political speak

 

News events of the past few weeks have provided me with some fertile fields to plow, editorially speaking. As we go through this little study today I'm sure you'll no doubt recognize some of them. The general theme of today's lesson centers around "political speaking" and "lawyers," who are mostly the ones that are either the subject of the event, or are the ones doing the "speaking."

A prime example of what's under consideration today is the daily news blather regarding former Presidential candidate, John Edwards, and his adulterous affair with a woman other than his wife. Why I'm citing this example to you is because it fits both categories - Edwards is a "lawyer" and he engages in "political speak."

As is typical in these types of news events, when first brought to the public, he denied that it ever occurred. Not long thereafter, when the evidence mounted and became overwhelming, he "fessed up." The Bible calls that a LIE and those who do such are LIARS. But politicians don't call them lies, they say that they "misspoke." And there you have another example of "political speak." Hopefully, by the time we get to the end of this missive, you'll realize that the Bible does not "speak politically" but rather calls it what it truly is.

Another example of "political speak" emanating from the mouth of politician/lawyer Edwards, is what he called his illicit and adulterous affair - a "liaison." Now you have to admit, "liaison" sounds a whole lot smoother and more palatable than "adultery," doesn't it? And keep "smoother" in mind for a few minutes.

It almost makes one think of a "luncheon" or a "business meeting" instead of what really occurred. It was just a "liaison." I'm reminded of the song Julie Andrews sang in the movie "Mary Poppins" entitled "Spoonful of Sugar." You remember how "it makes the medicine go down?" The use of "political speak" is like adding a little sugar in the form of words that don't sound so bad and thereby making the incident easier to stomach.

I'm also reminded of the story about a preacher who once preached a sermon on "SIN" and exactly what the Bible said about it. Afterwards he was approached in his office by one of the elders of the congregation who requested that he not talk so plainly about "sin" in his sermons. His reasoning was, that if the preacher talked so much about it the youth of the congregation might more easily become "sinners." The elder asked him if he could just use the word "mistake" instead of using the word "sin."

The preacher's reply addresses both the elder's request and the point of our lesson today. Here is how he responded to the request that he "tone down" the language of his sermons.

After thinking for a moment, the preacher walked over to a shelf and picked up a small, glass bottle of Strychnine. The word "POISON" was written on the label in big red letters. He said, "I see what you want me to do. You want me to change the label. To call this something like "Essence of Peppermint" or something equally nice sounding. But don't you see what will happen when you do this? By making the sound of it milder, you make it much more dangerous."

You see, calling something by a different name or word doesn't change the thing from what it really is. Calling an "adulterous affair" a "liaison" doesn't make it not "adultery." See, an "adulterous affair" is, in effect, a "liaison" of sorts, but a "liaison" can be something far different than an "adulterous affair," thus doesn't sound as bad.

The use of the word lessens the impact in the hearer's mind as to what truly transpired, thus "changes the label." And, therein lies the more danger - it's not perceived as being "sinful behavior," but just a casual event between human beings. Nothing to worry or be alarmed about. Nothing to worry our souls about.

I've got to hammer on lawyers for a moment, because, in my opinion, they are the authors of "political speak." Even clear back in Christ's days on the earth, they were engaged in this type of language. And, in the book of Luke, especially the 11^th chapter, we see Christ upbraiding them many times for their "mispeaking" of The Law. For their "misleading" of the people by their "interpretations" of God's Law.

And that, my friends, is exactly what a lawyer is - an interpreter. See, it's not the politicians that "write" the laws, they simply devise them. They are actually "written" by lawyers into legal language. And, since lawyers "write" them, it takes a lawyer to interpret them. The common people don't speak the language, thus the need for an interpreter. Think about it, in Jesus' day, the common people had to rely on the lawyers/scribes, who were in cahoots with the Pharisees, to tell them what the law said. And, according the Christ, weren't doing a very good job of it.

The reason was, that the scribes/lawyers had written so many "traditional laws" into the original, that a common person couldn't really know what was approved or not. Had to go to the "interpreter" to find out. What the lawyers had "written" and added in Christ's day was what we today call "case law." And we need an interpreter for exactly the same reason as the Jews of Christ's day did. Want another clue? - do you ever wonder why the "legal language" of the law today is "Latin?" One has to go to law school to understand the legal, Latin terms.

