In New Hampshire a Democrat denied the election results, demanded a recount, and ... won by a margin of one vote. "Now, that is democracy," some would say. I'd ask, "Is it?" If democracy is defined as "a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state" and neither "the whole population" nor "all the eligible members" vote, what are we to conclude? Democracy is, at best, the will of those most willing to speak up. In 2020, for instance, 60% of eligible voters voted, which marked a 30-year high. Meaning that for 30 years less than 60% of those who could vote determined the outcome for the whole population. Is that really a majority?
It is amazing that a person got elected by one vote in New Hampshire. (I wouldn't make a big deal about the Democrat "denying the election results," in truth. Anyone can demand a recount. That doesn't make you an election denier. It does make for provocative language, though, doesn't it?) It's just that, in so many areas, we're not looking at the facts. The fact is we will not achieve "democracy" -- a system of government driven by the will of the majority -- because there will always be a large number of people who won't express their will. That's this case. What about others? Take COVID. Anyone that mentioned facts contrary to the "approved" information were labeled "crazy" and their information was "misinformation." So much so that the general public wasn't allowed to consider the facts. At a doctor's office last week the sign said, "Masks required," but when the masked girl behind the desk had to cough, she removed her mask to do so. Not looking at the facts. Last year I posted a picture of a french horn player playing in a mask with a hole cut in it. Not looking at the facts. We are still surrounded by individuals wearing masks in all situations without recognizing that the CDC said that masks were to protect others, not the wearer. Not looking at the facts.
Just two examples. Just two. We are inundated with them. All the time. Especially in spiritual matters (1 Cor 2:14). And that's because we aren't aware of the real problem. "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" (Jer 17:9). Sin rots the brain (Rom 1:28). The god of this world blinds people (2 Cor 4:4). Humans, as a whole, have a mental problem -- mental blindness. Which we ignore ... because we're blind. Which is why Solomon wrote, "Trust in YHWH with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding" (Prov 3:5). But Jesus said He came to give sight to the blind (Luke 4:17-21). Jeremiah, in his lament, said, "The LORD is my portion ... Therefore I have hope in Him" (Lam 3:24). In Him we can stop and think.
6 comments:
The last paragraph has no real relevance to the rest of the post. What's more, in Him we need as much of the facts as we can get as well. We need to look at them as well and the issues of the heart can be at play as well. Your comments are on point, but we are no more without the problems illustrated in the two examples as concerns matters of faith. Just sayin'.
I'm curious Marshal, why do you divorce faith and rational thought? Out of the heart is where our thoughts proceed. A heart set on God will try to look at the world as it is, not as how they want it to be. God is the answer to all our ills, not just our matters of faith.
Stan,
It's almost like you are suggesting that our hearts will lead us astray, regardless of the facts, and that scripture told us this thousands of years ago. Yet we still choose to ignore facts and follow our hearts, regardless of how deceitful our hearts might be,
Yes, Craig, it is almost like that ...
David,
I'm not understanding how you could be led to believe I'm "divorcing faith from rational thought". More so given my response to this post. Please explain and clarify.
You said that the last paragraph had nothing to do with the first two. I assumed that you meant the faith that tells us that man's heart is deceitfully wicked has nothing to do with the rational failure of people. We know that sin rots the brain. So it makes sense that the faithless would be more willing to accept the lies of this world.
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