believe the supernatural claims made by the prosecutors and witnesses.  They believe this based upon the idea that there are no such things as witches - and even if there were - these twenty did not deserve to die due to witchcraft.  Basically stated, they were wrongly put to death by overzealous religious extremists because what they believed was categorically untrue.  The prosecutors and witnesses were wrong about the facts - intentionally or unintentionally.


But let me ask this question - what if those put to death were really witches?  [Please listen here, I am not saying that I think they were.  This is a gigantic, "what if" for the sake of a point] What if there were really people in league with the Prince of Darkness and were endangering the entire town with supernatural evil?  What if the plague of the demonic was really running rampant and people were intentionally, forthrightly, in league with Satan?  What if people, in conversation with the devil, were willing participants to attempt to destroy a community?  Well, that changes things does it not?  You could hardly find a greater reason to put someone to death capitally than if they were really intentionally in league with Satan with the full-on intent of destroying people now could you? 


The point I am making here is simple - our actions and opinions are formed by what we believe is true.  If I believe you are a witch in league with the devil, I am going to avoid you.  I will warn others about you.  I will try and stop you.  I will do this because I love my neighbor and I love you.  If, however, you are not in league with the devil my warning others about you is an act of cruelty, gossip, and slander.  It all depends on if you really are a witch or not. 


Using this extreme example helps us understand the impasse many Christians and the culture are having.  I will use same-sex marriage as an example, as that is a hot-button issue at the moment.  Many Christians believe that homosexuality is a perversion of the sexual gift that God has given to humanity.  We believe this activity and persuasion is not in the best interest of the participants or the community.  These Christians consider it a loving act to attempt to persuade others that this behavior is bad.  Living in a democratic republic, Christians also have the right to attempt to persuade elected officials to formulate laws in a manner which they believe are the best interests of the people in the community.  With this in mind Christians publicly condemn homosexual acts and do not want the practice codified into law. 


Now, the contrary position is that homosexuality is as good and holy as heterosexuality - and people who practice homosexuality within monogamous relationships are to be celebrated and encouraged just as we would any other heterosexual couple.  Therefore those who believe this think that these many Christians are cruel - intolerant - and nasty because they condemn what they believe is good - indeed ought to be celebrated.  They see the fight against homosexual marriage in the same light as they see the fight against inter-racial marriage - a bigoted, cruel war of words by an intolerant minority of religious extremists. 


Well....it all depends on who is right about that which is true does it not?  Homosexuality is either good or it is evil.  If homosexuality is evil, then we ought to attempt to persuade people stuck in that sin to repent and believe in the forgiveness of Christ, ought we not?  If it is good than we ought to celebrate it and lift it up as one example on how we ought to behave, ought we not?  It really all depends on which side is correct about the truth.


And this leads me to this final point - where do we go to find that which is true?  In John 17:17 Jesus is praying to the Father for His disciples and He prays, "sanctify them by truth, your Word is truth."  Many Christians consider the Bible as the font of truth.  What it says is true.  Regardless of how I feel about what it says, it is true.  I, as a follower of Christ, am called to actively promote and publically proclaim that which is true.  To do other would be to violate the command, "you shall not bear false witness." 


The culture does not look to the Bible this way.  The culture looks at the Bible as a collection of myths - perhaps a book about morals.  Human reason is their font of truth.  What we reason to be true, is true. 


This is the impasse.  In this way, both sides believe they are being loving.  Both sides believe they are forwarding that which is in the best interests of the community.  It really comes down to who is right doesn't it? 


Those of you that know me know what I believe to be true.  I believe homosexuality is a sexual sin along with fornication, pornography, adultery, and many other sexual sins.  The proper place for sexual expression is between a husband and a wife in the lifelong commitment of marriage.  Because I believe this I actively attempt, in my mind, to love the person in homosexuality to repent and receive the forgiveness of Christ.  In this way I believe I am fulfilling a loving act commanded and forwarded by my Savior. 


