Do American Christians care about truth at all? That should be a dumb question. Dumb in the sense that all Christians care about truth. Don’t we? Sadly, apparently not.
The headline from NBC News reads: RNC airs video clip of ‘Biden’s America’ — it was actually Barcelona. Just in case you’re not aware of it, Barcelona is in Spain. You know – Spain, as in the country across the Atlantic. In Europe. Not in America. Although some people, notably our President – Trump – don’t seem to know this. Or maybe just flat out don’t care?
Here’s an excerpt to show why this matters.
The video, which has since been posted on President Trump’s official YouTube account, is titled “Catalina and Madeline” and features two Chicago-area sisters, Catalina and Madeline Lauf, who discuss their conservative beliefs and their support for the president.
“This is a taste of Biden’s America,” one of the sisters narrates as photos and videos of protests flash on screen. “The rioting, the crime. Freedom is at stake now and this is going to be the most important election of our lifetime.”
While the imagery appears to allude to the recent American protests after the fatal encounter of George Floyd with Minneapolis police in May, one part of the video is from an entirely different protest, a different country and a different year.
NBC News’ Social Newsgathering team was able to identify that a portion of the video was in fact taken during Catalonia independence protests in October 2019 and not during recent protests in the United States over racial injustice and police brutality. Catalonian public broadcaster, CCA, was first to report on the misinformation on August 25.
Do American Christians care about truth when to comes to Trump?
Every day I read about the fact-checking on Trump. It’s awesome how many untruths one man can tell in short periods of time.
But it’s scary how many people believe him. Or, as I said, just don’t care. Given his very high support among American Evangelical Christians, I find it exceptionally scary. Doesn’t truth matter to American Christians any more with this President?
Do you, American Christians, remember Psalm 15? Let’s read it together.
Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
Ps 15:1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
Ps 15:2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
Ps 15:3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
Ps 15:4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
Ps 15:5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.
Do you see what’s happening in this Psalm? David’s asking God – who may live in His sanctuary. On His holy hill. For us today, that’s asking who will be in Heaven. That’s something every Christian should want.
But look at verses 12 and 13 again.
Ps 15:2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
Ps 15:3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
Does that sound like our President? Does Trump speak the truth? He may speak from his heart, but I dare say that what comes out of his mouth violates what follows in the passage. This man presents himself as a Christian. Do you believe that he’s a Christian who cares about the truth?
Why should American Christians care whether Trump speaks the truth?
Why should we care? Why should American Christians care whether the person we support as President speaks the truth? Or cares about the truth? Because of something Jesus said.
Salt and Light
Mt 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
Mt 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
People watch other people. That includes us. And when Christians are very vocal about what we believe and what we do, it’s viewed as a window into what Christianity is about. Therefore, if we’re going to be so vocal about our support for a President, any president or any political candidate, and we start tying our faith into the reason for supporting them, don’t we owe it to Jesus to actually represent Him in a Biblical manner?
If you’d like to see what that means, here’s something on it. BTW – if you don’t want to know, that’s not a good sign for any Christian.
Jesus promises Holy Spirit
Jn 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
Jn 14:22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
Jn 14:23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
Jn 14:25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Jn 14:28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, 31 but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
“Come now; let us leave.”
There’s a theme running through that passage:
Jn 14:15 If you love me, you will obey what I command.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth
21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.
Jn 14:23 … “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.
24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.
Love. Obey. The Spirit of Truth – the Holy Spirit.
As Christians, we need to ask, do I love God? Or do I love something or someone else more?
Put another way for this topic, do I love God or do I love Trump?
Summary – Do American Christians care about truth when to comes to Trump?
If you want to vote for someone – do it. But when we start to use God as the reason for our votes, I think we need to be very cognizant of what the Bible says. For that matter, even when we just quietly vote for someone, anyone, our actions here do have consequences. In fact, when we vote for President or other even other offices, our vote affects a lot of people. People that God cares about. That God loves. Even if we don’t care about them.
Although, that last one isn’t what Jesus taught, is it? It’s not really OK to not care about someone, is it?
Do American Christians care about truth at all?
Maybe we can convince ourselves that Trump and the truth don’t matter. I couldn’t do that. But maybe you can. I used to be Republican, but thanks to Trump, I couldn’t remain one.
