What They Want to Hear

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." 2 Tim 4:3-4 (NKJV)

In a Feb 10, 2009 "Times on Line," article entitled, "Vatican Buries the Hatchet with Charles Darwin," the author writes: "The Vatican has admitted that Charles Darwin was on the right track when he claimed that Man descended from apes.
A leading official declared yesterday that Darwin’s theory of evolution was compatible with Christian faith, and could even be traced to St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas. “In fact, what we mean by evolution is the world as created by God,” said Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture."

One day earlier (2/9/2009) in a German on-line newspaper "Der Speigel" Bishop Richard Williamson speaks at length in an interview that he does not believe the Nazi Holocaust that killed six million Jews during World War II happened.

Needless to say these two articles were upsetting to me but not surprising to God in light of the writing of Paul in his second letter to Timothy.

These days are full of half truths and out right lies from the heads of our governments to the pulpits of our churches. Deceptive speech is the norm. From the White House to the Vatican, our politicians and many of our clergy are turning their hearts away from truth and toward fables and misinformation, to gain favor by telling what they think people want to hear. Truth is gone from the very places we need the truth to be spoken.

The truth is not always what most of us want to hear. When the news is bad or when improper behavior needs to be corrected the truth is not pleasant. However, denial of the truth does not make the bad news better nor does it correct poor performance. Yet we continue to deceive each other saying everything is okay, denying the truth so that for a moment we can be popular while delaying the inevitable and often making the situation worse.

"Bad news doesn't get better with age," my former Commanding Officer would say. He was right. Yet many times his officers were afraid to tell him when something was not right for fear he would be mad at them.

When are we going to tell the truth? We will never correct our difficulties by hiding them and worse changing the facts to cover up the reality of the situation. Truth is absolute and we are only fooling ourselves if we think we can deny that.

My prayer. Father I know from your word that nothing that is happening in the world right now is a surprise to you. Neither the President nor the Pope can fool You. Father, in the name of your Son Jesus, forgive us for thinking that we can deceive you in any way. Help us Lord to see the error of our ways and heal us from the sin of lying and deception. I pray in earnest for our eyes to be opened from the blindness caused by our self-deception. In Jesus mighty name I pray, Amen.