Many think that this opinion is bigoted and cruel and that I am bigoted and cruel because I hold the position.  It all depends on who is right does it not? 


We do not like choices like this in our culture, but alas, we must choose sides.  The Bible has proven to me to be the story of God's salvation to sinners.  I must daily repent of my sins and embrace Jesus for forgiveness.  Due to this, I will throw my opinion behind the truth of the Bible.


Amen.

Creation and Evolution




As of late there has been a lot of internet discussion concerning a fundamentalist view of the natural world and its creation [Creationist] and a secular/scientific view of the natural world and its creation [Darwinian molecules to man evolution]. 


Now, I know that the above definition of the Creation vs. Evolution debate is simplistic and many that believe in molecules to man evolution will call themselves people of faith in God.  This blog is not to debate this point.  I have used the generalized definition above to simply stake out the two sides. 




I am writing on this topic to talk philosophically, not scientifically.  I am not a scientist.  I do not claim to be one.  As a matter of fact I remember having inward joy at leaving the science building my sophomore year in undergraduate school because I was done with the physical sciences courses that were demanded in my major and minor.




This blog is about presuppositions.  A presupposition is something assumed beforehand.  Often times it is so assumed that it is left unspoken or unwritten.  What I am writing about is the fact that often in the debate of Creation vs. Evolution there are unspoken presuppositions on both sides that will, by definition, force the opposing side into one view or another. 




For example, my presupposition about life is that God directly intervenes in the natural world.  Yes, He has established rules that govern the natural world; however, He has from time to time suspended these rules in order to showcase His glory.  For example, it is an article of my faith that Jesus was conceived of a virgin, [obviously a suspension of the natural rules governing conception] He is God in the flesh, [obviously suspending the natural rules about the nature of humanity] He died - but then His soul re-animated dead, decaying flesh and He walked out of a tomb three days later. [Natural rules dictate that dead men do not come back to life] He then ascended to heaven [a real locality - for physical things must inhabit physical places] and He will physically return again.  These are basic presuppositions for the Christian as spelled out simply and eloquently in the Apostles Creed. 


What that means is that I believe in a God who will, from time to time, suspend the rules that govern the natural world [for He made them].  The secular scientist does not share this presupposition.  His/her assumption is that the natural world is either all there is - or - it is not his/her place to take the supernatural into account.  Therefore, the scientist will look at the physical world and attempt to understand his/her surroundings by the observation of this physical world only using as his/her basis the regularized natural rules. 




These are two amazingly different presuppositions that will force both parties into totally different directions.  For example, a scientist looking at the Grand Canyon would rightly, from their presupposition, come to a conclusion that it would take millions, if not billions, of years to form this Canyon.  And this would absolutely be true if their underlying presupposition is correct - that all there is to make the Canyon is the Colorado river or some other natural events that follow the current rules that govern this nature.  However, what if the underlying presupposition is incorrect?  What if God intervened, say, with a catastrophic geologic and climatic event?  What if God flooded the entire face of the earth?  What then? 




Now, again, I am not a scientist; however, I do know that if the person assumes a flood that covered the face of the planet the conclusions about how geologic structures were formed would change.  They must. 




Therefore, what I often want to interject into this debate is a bit of backtracking.  I do not believe that the molecules to man evolutionary scientist is somehow misusing things or intentionally trying to denigrate faith.  They are starting at a presupposition of no intervening God.  Nor do I believe that the Creationist is attempting to misuse science in the name of defending their intervening God.  I believe the two sides come from their viewpoints at two different presuppositions; and that is really what ought to be debated.  Is there a God who intervenes in His natural world?  If there is, then we would look at things differently.  That is what ought to be debated. 