I've opined enough for one editorial so I'll dismount from my soapbox for a week, but please remember this if nothing else: changing the words to sound smoother, to speak politically rather than calling something what it truly is, doesn't change it one iota. A sin is still a sin. And this whole lesson is nothing new. I refer you to some words of Isaiah, found in chapter 30, verses 8-10 where God tells His prophet to tell the people what He thinks of their not wanting to hear what His Law really says. They didn't want to hear "right things" they wanted to be spoken to with "smooth and deceitful" words.

No, mincing words and smooth talking is not of recent invention. There were leaders clear back in ancient Israel who engaged in "political speak" and used verbiage designed to be easier on the ears of their listeners. God was not pleased with it then and I, for one, believe that His opinion of it hasn't changed.

Ron Covey

Katherine Anne Porter,

quote from Katherine Anne Porter:

 

"There seems to be a kind of order in the universe, in the movement of the stars and the turning of the earth and the changing of the seasons, and even in the cycle of human life. But human life itself is almost pure chaos. Everyone takes his stance, asserts his own rights and feelings, mistaking the motives of others, and his own."

Katherine Anne Porter, Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist and novelist (1890-1980)

 

Signs of a dead church

The only sign of life that some dead churches show is when they resist a preacher who is trying to wake them up.

 

WHAT IS A VETERAN? A definition of a veteran

Next Wednesday morning I will leave Ontario, California with approximately
300 military veterans on motorcycles headed for Washington DC. on what is
known as the "Run For The Wall." I will be accompanying them as one of the
official support vehicles. This is my second year of service in this
capacity. The purpose is to help keep America aware of those POW's and MIA's
still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. And also, to remind America of
the sacrifices of all its veterans of past wars and those currently serving
in the military. I'm honored to again be chosen to participate in this
endeavor, but I'm also a little troubled by the fact that America has to be
reminded about their sacrifices.

But man has always had to be reminded of things done for him and of
blessings bestowed, hasn't he (we)? Throughout the history of ancient Israel
God commanded them to observe certain feasts and certain days and to place
certain monuments in locations for the express purpose of putting them "in
remembrance" of what God had done for them.

In the New Testament we find the same purpose being given for the memorial
of the Lord's Supper instituted as a commemoration of Christ's death, burial
and resurrection. In 1Cor. 11:24-25 we find the words "this do in
remembrance of me." God, man's Creator, knows full and well that we have a
propensity to forget things. Don't we? I'm going to leave shortly for a
hardware store to purchase a tool because I can't remember where I put the
other two that I own. 'Nuff said.
For the rest of my time and space here today, I'm going to devote it to some
thoughts on veterans and I think that as you read these thoughts, you just
might be able to exchange the word "veteran" with the word "Christian" and
find that the thought fits there also.

At the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC, is the "Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier." Inscribed on the monument of that tomb are the words:
"KNOWN BUT TO GOD." I have just a quick thought about that - in Matt. 10:29
Jesus says that "not a sparrow falls without the Father." If God knows when
a sparrow falls, I'm convinced that he knows when a veteran/Christian falls.
And wouldn't you say with me, that both are in the "line of duty?"

For the remainder of this editorial, I'm going to provide you with the words
of an essay entitled "What Is A Veteran." I've taken a little literary
license here and edited it for space purposes. If you're like me, I'm
reminded of someone that fits about all of the descriptions given of
veterans. And, as mentioned earlier, as we see veterans described in
relation to service to our nation, think about Christians and their service
to God and the cause of Christ.

WHAT IS A VETERAN
Some veterans bear visible signs of their service....a missing limb, a
jagged scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry the evidence inside
them...a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg....or
perhaps another sort of inner steel...the soul's ally forged in the refinery
of adversity. Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept
America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell a vet just by looking.
What is a vet?

He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating
two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out
of fuel. He may be a loudmouth, or dumber than five wooden planks, but his
behavior is outweighed a hundred times over by four hours of exquisite
bravery near the 38th parallel.
She or he is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep
sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang. He is the POW who went
away one person and came back another - or didn't come back at all. He is
the parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a
prosthetic hand. He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and
medals pass him by.

He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns whose
presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory
of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the
battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.

He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now and
aggravatingly slow who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all
day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares
come.

