Today Was Surreal — and Evil. This Is Not Who We Are...
Post-truth chaos...
Today was surreal.
And evil.
And tragic. I could go on (and on).
It was as though the bowels of 2020 came bursting forth, abruptly smashing onto the 2021 stage in a blaze of time-traveled glory, totally obliterating the ill-fated belief that somehow, someway this year would be magically better than the last.
Spoiler alert: things just got even weirder.
And let’s just rip off the Band-Aid: We are a bewildered people so embroiled in the bitter debasement of truth that we have become enveloped in a moral and ethical confusion so potent and so demonic that it holds the power to dismantle the very core of our democracy (and our individual souls, if we let it).
It’s hard to put it all into words, and if I’m honest — I’ve all but stepped away from the political world I once revered. For years, it was my honor to read, write, commentate and cover these issues.
Today, I find it difficult to even turn on the TV, let alone show up to deliver commentary.
From Congress to the presidency — to all of the cultural issues in between: I was once captivated. Today, I’m horrified. I’m ashamed. I’m confused. I’m left watching the smoldering remains of a political system comprised of two parties that refuse to stand up to truth — moral truth, cultural truth, political truth, the list goes on.
And let me be clear: neither party appears interested in embracing reality, with both contributing to the confusion and insanity we watched unfold today; both institutions have, over time, chipped away at morality, goodness and rightfulness, and we’ve allowed it and, at times, have willingly cheered it on.
It started decades ago, but, like any malignancy, it has quickly grown in recent years.
At first, the chaos came via a slow-drip. Moral lies slyly infested culture, working their way into Hollywood, media, talk radio — communications in general. Our reality TV appetite grew until the lines crossed.
God was replaced with the “self.” And then self decided its importance was so grand that others must be sidelined and later: cancelled. We became the only truth we needed to know.
And it was in this decision that we no longer needed to appeal to a higher power that the chaos was truly unleashed.
Now, we believe we’re the ones with the answers. We’re the ones whose emotions are so sacrosanct and important that we no longer need a standard. We believe we are the standard — that we can be the baseline.
Hundreds of millions of people are now hopped up on the lie that what they (we) believe to be truth is, indeed, eternal verity. No matter the issue, no matter the cause — even an election — we believe we can simply invent the “truth” and just roll with it.
But, sadly, that’s not how life works, and that’s certainly not what Jesus calls us to. And somehow, along the way, even many of those who embrace God have been swept up into the current of confusion, choosing fancy narrative over the quest for truth.
I won’t lie: this has been a struggle. I always have so much to say, but I’ve muzzled myself in recent months because, frankly, I don’t have anything nice at all to utter. And I’m torn; I feel God calling me to new places and spaces, yet I also feel called to speak sanity into a pool of what appears to be total madness masquerading as gospel.
How in the world did we get here? I can’t fully answer that outside of what I’ve presented, but here’s what I can do: leave us all with some hope.
As we all ponder the disaster we watched today, here are some verses for us to remember. Jesus is still on the throne. Let’s pray for one another — and for our country.
I hope these verses inspire you:
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” - 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” - Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
“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.” - John 14:27 (NIV)