Maybe we think it doesn’t matter. But I believe it does. Even who we support and who we vote for. It says something about us. And if we’re Christian, it says something to others about God. Remember something Paul wrote about the freedoms we have as believers.
The Believer’s Freedom
1Co 10:23 “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
1Co 10:25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
1Co 10:27 If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if anyone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake— 29 the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
1Co 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. 1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Yes, if we’re truly Christians, we’re forgiven. And while we are forgiven, some things really shouldn’t be done. Like treating people in a way other than what God desires. Not treating them with love. Not just respect, but love. God’s kind of love.
And let’s not get started with when Paul writes, Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God. We all do it. But honestly, we shouldn’t do it so blatantly, so consistently, and without a care in the world, as we oppress others.
Conclusion – Do American Christians care about truth at all?
Truth matters. Truth should matter to everyone. It should especially matter to Christians. But when it gets to the point where is so questionable as to whether American Christians care about truth at all – that’s not a good sign. Not for us, as a country. And certainly not for us as Christians.
I have just one last passage for you.
Jesus the Way to the Father
Jn 14:5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jn 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Jn 14:8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
Jn 14:9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
The key in there for today is:
Jn 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
If Jesus is the truth, and if truth matters to us at all, we must care about what He taught us as Christians. If we don’t care about truth, then we don’t seem to care about Jesus either.
Ultimately, when people see us loving Trump, or other politicians, more than Jesus, they are totally justified in asking, Do American Christians care about truth at all? And the answer they’re most likely to come up with as a resounding NO!
However, the really big question is – what would Jesus say if He asks that same question. How would He answer?
We’d best better care. Our very souls may depend on it!
Postscript to Do American Christians care about truth at all?
I didn’t have time to spell check and finalize this last night. As it turns out, that’s a good thing. I was checking out the news and saw something all too relevant. It was titled Fresh off convention, Trump launches baseless attack on Kamala Harris.
The President seemed to suggest on Friday that his off-script comments about Harris’ competence were meant solely for his supporters — not the larger number of American households watching his heavily scripted convention speech on television Thursday night.
After hearing pundits talk about how he had toned down his RNC speech, Trump told rallygoers in New Hampshire, “Well, it’s a different kind of a speech. Tonight, I’m in New Hampshire and we can wing it.”
“If I did last night’s speech here, right now you would have all been walking out,” he added. “And if I did tonight’s speech there, I would have been criticized by being slightly radical.”
Just how blatant can someone be about what they believe, but we still either ignore or don’t even believe it?
Trump flat out admits he’s got two different scripts to follow. One that carefully planned and followed for a national audience. And another that’s totally off-script and delivered to his followers. Guess which one’s the real Trump? And guess what he just did. He admitted openly that he lies. And he doesn’t even care enough to try to hide it.
When will his Christian followers admit what’s going on? When will his Christian followers care about the truth?
I pray for those of you that seemingly don’t care about the truth. It’s what Jesus is all about. And if we, as Christians don’t care about the truth, then we don’t care about Jesus.
I also pray for this country. How long can we continue to treat minorities as third-class citizens? How long can we continue to oppress others in God’s creation? That they come from another country isn’t justification. That they have a different color skin isn’t justification.
How long until we reach the point, as individuals, as churches and even as a country, until Jesus tells us, as He said in Matthew 7:23 –
I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!
Rather than reach that point, I pray we hear and understand something else Jesus said to the church in Laodicea in Revelation.
Rev 3:19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
Please – open the door.
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
I hope that you know that I really enjoy reading your articles but I must ask you these questions: how do you justify Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ stance on abortion? For me, the issue of abortion is like my North Star because I know in my heart that it is the murder of a person. Also, how do you feel about the Democratic Party voting to remove God out of their platform about 7 years ago and dropped the words, “Under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance” at the Democratic Convention recently?
President Trump may be extremely brash but he he did stand up for Israel and recognized Jerusalem as the capital.
Respectfully,
Your sister, Lisa
Hi Lisa –
Those are great questions. They’re so important that I’m going to answer them in another article or two (or three?), rather than respond here. That way more people will see the answers. The short answer though, is that I don’t actually justify either party’s words or actions. My feeling is that regardless of the party or who we vote for, we need to remember a few things.