He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being - a person who
offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country
and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice
theirs. He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness and he
is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest,
greatest nation ever known.

He is the beggar on the street corner, holding up a piece of cardboard
with the scribbling, "Help a Vet, HUNGRY!"

So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just
lean over and say Thank You. That's all most people need and in most cases
it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were
awarded. Two little words that meant a lot, "THANK YOU." (Auth. Dennis Edw.
O'Brien, USMC)
In closing, let's carry that thought one step further - let's say "Thank
You, God" for sacrificing Your Son and "Thank You, Jesus" for being obedient
to the cross. Without either of those sacrifices, we would have no hope of
anything better than this earthly existence. And another "Thank You" we
should never forget - all of the valiant Christian veterans who "fought the
good fight," especially those who served in our vineyard/battlefields and
taught us. THANK YOU!

Ron Covey
　
　

How to "give thanks in everything" - 1 Thessalonians 5

The sky this morning is clear and a vibrant blue. The sunshine is bright and temperatures are pleasant. I give thanks to God for these conditions. Would I do the same if it were rainy, cold and overcast?

 

Gratitude comes easily when our health is good and our finances are in the black. When problems arise, however, our focus turns to those negatives. We find it difficult, if not impossible, to thank God during such times.

 

A story has been told about Matthew Henry, famous commentator on the Bible. On one occasion he was robbed. He was known for being grateful, but how would he react to this cloudy day?

 

In his diary, Henry wrote the following: "Let me be thankful first because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my wallet they did not take my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed."

 

Paul's directive in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 is clear: "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you"(NKJV). His instruction in Philippians 4:6 is aimed toward times of trouble, but note again the presence of thanksgiving: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."

 

Why is thanksgiving given prominence in God's plan? Because it provides perspective, a point of view I need during times of struggle. When I kneel in prayer to ask for help in my present crisis, thanksgiving will remind me that God has blessed me in the past. If he came through for me then, will he not be faithful to come to my side now?

 

November is the month for the holiday known as Thanksgiving. For Christians every day should be an occasion of gratitude to God.

 

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Be thankful to him, and bless his name" (Psalm 100:4).

 

Tim Hall

 

We Need You, Lord" by Joanna Fuchs

       As I like to do on occasion, I came about a good poem that can hit home with many people in our culture and the church.  It is called "We Need You, Lord" by Joanna Fuchs.
 

We need you, Lord.
Like lost wanderers in a burning, empty desert
thirst for cool, clean water,
we long for you to quench us.
In a world gone progressively mad,
with chaos all around us,
we seek refuge in the order and purpose of your law.
With evil sneaking, leaking everywhere,
spreading heavy darkness,
creating feelings of emptiness,
we hunger for your goodness and light.
Turn us around, Lord, we pray;
retrieve your sheep who have gone astray.
Draw us to the satisfaction
of your purity and righteousness.
Cleanse us, and make us more like you,
role models, examples, beacons,
for others who are searching for meaning for their lives.
Come, Lord Jesus.
We need you, Lord.

 
       We truly should have an intense desire and thirst for the Lord and for righteousness (Matthew 5:6).  In many ways, our world has been going astray as the poem suggested.  Sadly, we do see our culture being more and more accepting of sin.  Then, as a result of sin and our culture, some in the church have fallen away.  However, we are the ones who can be the good examples and lights to guide the lost back to the Lord (Matthew 5:16). 
       Let's continue to thirst for the Lord.  Let's remember that we are lights to the world.  And let's never become too numb that we no longer think we need God.

 

Brett Petrillo

 

Benjamin Franklin, U.S. Founding Father (1706-1790)

 

In the past few weeks, we've celebrated a couple of holidays that relate to and remind us of one of the terrible calamities of this world. War. A philosopher once said that "humanity has but three great enemies; fever, famine and war." Well, he was right to some extent, but he left out the greatest enemy of mankind, Satan. We'll discuss this more a little later on in this editorial.

Yes, war, as man wages it and the world knows it, is a terrible thing. No one in their right mind, wants war as we think of it. It's not fun. It's not glamorous and heroic as depicted by the movies, but rather it is intense fear, filthiness, discomfort and suffering for those who participate and survive. It is death to those who do not survive.