From my point of view, I believe the main doctrine of Christianity has to do with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  As the Apostle Paul says in 1st Corinthians 15:14, "If Christ be not raised our preaching is useless, and so is your faith."  Christianity is a religion that has at its center the miraculous - God became a man [the nature of Jesus] a dead man came back to live after decaying in a tomb.  This is Christianity.  Jesus Himself is one big miracle: God encapsulated in flesh.  If a scientist were to cut open the body of Jesus, he or she would not, "observe" God coming out.  Yet, the doctrine of the divinity of Christ is essential to the Christian faith.  Furthermore, believing that a dead man came to life is essential as well.  If you can swallow that camel - if dead men come back to life - then flooding the earth, or creating the earth in a heartbeat, is really...not that hard to imagine.  So what I always say to my Christian friends is this - why not believe?  What is the argument for not believing the Bible's account of things?  If God raises the dead - then feeding five thousand, walking on water, casting out demons, etc....are mere fleabites in comparison. 




My two cents.  God bless,


Chris

Phil Robertson and Duck Dynasty:

I decided to write a blog on the hot topic of the day - Phil Robertson.  For those of you that do not know, Phil Robertson is a television star on the show Duck Dynasty.  He was suspended indefinitely by A & E for recent comments that he made in an interview with GQ magazine.  The comments under discussion have to do with his beliefs about homosexuality.  I am not going to go into direct quotes here, however, what I will say is that Robertson is a Bible-believing Christian.  He indirectly quotes 1st Corinthians 6:9-10 in his comments and believes what the Bible teaches concerning sin - which is this - sin separates us from God.  If we live in unrepentant sin we will be condemned.  Homosexuality is sinful according to the Scripture - intrinsically so.  Now, Robertson expressed his opinion colorfully, to say the least.  However, what he said was not outside the realm of reason.  Homosexuals [specifically within his comments male homosexuals], must use body parts for reasons other than for their created use.  He makes it clear that Homosexuality is opposite the natural order of things.

To me, this is downright plain.  However, to the secular world in which we live, this is terribly offensive.  Therefore, A & E dismissed Robertson indefinitely.

Now, before I go further, I would like to highlight one error that people are making.  I do not believe this to be a 1st Amendment problem.  Here is the text of the 1st Amenmdnet - "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."  Please notice the first word in the Amendment - Congress.  Congress is the federal legislative branch of government.  The 1st amendment prohibits the activity of Congress.  Congress, nor any branch of the Federal Government, has taken any action against Phil Robertson to this point; an independently free enterprise agency - the television station A & E, has taken action.  According to the Constitution they can suspend whomever they wish.  Phil expressed his views - and A&E has expressed theirs.  No governmental problem here. [Though of course I believe A&E has made a poor business, moral, and financial decision - but it is theirs to make]

The real issue is that we as Christians have got to understand something - our country is becoming militantly secular in education, governance, and pop-culture.  Anything that offends the sensibilities of this powerfully secular elite will be dealt with harshly.  We must understand this.  As Christians this is the 1st step - understand that we are, "aliens and strangers" in this world.  This is not our home - heaven is; and this place will react violently to Christian viewpoint.  If Satan is the, "prince and power of the air" than he will attempt to intimidate, thwart, and stop any truth from being spoken.  Jesus Himself makes this clear when He says in Matthew 5:11-12, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  Remember something - Our Savior was killed, 10 of the 11 Apostles following the suicide of Judas were martyred, John was exiled, and the Apostle Paul was martyred.  History is filled with accounts of a hostile world persecuting Christians.  Jesus said this would happen.  Sadly, we are seeing but the beginnings of this in our country; and make no mistake - I believe this is only the beginning. 

