We’ve discussed before how folks can be so outspoken against cruelty to animals, and at the same time, promote the killing of unborn humans. We’re witnessing the same kind of double-think in our nation’s current events.
During the recent protest against presidential election fraud, the media were quick to name the gatherings “riots,” and an “insurrection.” That is remarkable since these same people were calling the burning of whole blocks of Baltimore “peaceful protests” and the capturing of downtown Portland, a grass roots “Summer of Love.” Mayors allowed police headquarters to be destroyed while praising the courage of the “mostly peaceful protesters” and even publicly justified the looting of businesses. Political figures who now demand that protests cease were calling them to continue a few short weeks ago.
Similarly, there is great anger and outrage at the outgoing president for his behavior, and even calls for impeachment during his last week in office, but, once again, total silence about the well-documented, videotaped corruption of the incoming administration.
There isn’t much believers can do about this, since selective reporting to spin a narrative is quite common, given fallen human nature. But these things should call us to attention, and enable us to see what is really going on around us. We should not be captive to the delusion that one political party is right, or that somehow a political figure will save us.
We need to realize that the idealism of our Founding Fathers which was encoded in a Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and later, an Emancipation Proclamation, has given way to the lust for power. What people are accusing others of doing, they are doing themselves, all under the guise of holding “the moral high ground,” which reflects the thinking of all dictatorial regimes, that the ends justify the means.
Just as sad, what we used to call “the free press” has been coopted by political factions, and no longer is the truth-seeking, objective watch dog it was in earlier times. We no longer can assume that what we read is true, any more than we can assume that the face of a beautiful model has not been photoshopped or airbrushed. Illusion is all around us, and people are so easily swayed that there is little resistance.
Alexis de Tocqueville warned us in the 1700’s that no tyranny would be more oppressive than the tyranny of the majority, and it could be that our generation is the one upon which this prophecy will materialize. When we object to the king, our neighbors may side with us, but how do you oppose your whole neighborhood when they are convinced they are right and believe that any opposition is treasonous?
All of this combines to help believers in Jesus refocus upon Him, and not trust in political solutions or human institutions. Instead of watching the news four or five hours each day, let’s spend time praying for our divided nation. Let’s calm our hearts before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who will return to judge every wicked ruler and every unrighteous motive. Let’s remember that one day “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord like water covers the sea.”
“It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.”
Psalm 118:8, 9