First – that Jesus didn’t engage with the Roman Empire. And they were far worse than anything we have in this country today.
Second – more than the actual actions that we take, it’s the reasons for what we do and what’s in our hearts that God looks at. While we can’t know what’s in someone’s heart, we can often learn the reasons why people do things.
And third – there is only one unforgivable sin – blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, or for many denomination today quenching the Holy Spirit. Everything else will be forgiven if we ask God. And all sins are so far from God’s perfection that Jesus even equates calling someone a fool with murder, as far as the outcome, if not forgiven.
I’d like to hear what you think of them as they come out. You certainly don’t have to agree. We’re all in different places – our faith, our past, present situations, Etc. We grow. We have setbacks. God knows all of those things, even better than we know ourselves. So what’s in our heart matters. I stress that im my classes.
We have people with very different theology beliefs, different political preferences, different backgrounds, and stuff. But we all agree that Jesus is our salvation – and that’s what really matters. Disagreeing is OK. The only thing I ask them, and people who read what I write, is to have a Biblical reason for what we believe. If there weren’t different ways to interpret the Bible, we’d only have one denomination. But that’s not happening. So when we studied something like predestiny versus free will – my only warning to people on the extremes was not to turn God into an uninterested observer (possible with extreme free will) or make Him appear to be mean or even evil (possible with extreme predistiny).
We’re doing the seven letters to the seven churches now (Zooming) and even with the various beliefs, there’s a lot of common ground on what Jesus is saying to the churches and how we can apply that to our lives today. It’s a great experience.
Hi – I’ve written my response to your first question – about the abortion stance of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. I’m waiting a bit ti publish it though. Earlier this year, I went on a tour of a women’s center that does abortion counseling. It used fact based science and a Christian approach to the counseling. They do not do abortions. However, they offer assistance regardless of whether the prospective mother decides to keep the child or not. Not just “we’ll pray for you”, which they will do. But more than that.
Anyway, I sent a copy of what I wrote to the Director of this center. It’s one location of a number of member sites. Depending on her response, I’m hoping there will be more on what they offer and that they’ll help to write it. That would add to what I wrote – to show what I believe a Christian response to abortion should be. Not protests. Not government. But the love of Jesus.
Thanks again for your questions!
chris
But the stance at the women’s center is not the position of Joe Biden and, especially, Kamala Harris and I definitely agree that the Bible states that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin. As for reasons why they may have removed God from their platform and from the Pledge of Allegiance – I say that you know people by their fruit (and I refer again to Trump recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel) – as for their reasons for taking God out of as much as possible, I will leave that to our Heavenly Father to look into hearts as I can only see what they do.
Hey, I still pray for you, Irene, and your dogs!!!! You are on my prayer list right before my eyeballs right now so do not take a defensive position – because I consider you a friend and EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGEABLE ON THE BIBLE and I value your opinion (although, I will be quite honest in that I am not comfortable with your answers) .
Love you!
Lisa
Hi Lisa – it’s OK to not be comfortable and to not agree. That’s how we grow in our faith. The only time we’ll really agree on everything is in Heaven.
I do agree – the stance at the women’s center doesn’t match up with Biden and Harris. As I said – I don’t justify what they stand for on the abortion issue. I can’t, because it’s wrong from a Biblical point of view.
Part of my goal is to get us to think about what we believe, why, and how to live out our faith. We’re people – we’ll always have those hot button, or North Star, issues. My questions are hopefully to get us to think about them and make decisions based on what Jesus said and taught.
Trump really got me to think about things – and change some of my actions – because of the way he treats people. So I’m trying to understand what’s going on with him and so many Christians. And trying to get others to think about it as well.
As for the abortion part – I’ll wait ’til the article comes out. I believe it will show that, like many issues, I don’t think either political party acts in a very Christian manner. I believe we can do better if we follow what Jesus said about paying taxes. But that’s me – not everyone.