Our country enjoyed many years of prosperity based upon a foundation in a Biblical worldview.  This is simply no longer the case.  We must gird our loins for this is simply the beginning of birth pangs.  The question now is, "how do we respond?"  I believe we ought to make our voice heard.  Yes, write A&E.  Yes, voice your opinion.  However, more than this, tell other people about Jesus Christ.  I cannot stress this enough.  Getting in big fights about homosexuality saves no one.  This is not to say that we should hide our view - but remember the issue is not really homosexuality.  The issue is Christianity.  Christianity teaches us to repent of our sin [and yes, to be clear, homosexuality is intrinsically sinful] and embrace the forgiveness given by God in Christ.  If you really want to have an impact on how our culture views Christians and the Christian viewpoint, then you must introduce them to Jesus.  Will some of the culture react cruelly?  Yes.  Will some try and silence you?  Yes.  Should that stop you?  No.  Speak the truth in love.  Do not be ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God.  

I personally know people who have lived the homosexual lifestyle, repent and believe the good news of God, and now embrace heterosexuality.  I know others who recognize their desires to be sinful and are battling them through God's power.  I pray for them as I pray for others who struggle with any form of lust. [including heterosexual lust].  The key here though is to make Jesus the tip of our sword - for it is Jesus who will change lives - and this culture.

Fatherhood

#36 Fatherhood

This is a post that if I am not careful may sound self-serving.  Please know that my intent is not in that vein.  This post is intended to speak to the state of fatherhood in our community - and is intended to wake us dads up to our God-given responsibility, and joy, in being a father.

Tonight my beloved wife was given a birthday gift by her brother.  Both she and her brother went to a Washington Nationals baseball game.  At the time of this writing they are still enjoying the game [Go Nats!].  However, this break for my wife gave me an opportunity to be with my children and spend precious daddy-daughter time together.  I took my youngest two children to PetSmart [I needed to pick up fish tank equipment and it gave me an opportunity to show them the other fish, hamsters, birds, and guinea pigs] and then out to dinner at the local Mexican restaurant.  It was a good night together with two of my children. [Though I did miss my oldest Olivia] 

Now, something happened tonight that has occurred on other occasions, but tonight it simply hit me in a different way and I felt compelled to write.  I was eating with the twins and we finished having dinner.  We occupied one booth and three lovely ladies occupied the booth behind the one we were using.  Faith sat with me and Hope sat opposite me [for those who do not know Faith and Hope are the names of my 2 year old twin daughters.]  As is the custom my girls ate, spilled some rice, and bounced around.  Nothing bad - just silly-hearted two year old stuff.

Right before we were to leave the booth Faith stood up and began talking to the ladies behind me.  She was just saying things like, "you eating....I eating too...you like your rice?  I eat my rice too..."  and things akin to this.  I did not know whether this was annoying to the lady behind me so I asked Faith to stop.  The woman assured me that this was cute and was not a bother.  We then got ready to leave.  The three ladies in the booth then commented along these lines, "we were just talking about how good of a dad you are to take your daughters out to eat...it's so nice!"  I received similar comments as I took the kids to Petsmart from ladies at the store there.

Now, I want to be clear - this is NOT a post about how I am some kind of, "good" dad.  This IS a post about the state of our culture whereby simply having a father take his kids to the store and out to eat is somehow evidence that I am a good dad.  The question arises in my mind, "how bad has our culture gotten whereby simple acts - shopping alone with children, feeding them, and watching them - somehow now solicits comments from women about how good I am.  I doubt highly [I could be wrong] that mothers who take their kids out to eat get similar comments.  Maybe they do and I am simply way off base.  I've been known to be wrong before.....:)

This does however make me think something.  Fathers, in many cases, have completely abdicated responsibility for their children.  Have you ever noticed that when a dad watches his children he is, "babysitting"?  How did we get there?  Do not fathers have the same level of responsibility over their children as mothers?  Of course they do. They were there at their conception.  They were there in the making.  They too share the responsibility.  It is just that simple. 

Now, I want to make something clear.  I am not picking on these particular comments at all; on the contrary, to have strangers tell me my children are cute and give compliments is very nice - and I enjoy them.  I too think my children are cute :)  However, this has happened on many occasions - and it often happens when I am alone with my three children at a grocery store, a restaurant, etc....it just so happens that tonight I only had two of my three kids with me.  But this was not an isolated event.  It happens often when I am alone with my children in public. 

