Why pass along lies?

Across a lifetime, I had wondered, puzzled, and shaken my head at how easily religious people pass along information that is not true. For years, it was the petitions passed around from church member to church member on a myriad of issues from an atheist trying to stop religious broadcasting or demonic symbols embedded in business logos.

Because I read and remember, I began making a file about these ongoing rumors, and would pull it out, make a copy of the truth, and find the person who had been duped was actually upset with me. That was my first clue something was tragically wrong.

For people who are supposed to value truth, practice truth telling, religious folks have little loyalty to what is true. Rather, it seems to me that religious folks often want snippets of information they find important to be true. And if they feel passionately about it, it must be true. It really is the ultimate idolatry. Against all facts, all truths, we decide what is truth and what we will do with it.

These day because conservative Christians have a deep antipathy toward the sitting President, I guess that makes it alright to pass along lies about his birth origins, his faith, and pretty much anything that can incite others to think badly of him.

I have noticed that when the facts come out, the swarm move on to another subject, never apologizing, never admitting they have slandered a national leader, never feeling badly about violating basic Biblical teaching about gossip, lies, and slander. Just move on, murmuring under one's breath.

Tragically, the full measure of who we really are is revealed when we move through uncertain times with folks we had rather not be our leaders moving us in directions we prefer not to go. More than that, despite the prevailing opinions to the contrary, people of deep religious faith can hold different, passionate viewpoints about economics, law, justice, immigration, money, and the place of government in the lives of people.

One does not need to agree with leadership. In America, one does not need to support candidates for leadership. However, we are commanded to pray for our leaders and people of faith should respect those who try to lead us. On, yea, and you really should speak truth and pass truth on. Anything less than--well, is a lie, but then you knew that.