By Chuck Robison
Occasionally, it is a good idea to read through the Ten Commandments. These Commandments are not just good ideas; they are the law. When we understand the laws, we see there are always consequences for breaking them.
In our creativity, we can find ways around anything and our preferred way around the commandment: YOU SHALL NOT LIE is the proverbial “Little White Lie”.
We all tell them, and we excuse these lies even when they are blatant or damaging to ourselves or others.
An old friend once told me that the best way to keep from lying is to not do things that force you to tell lies.
Americans have become accustomed to repeating and believing at least three very dangerous “little white lies”.
1. “America is a Christian Nation.” This may have been true in the past, but it certainly is not true now. If it were true, we would hold ourselves responsible for demonstrating Christian values. This applies especially to our leaders.Here is what Stephen Colbert has to say: “If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn’t help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we’ve got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don’t want to do it.”
When we add $1.3 trillion to the deficit to provide a much needed tax break for the wealthiest 1% of our citizens and then claim that the only way to reduce the newly increased deficit is to cut back on services to the poor and needy, and medical care for the elderly and children, we are definitely not a nation acting likeThe Christ has commanded. We are lying to ourselves.
2. “America is a Democracy”. Sounds good. We send our children to foreign lands to support and project democracy. But, it is a lie. We live in an Oligarchy where the richest among us are the ones who call all the shots. The people with the real power are the Billionaires. This may be the best way to run a country,but if it is, then we should stop lying to ourselves and call us what we are: An Oligarchy.
3. “We stand for Freedom”. Sounds good. Especially when we invade country after country to bring them freedom. But, it is a lie. We are history’s largest empire. We encircle the globe and our market place includes even the smallest village in the poorest of countries. In the name and defense of this empire, we bring war and suffering to anyone or any country who does not do what we wantor takes steps to correct us.
Delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 hotly debated the issue of slavery. George Mason of Virginia argued eloquently against slavery, warning his fellow delegates: “Every master of slaves is born a petty tyrant. They bring the judgment of heaven on a country. As nations cannot be rewarded or punished in the next world, they must be in this. By an inevitable chain of causes and effects, Providence punishes national sins by national calamities.”We saw The Civil War bring Providence’s judgement upon America because we told ourselves the “little white lie” that black people were just 3/5 human.
Look around you and remember these times. Providence is still very much in control. As long as we keep breaking the Commandment with just “little white lies”, we will somehow have to pay for them, and the trouble with all of that is:
Payback Day may be much closer than we think.
Of course, I could be wrong.
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