Now to the point.  Dads - we have responsibility for our kids.  Take it.  We need to spend time with them - and yes, we need to spend some time with them alone.  We need to teach our sons how to be men - and we need to teach our daughters what a godly man looks like and how he ought to act.  We need to change diapers, discipline, play games, and rough house.  We offer something to our children that a mother cannot - because she is a mother.  Men, you have tremendous value in the sight of God.  My goodness, have we missed the fact that we are given the title that God has given us to call Him - the title of FATHER.  This is a tremendous responsibility - and joy.

My children want mommy with them all the time.  They absolutely adore mommy.  She is a good mommy.  However, my children do not cry when mommy leaves for a night.  Why?  Because they are comfortable and used to daddy.  They know that daddy will care for them.  I too can put the twins to sleep.  I too can pray with my children and talk to my oldest at night and tuck her in.  I too can sing to them.

I have a beautiful wife who is a wonderful mother.  I do not want her job.  It is tough.  And I rejoice that she is able to spend some much needed time with her family.  This does not freak me out.  Dads - there is a special joy when your children sit on your lap, put their head against your chest and say, "daddy...hold me."  It gives me but a small taste of how God must feel when I wrap myself in His Word and pray to Him - I too often say to Him, "daddy....hold me."

Dads - take the time.  Play with your kids.  Be involved.  It is worth it.  I promise you - it is worth it.  I often joke about my kids - but in reality I would not change anything for the world.  I really would not.  Drop the video game controller.  Drop the TV controller.  Drop the internet for some time.  Spend the time with your kids.  Play hide and seek.  Listen to them laugh.  It is good medicine.

This is just a post about changing our culture.  Dads, be dads.  Be involved.  Our heavenly Father is involved in our life.  He did not simply create us and then leave us.  He is always there, listening, disciplining, forgiving, and leading.  Let us take a cue from Him and be the fathers He calls us to be.  yes, you will screw up.  I do too.  We all do.  But He forgives us.  He picks us up and tells us to go again.

I am happy to be a dad.

God bless,

Pastor Chris

Eternity.

As of this writing I am sitting in a hotel room in India.  It is 1pm and we are about to go out at 2pm to meet a woman in a village who was duped into selling her land to a fraudulent crook that took advantage of her because she could not read.  She lost everything.  However, she did begin to take literacy classes through Mission India, and through those classes was introduced to Jesus Christ and received eternal salvation.  Praise God!

Earlier in the trip we met a pastor who is working in a very hostile location.  He was a day laborer working for less than a dollar a day; and for a hobby he would create and sell village liquor.  However, God intervened in a dramatic way and this man was brought to saving faith in Jesus Christ.  He began a church in a hostile location.  I met seventy converts of the church - all people that had to travel to a remote location to be baptized because if it was found out that they were converted they would face serious persecution.  

These are not strange or unique stories in India; they are common stories of persecution and suffering that is found in this place.  And what this gets me to in this blog is this - I need to be more thankful.  A lot more thankful.  

You see, I grew up in a home with a mother and father that loved me.  I grew up in a home where my mother took me to church regularly, taught me the Bible and the importance of Jesus Christ, and I never doubted His love.  I went to school early, was taught basic skills, lived in an environment where education was possible, and took advantage of those educational opportunities.  I went to college, went to graduate school, and have become a pastor.  I am a pastor in a country where we can freely gather together and worship Jesus Christ according to the dictates of our conscience.  And while I definitely agree that a time will come in our own country where worshipping Jesus becomes much more secularly hostile, we are not truly there yet.  

Just as a side note about the blessings most of us have, I was talking with the producer of the video project that we are shooting here and he gave me a scenario.  When you and I experience trouble in our country, we call the police and we are thankful when the police come.  When someone is ill we call the ambulance and the ambulance comes.  We are taken to a hospital and people treat us - regardless of our race or religion or gender.  Say what you want about our police force - but when push comes to shove [literally] I am very thankful when I see a police officer. 