I consider you and your family to be friends as well and can’t wait to meet all of you in Heaven!
your brother in Christ,
chris
I just read your other article about cancer. I said that I pray for you, Irene, and your dogs every evening because your names are written on my prayer list right here in front of me. Do not worry because you will be alright!! We need you to teach us!!! My son was diagnosed with cancer last year. He is only 33 years old! That was a VERY tough year for us. I even ended up in the ER because I thought that I was having a heart attack but it was the stress. An excellent surgeon was able to remove all of the tumor and had clean edges. It was a VERY large Sarcoma tumor in his calf muscle. He had been working out and thought that that muscle was just getting large from the exercise. My son is doing extremely well!!! The reading for the evening when we received our son’s diagnosis was John chapter 4 verses 46 – 54! I did NOT randomly pick that. It was on the prayer calendar!!! I still pray, “Go in peace, your son will live”
Hi Lisa -Thank you again for sharing about your son. I can’t even imagine what it’s like, going through that with a son or daughter.
What you said about teaching is interesting. Don’t know if you read God – is it time for me to go home?. I believe that’s the reason I’m still alive now. Three years after, as my doctor called it, beating the reaper. I couldn’t find where I wrote about it, but shortly after I wrote that one, blood tests showed that all my organs were 100% back to normal. Instead of months, it was about two more weeks. Even before the antibiotic course was finished.
One of the doctors told me the infection could still be there – and could come back. Don’t know it that was to cover the hospital from future liability or not. But still – just one more reason to stay in the Word, keep on the path, and be grateful for the peace Jesus offers to us.
Still, as we know, every person Jesus healed did eventually pass on. It’s part of life. The only way to reach the next life. When I’ve done everything God has for me to do, I’m ready to go home. Until then, I just pray I do the best I can to stay on the narrow path and bear fruit for Him. And – to rest in His peace, because there’s really no reason to fear and because if I give in to fear then it limits what God can do with my life.
Jesus said we’d have troubles. One big question is whether we submit to the troubles, or if we use His power, strength and peace to stay on the path and give the glory to Him.
BTW – I think something people forget or don’t always realize – knowledge is from God. We read that early in the Old Testament. Part of that knowledge is what allows the doctors to take care of us. So even if the doctors aren’t Christian, or Jewish as mine is, the knowledge they have still comes from our Creator!
thanks again for your continued prayers,
chris
Dear Chris,
Isn’t that so very wonderful that God dictated me to write a line about teaching that would not only give you courage but also encourage both you and me???? I try to pray before I write (or speak). I do NOT always succeed in holding my tongue – unfortunately. But your words gave ME encouragement that God is watching out for all of us!!! How in the world did I know that by writing that line about “teaching us” – WHICH YOU REALLY DO, FOR ME ANYWAY!! – would mean anything special to you????
The Lord, our God, is GREAT!!!!!
Love you,,
Lisa
P.S. Enoch was simply, taken up and seen no more. Teacher: What do you suppose happened to St. John, the apostle?
Hi Lisa – Yes, God’s always trying to watch out for us. We just need to remember to take time to listen. How do we know things? By listening. If I have trouble writing, I just don’t. I wait until I feel like I’m listening again. Like you said – it’s not always easy & we’re not always successful. But we keep trying. And we help each other in ways that wouldn’t be possible without that!
I have some stuff on what happened to the Apostles. I’ll have to find it. If I remember right, John’s the only one who died a natural death, although it wasn’t for lack of trying by the Romans to have him die unnaturally.
your brother in Jesus,
chris
I had one conversation where I got somebody on the deaths of the apostles. I simply asked, why would they undergo such horrific deaths if they had not seen and experienced what they claim to have seen and experienced. Who dies for a lie?
Hi Lisa – sorry to take so long to reply. You probably noticed the site’s been getting really slow. Couldn’t get the hosting company to resolve the problems, so I just moved it to another company. Much better now!
Yes – that’s a very good point. The apostles who knew Jesus certainly wouldn’t have died for what they knew was a lie.
Unfortunately, some people will die for a lie. The inability to tell the difference between the truth and the lie depends on whether or not we listen to the Holy Spirit. We’re going through Revelation in my class now, and one of the things we know from Matthew where Jesus talks about the End of the age:
Mt 24:23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
Deception will be extreme in those days, so all but the true believers will be deceived. But even today, too many people are still deceived. That’s why teaching others the truth from the Bible is so important.
chris