Probably one person who is more than qualified to speak of war and describe it accurately is a famous General, William Tecumseh Sherman. He is the originator of the phrase, "War is Hell," but I would like you to hear the whole statement from which those three words came. He was addressing a graduating military class when this was said. "I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell."

Benjamin Franklin is the one who said, "There never was a good war or a bad peace." As regards man-made warfare, he is right. But, here again, we'll discuss this further a little later on. In sort of a humorous vein, I like the words of Stephen Vincent Benet, who said that if we had to have one, to "make war on the men - the ladies have too-long memories."

I suppose that, if we had the time and the inclination, we could study all of the wars that ever occurred and I betcha we'd find one thing in common in just about all of them. That the mind of some man or men brought the war about by the advocation and commission of policies that are of an unGodly nature. If the minds of men were Godly in nature, we would never have to worry about being involved in a war.

But, man's minds are not so, are they? The minds of men are both noble and base, but it's the baseness that most often wins out over the noble. Minds that have given the world great discoveries, like many of the medicines we have and inventions that truly benefit mankind also bring us some of the most terrible atrocities imaginable. Following is what I consider a classic example of this.

A very gifted and brilliant man once invented what he thought would be something that would be used for peaceful purposes and would be a great boon to man. But then, other minds turned this invention into tremendous implements of destruction and have used them against each other ever since. So distraught over the destructive use of his invention, he set aside the sum of 9 million dollars for the awarding of annual prizes, with one of them being a prize to a person who most promoted peace. Yes, Alfred Nobel, best known for the Nobel Peace Prize was the one who gave the world dynamite.

There have been other weapons invented that have caused man to say that their invention would make war obsolete. That they were so terrible and devastating that, man would not engage in war. The machine-gun was one of them. It was so devastating when fired, that man would be fool-hardy to start a war with these in existence. And, of course, the atomic bomb ended World War II with Japan and supposedly that weapon would end all future wars. What none of these people who said these things took into consideration was, that man's base nature and mind would figure out a way to use these inventions against their fellow man and will continue to do so.

But, back to the things we said that we would discuss later in this article. Is there, like the philosopher said, only three great enemies of man? No, as mentioned, he left out man's greatest enemy, Satan. Satan is called the "adversary" of God, the "prince of this world" and "the Devil." As such, he is God's enemy and he is waging warfare against God on a constant basis. The battlefield is here on earth and the spoils of this war is the souls of men.

But, God also has an army. Christians. We are the army of God and it is our duty to go to war against Satan. Several scriptures indicate that we are at war with Satan and his followers. In 1 Pet. 2:11 we see that Christians are warned to "abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." That is one of the weapons that Satan is using against us in this war. And we know that Satan is the enemy because Peter further tells us in 1 Pet. 5:8 that he is like "a roaring lion who goes about seeking whom he can devour." This is why Paul tells us in Eph. 6:10-17 about the uniforms of God's army and the only weapon we are to use.

In 1 Tim. 1:18 Paul is telling Timothy that he is committing a "charge" to him. This charge is mentioned earlier in verses 3 (teach no other doctrine, or in other words, hold onto and teach the truth) and then in verse 5 where he says, "Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned." In verse 18, Timothy is then told that by keeping this charge, he "mightest war a good warfare." Later in Chapter 6:12 Paul tells him to "fight the good fight" and by doing so he will "lay hold on eternal life."

And, we must never lose track of where our army's strength lies. In God and His Word. Many, many scriptures tells us this. Throughout the Psalms, David tells us over and over that God is our source of strength. Almost as if he was giving us a pep-talk, in Psa. 27:14 he tells us to "Wait on the Lord and be courageous and He will strengthen our hearts." And in 27:1 he says that the Lord is the strength of our lives, so "of whom shall we be afraid." In 28:7 he says that God is our "strength and our shield." In 2 Tim. 4:17 Paul is saying that, even though others had deserted, God "stood with him and strengthened him.

I guess one of the most appropriate verses, in regards to where our strength lies, is found in Isa. 41:10. Here God is telling His people "Fear not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

In closing, I offer a short poem, whose author is anonymous. It came out of one of our wars and is simply known as A Soldier - His Prayer.

　

Stay with me God. The night is dark,

The night is cold: my little spark

Of courage dies. The night is long;

Be with me God, and make me strong.

　

Ron Covey