Imagine growing up in an area where the police are so corrupt that if you are physically harmed you don't even think to call them; and if they come they side with your abuser?  Imagine a place where true medical care is simply not available.  Imagine living in a place where your simple devotion to Jesus can cause physical harm.  I do not think we can.  When I see it, it is still difficult to believe.  

Which again leads me to be thankful.  I do not think we realize the tremendous blessing we have to gather together once or twice a week, hear the Gospel, receive the Sacraments, recite the Creed, and have a true knowledge of the nature of God.  We are preparing for eternity in those moments.  Many people cannot even think far enough ahead to prepare for retirement - let alone prepare for eternity.  And yet, if you are attending a Bible believing church where the Law and Gospel are clearly presented - you are preparing for eternity.  And we are able to do it freely without fear.  Amazing.  

This blog is simply written to remind us in America - myself especially - how thankful we should be.  Thank God for His Word.  Thank God for His church.  Thank God that we live in an orderly country where we have protections.  I truly thank God.  

This is not written to say that everything in America is grand.  It is not.  However, when you visit a place that is not America and does not have the protections afforded Americans, you see at once the glaring difference - and you take a moment to thank God for where you are.  

Now, one last thought.  What did I do to deserve to grow up in a loving home, with loving parents, with a Biblical church background, with educational opportunities, in a country with afforded protections, etc....?  Absolutely nothing.  Which also reminds me that to whom much is given - much is required.  That terrifies me.  I can do more.  I can give more.  I can be more.  Lord, help me to be that which you call me to be.  Amen.  

The CT massacre:

As of this blog writing, this is all I know.  Children are dead.  Adults are dead.  A tragedy has been placed at the doorsteps of, what is supposed to be, one of our safest places - a school.  Each day parents drop their children off at school believing the school to be a safe environment for their children to learn.  Today that did not happen.  Today in Connecticut murder took place; and of a far worse kind than we can imagine.

And lest we forget two others' are dead in Oregon as a shooter walked into a shopping mall and committed murder.  This sad tale only continues.  

People are going to ask why.  Already on various Facebook posts people are asking, "how can this happen in our country!"  We try and find reasons for this tragedy - what is happening in our culture to precipitate such heinous acts?  Is it movies, video games, guns, etc....and if we stop the conversation there we will be attempting to fix this problem simply by trimming the tree of evil - without attacking the root problem.  The root problem of this evil is sin.

I would like to quote from James 1:13-15, "When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me."  For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."  I do not know the motivation of the shooter(s).  I do not need to know.  I know that they allowed sin to go unchecked in their heart and motivations and it ended with death.  That is what sin does.  It begins with a seed of hate, lust, anger, distrust, fear, etc...and if not dealt with it grows.  It grows into something terrible and ugly - and all sin leads to death.  All of it.

This is not a simple trite blog saying, "we need to bring prayer back in schools..." or, "we better not take God out of the Pledge..."  No, we must be more serious than that.  This tragedy is not a time to score political points.  Mothers and fathers are grieving a type of grief I do not want to imagine - indeed I cannot imagine it.  Now is not the time to be trite.  Now is the time to be repentant.

God aches over sin.  He mourns over it.  He grieves deeper than we do over what happened today.  And God is the only One who can, and has, offered a solution and hope to those who are grieving.  He has given us Jesus.  He is not trite.  This is no simple answer.  People may ask in the midst of their pain, "where was God when these children were dying?"  The answer is He was where He was when His Son died.  His seeming silence is not inaction.  God has solved this problem of sin and He has solved it by giving His Son to die for us.  But we must acknowledge our sins.  We must not let sin go unchecked in our hearts.  We must see sin for what it is.  We must see ugliness for what it is; and like Ezekiel we must become watchmen - telling others in our culture, our communities, our jobs, our schools, and our churches that we must turn from sin.  We can excuse it no longer.  It must be checked.

