Tea Party: Definition

I often think Ambrose Bierce got the political factions right in his Devil's Dictionary:


"Conservative. (n.) A politician enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others."


But we don't yet have a good definition of "Tea Party." Given that faction's prominence, we need one.

I provisionally offer the following.


"Tea Party. (n.) a heavily-armed irrational faction following lies; including that they are the best guardians of America's peace and safety."

You have the right....

I don't THINK I'm particularly acerbic in pointing out to friends when they are spreading some lie in their blog, or e-mail, or facebook posts. I hope not. My problem has always been rather being too deferential, and low-key.

That being so, I can only lay the rage that often follows, when a lie is challenged, to our human desire to always be RIGHT: or at least, to never have our own pronouncements questioned as if they could be wrong.

What God has brought me to over long years, is that questions of what's true are never personal: that is to say, they are not about me. They are however definitively PERSONal to Jesus, Who claimed to be, Himself, "the Truth" (John 14:6).

In that consideration, anyone who points out when we are following (or worse, spreading) some lie does us a great kindness, warning us that our walk is straying from following the One Who IS also Himself "the way" (ibid). That's "the way" God has brought me to see it (again, over some years): and I think and operate that way pretty consistently (entirely God's doing, over those same years).

Since every question about truth is about Jesus, I'm learning also that I don't need to defend myself against fire-back when people are offended. Knowing I'm human and fallible, I'll double-check what I witness is Truth. But if it checks out on re-checking, Truth is Truth: and He hardly needs me to defend Him.

Sometimes, as today, double-checking even turns up further evidence it is the truth. I shared that with my facebook "friend" who attacked my first witness to truth: and I'll leave the double-verified truth with him, take it or leave it. Those who don't want Truth can't be made to hear Him.

It may be a particularly American thing, but those who feel I'm attacking them (rather than the lies they choose to spread) often seem to fall back on some assertion of their "rights." I might paraphrase that attitude as "I can believe what I WANT to !!"

It effectively moves the question away from Truth...which is probably the intent. We know in our hearts a lie cannot stand, but don't want to admit it is a lie: so we change the subject away from the uncomfortable question "what is Truth ?"

But making it instead a question of "rights" seems such a very odd defense: as if challenging anything we WILL to believe somehow violates our freedom.

Perhaps so. But from my perspective: knowing on Jesus' testimony that He is "the truth," and that satan is "the father of lies:" leaving Truth out of the matter seems a guaranteed way to make disastrous choices. Or perhaps there are people who are always and absolutely "right"... ?

And that's our the problem. We know good and well there are no such infallible people. But when we demand our "right" to make choices without being challenged, we act as if we are such autonomous creatures: indeed, as if we are a god, and need answer to no one...even Truth Himself.

I'll formally affirm here my confession of Christ: every human being, in every human way, is ACCOUNTABLE to The One Who IS The Truth.

That accountability extends even to "Christians" writing lying blogs, lying e-mails, and posting lies on facebook.

Amen.

Taking Stock

The first blog of this new year seems a fitting place to re-affirm what is timeless.

God's absolute purpose is that He be glorified as King, now and forever. Glorified in mercy, in righteousness, in power...He alone.

The sad truth is that the spiritual state of the American Church continues in the image of the political faction it has CHOSEN to follow: rebellious, despiteful of the poor and sick, loving falsehood, turned to its own way.

As the teacher of righteousness Rick Frueh has said, "This kind of blasphemy should make us tremble with fear because God’s cup of wrath must almost be filled." (http://judahslion.blogspot.com/, "The Worship of Man").

I do tremble with fear. The Church and nation amongst whom I live have set their hearts like flint against God and His ways.

My faith is that God will work His purpose, in time and in eternity, and is even now doing so. Woe to all who oppose Him. DEEP WOE to those who blasphemously take His Name in their mouth when their hearts are filled with rebellion !!

May God in mercy strengthen all who love Him, all who mourn His Church' apostasy !