A few years ago a news report revealed how clothing sizes have slowly evolved. A women’s size “6,” for instance, was shown to actually be larger than a women’s size 6 from garments made and sized in the past. This carried through all women’s sizes and even some men’s sizes as well. Manufacturers readily admitted the “adjustment.” The thinking behind the change is that even if people have gained weight they will feel better about themselves if their clothing size number does not change. Eager clothing manufacturers, seeking to sell more product, have been happy to accommodate. A happy customer is a repeat customer. Increasingly, many men’s pants have expandable waists. A man may, for example, purchase a size 36 pant when he really needs a size 38. The expandable, elastic waist will accommodate his needs and allow him to breath comfortably. And best of all, he can still proudly boast he has been wearing size 36 since his college days!
A few short decades ago, people did not buy things they could not afford. It was not that they did not have the desire; it was that they simply could not. They did not have that much cash and banks would not lend money for houses that were beyond people’s means. The banks had a responsibility to maintain the solvency of their institution and further, it was not responsible for them to prey upon people. Their integrity, and often the law, would not allow it. But as predatory lending became more and more prevalent many people bought houses and cars, and other big-ticket items they could not afford. What actually happened was sellers cleverly tricked people into believing they were purchasing something, when in reality, they were only signing up to make payments. There is a big difference. People of medium or lesser incomes were able to obtain things they could have only dreamed of and had previously been available only to the wealthy. The advent of “the installment plan” did wonders for people’s ability to grasp what they previously could not reach. When all is said and done the interest paid by some people is utterly staggering. It is quite remarkable how thoroughly successful retailers have been in tricking people into thinking they can afford the things they cannot. And in the irony of all ironies, they have even tricked them into paying more for the items, by way of the interest! Credit cards are a chief culprit in the deception. If a person does not have the money to purchase something today, do they honestly think they will have it by the end of the month? Of course not. Credit cards have long been used as a tool to trick people into obtaining things they cannot afford, and the credit card companies are laughing all the way to the bank.
After the grand jury investigation in Ferguson, MO it was shown there was no basis to pursue any sort of indictment against the officer and that he acted appropriately under the circumstances. The autopsy report on Michael Brown, Officer Darren Wilson’s testimony, the testimony of several eye-witnesses, and the physical evidence of bruising etc. on Officer Wilson told the true and honest story of what happened. But race industry professionals and racial opportunists like Al Sharpton keep shouting a false narrative. Complicit in this spreading of lies is much of the mainstream media, many elected officials, celebrities, and political commentators. Even members of the congressional black caucus stood on the floor of congress this week holding up their hands saying “don’t shoot” which is an orchestrated lie. No evidence ever showed that Michael Brown had his hands up or asked the officer not to shoot. Instead, the evidence clearly showed that Brown, high on marijuana and having just robbed a convenience store, was charging at the officer with the officer yelling at him to stop. Even a handful of football players, members of the St. Louis Rams, came out of the tunnel at last Sunday’s game raising their hands in political protest, further fanning the flames of the false narrative and further dividing this country. Joseph Goebbels, a Nazi zealot during the holocaust famously said “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
Many struggling with homosexuality have tricked themselves into believing that it is ok, and even that God made them that way. Further, that marriage should be their right, and that anyone who does not fully embrace and affirm them in what they desire, is a homophobe and a bigot who is way behind the times. But, what does the Bible say? What does history say? What does biology say? What does psychology say? These do not support the claims of homosexuals, but the daily pep rallies in their minds and among like-minded individuals keep perpetuating the trickery and deception inside their head.
We are now in the Christmas season, and once again atheists are actively seeking to put a damper on the holiday. A recent billboard paid for by a group called “American Atheists” depicts a little girl writing a letter to Santa. The caption then says “Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is to skip church! I’m too old for fairy tales.” I wonder who they are trying to convince and why? Is it not enough to believe something and be comfortable with that belief? There is an interesting psychological aspect to what they are doing. I believe atheists feel left out of all the festivities and celebrations. They would be welcomed in joining in, however they choose not to join in. And as the old saying goes, “misery loves company.” The degree to which this is true is evident when a person, an atheists, goes out and spends money to rent a billboard to tell those celebrating Christmas their (Christians) belief is inferior to their (atheists) “non-belief!” It is absurd! I do not think Christian groups would waste money renting a billboard to post a message proclaiming their non-belief in ghosts, aliens, or reincarnation. Why then is it so important for atheists to display their non-belief? Perhaps it is because privately, they are not so sure of their non-belief. It seems to me, atheists are playing a lot of mind games with themselves. Maybe they have been tricking their minds.
Not long ago I watched a mini-series on The History Channel about the masterful magician Harry Houdini. His talents were enormous. He could, through sleight of hand, get people to believe something that was not real. His presentation was so convincing people were either almost or, in some cases, totally convinced that it was real. But it was fantasy, trickery, and deception all for the sake of entertainment. But people today are tricking themselves and they are being deceived by others into believing that lies are truth. The world’s style of wisdom is foolishness. It always has been and always will be. The Apostle Paul wrote a warning to the Corinthians about self-deception. He said “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and again, the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise that they are futile.” (1 Cor. 3:18-20) People who believe lies and have themselves been tricked by lies, are looking for still yet others to trick with lies. Don’t fall into their trap.
In Christ
Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor
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