The only cure for our culture is Jesus.  I mean it.  Simply taking away violent video games, guns, etc...won't do it.  It won't.  Pruning the tree may curb its growth - but the tree will still grow.  Sin must be dealt with at the root - and the root can only be dealt with by confessing it.  Admitting it.  Seeking help at the foot of the cross.  And for people to know this is what is needed, they must be told.  We must tell others.  We simply must.  Forgive us God.  amen. 

#32 The Elections

I am going to write something that is probably not going to make anyone happy.  That is why I want to do it :)  I was a Political Science major in college.  I carry a Philosophy minor.  I find intriguing the entire political process.  I really do.  I have found the three debates to this point [two Presidential and one Vice Presidential] very interesting.  However, watching last night's debate [the 2nd Presidential debate] I have been struck by something.  I know it is going to sound obvious to readers, but nonetheless it struck me anew.  Both candidates intentionally mislead voters for the sole purpose of attempting to make the alternative politician seem as evil as possible.

This is simply one example on both sides that I saw.  1st, when the President said that he called the terrible Benghazi attack in Libya an, "act of terror" he gave the impression to the debate hearer that he was proclaiming this attack on our Libyan embassy an Al Qaeda sponsored attack from the beginning.  Well....this is simply untrue.  He did, in the Rose Garden, call this attack, "an act of terror" but not in the above mentioned way.  The Administration has come to the conclusion that it was an Al Qaeda attack, but that conclusion came weeks later.

In the same fashion, when Governor Romney tells us that the President has reduced oil production on federal lands, he fails to mention that the reason for this is because of the BP spill and the ramifications of that spill.  He gives the impression to the voter that the President's policies have directly affected that drilling.  This is misleading as well.

Now, please do not post about the above two paragraphs and attempt to contradict them point by point.  That is not really what this post is about.  What this post is about is that these are simply two examples - simply two - where the opposing sides attempt to cast their opponents in the worst possible light possible.  They do this by telling half-truths; which is they do this by lying.

This works because we as people allow it to work.  We are a nation of liars.  Lying has become a part of our ethos.  We lie on our taxes.  We lie to our spouses.  We often mislead and tell half-truths to our children.  We fake who we really are in church.  We give impressions to people that are false.  In conflict we often refuse to see how our behavior has inflamed the conflict.  In our own minds we are often righteous while in our minds our opponents are devils.  We are sick of our politicians acting this way when in many ways we act like our politicians.  I can see it in myself and I can see it in others.  And what I see is disgusting. 

I can see this by the way in which political defenders defend their party's nominee.  They will look at their candidate and excuse almost anything while at the same time nit-pick the opposing candidate to death.  We see people we like [not only politicians] through the prism of our own self-assured righteousness.  

What our country desperately needs is Christian leadership; and by that what I mean is someone who is dedicated to telling the truth - no matter what the cost.  Jesus identified Himself as, "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" John 14:6.  Jesus is truth in the flesh.  Whatever He says is the truth.

Those that follow Jesus will obey the truth.  They will listen to His Word.  And I am praying for a man or woman to stand up politically and unashamedly tell the truth.  But until that time happens, we as Christians need to authentically pray for our leaders [1st Timothy 2].  We need to pray that God give them the courage of truth and the courage of faith.  We need to pray it for ourselves as well.  If we want to stop the lying culture that we live in, let us begin by being the people of Jesus and telling the truth ourselves.  Tell the truth to ourself - and tell the truth to others.  Speak the truth in love.  Speak the truth with grace.  But please, speak the truth.

I am in need of Jesus.  I am in need of His forgiveness.  You are too.  People ask the Lord to raise up a prophet like one of the prophets of old.  He has.  He has raised up the chief prophet - Jesus.  And He is more than a prophet - He is God in the flesh.  We need only to listen to Him.  Amen.