Trapped in Truthlessness

I can be wordy--superfluous with my speech.

Sometimes I repeat myself or reiterate what I'm trying to say, to make sure I've made the point and to ensure my point has been made.

:)

But the biography section of this blog, its mere 15-words, provides an unusually to-the-point description of "me." No extra thought or fluffy elaboration needed: "I'm opinionated...this is my attempt to weigh all of those opinions against the truth."

Truly, I love the truth.
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I'm convinced, the scariest place in the world must be the mind of someone with no standard for truth. If someone believes everything is a grey area, then he or she cannot make a decision or talk specifically about anything. If a person will say whatever sounds right at the time--to make himself look good, to get out of mess, to justify a chosen action, whatever--that individual constantly risks contradicting himself. And, that's nerve-wracking! Expecially if you're someone who speaks in public regularly, where you're more likely to get caught by your moral inconsistencies...

Case in point, President Obama insisted during his 2008 campaign that he would not require individuals to buy health insurance if he became President. He gave great specific reasons for leaving that clause out of his bill. The problem is, this year, no fewer than 27 courts are challenging the constitutionality of Obamacare, due specifically to the fact that it requires Americans to buy healthcare. Either Obama wasn't telling the truth two years ago, or his version of truth has shifted.

Similarly, in the President's speech at the National Prayer Breakfast he says, "Our values must find expression not just in our families, in our places of work, and in our places of worship, but also in our government and in our politics." However, if you value the life of an unborn baby, the President will dismiss you with his belief that a woman has a right to kill her child. And, if you believe--as most of the country does--that private enterprise, competition, and self-governing all made America what she is today, he will assure you, "businesses, non-profits, and the private sector are not enough." (Also, if you mention his government is getting awfully large, and that you "value" a smaller one, he'll tell you to "pray for humility.")

Obviously, the problem with making statements about "our values" is we don't all value the same things. Obama recognizes this himself, in another speech:

"Whatever we once were, we’re no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of non-believers. We should acknowledge this and realize that when we’re formulating policies from the state house to the Senate floor to the White House, we’ve got to work to translate our reasoning into values that are accessible to every one of our citizens, not just members of our own faith community."

The obvious question is, what do we do when "our" values differ? Obama's arrogant answer is, "let those in power decide what to do with your money and write their own values into law." As for his own method for deciding the "truth," he bases those on a cocktail of ideas he adopts from various belief systems, depending on whether they suit his purpose.

He quotes the Bible to defend his position that the government must care for the "least of these." (Despite the fact that Jesus' words were NOT, "Make sure your government is taking care of the least of these for you.") But, he doesn't ask the Scriptures about ripping babies from their mothers' womb. He says he wants to help those in need; he has a heart for the disadvantaged. But, check out this summary of his personal charitable giving record. And, he claims to love the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the principles on which the country was founded, but he talks incessantly of "change" and shows no confidence in out tried-and-true private business practices...

Anyway, Obama is just one of many politicians--on both sides of the aisle--who choose words carefully, pay lip service to all the right people, and try to quote equally from the Bible and the Koran, so as not to offend. And, I just can't imagine walking on eggshells all the time, more worried about the impression I'm making than the message I'm delivering. How on earth does one justify his/her beliefs, suggest policy changes, and talk about "values" while remaining morally neutral? You can't.

My heart would race every time somebody asked me a simple question, if I didn't have the ability to be totally politically uncorrect and completely, 100% honest. (Perhaps, if someone said, "When, in your opinion, does a baby get its rights" I would have to say, "That's above my paygrade.")

To quote the Prayer Breakfast speech one more time, Obama says: "It is useful to go back to scripture to remind ourselves that none of us has all the answers." But, Mr. President, my Bible provides me with lots of answers. It offers pure, unadulterated Truth, which combines with reason to help me take a stand on really tough issues. The study of Truth allows me to answer questions which terrify someone worried about public image or getting caught in their own complicated amalgamation of world thought. Even if I make a mistake--I can rest assured that Truth is left unchanged. And, if I err, I simply can correct my thinking in order to line up with the absolute, indestructable Truth. The pressure is off!

I love truth because it sets me free.