Un-dividing America

Are Americans really that divided or are we more deceived than divided?

We hear people say, “America is so divided.”   This certainly has some truth to it, but I think some alternative perspectives on it are needed.  

There is both a perception aspect and a deception aspect to the problems facing America.  America’s founding is based on principles understood by fewer and fewer of its citizens.  At the same time we have voices against these principles becoming louder and louder.  

I recently read former US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley’s book called With All Due Respect: Defending America with Grit and Grace.  Her personal story is inspiring, and her views of American values provide great insights for solving the divided America today.  

Those like Nikki Haley who hold close to the values of the founding fathers of the USA hold one value that in my opinion, stands out to provide a foundation for all the rest.  Respecting God and his ways is of utmost importance, and close to that is valuing God’s supremacy as the source of absolute truth.  When society loses truth as its compass, it is lost beyond repair.  Our greatest danger is our disrespect and mishandling of truth.  

Nikki Haley reiterates that truth is the basis for all freedoms and human rights issues in our world.  A powerful book on the importance of truth is Andy Andrews book called, “How Do You Kill 11 Million People?”   He explains how the truth of the past shapes the reality of how we live and govern today.  People may ask, “Does the truth really matter?”  To answer that question, he asks, “How do you kill 11 million people?”  He is referring to the holocaust of Jews and those in resistance efforts killed by the Nazi regime in Europe during the 1940’s.  Many other dictators have killed many millions of people in many places in the past, and incidents continue today.  

Andrews suggests the answer to the question above begs an answer to the following, “How do 11 million people allow themselves to be killed?”  In Andrews words,  the answer “is breathtakingly simple …. lie to them.”   Andrews recounts how the Nuremberg trials revealed how the Jews were systematically lied to in order to gain their cooperation.  The entire German population had been brainwashed to receive a socialist message of government control.   Deception became commonplace.  Andrews says, “Speaking truth should be the least we require of our elected leaders.  After all, what are our standards for being led?  You see, the danger to America is not a single politician with ill intent, or even a group of them.  The most dangerous thing any nation faces is a citizenry capable of trusting a liar to lead them. In the long run it is much easier to undo the policies of crooked leadership than to restore common sense and wisdom to a deceived population willing to elect such a leader in the first place.”    The many probing questions he provides for us to ask ourselves is well worth getting a copy of the book.  

Anything less than the truth is a lie.  Lying is evil. Evil is a very present force in our world.  Truth verses lies is a good verses evil struggle.  Martin Luther King said, “the time is always right to do the right thing.”  I would say it is always right to resist evil.  Another quote says taking action against evil (lies and a culture of lying) is absolutely essential.  “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing” (Edmund Burke).

As I write this, the US Senate has been asked by the US House to conduct a “trial” for the impeachment of our President.  For many reasons, articulated by many “good” people, and too many to enumerate here, the actions being taken are motivated by nothing more than a political party dissatisfied with the results of an election of a President that didn’t go their way.  Their premise is based on falsehood, and the lies get bigger and bigger.  

As Americans, we must ask ourselves, “How did we get here?”  “Where is the truth in this matter, and where are the lies?”  “How do we discern the difference?”  I think the answers to these questions will lead us to ask, “How did we Americans allow this so-called impeachment trial to become a mockery of our system of government, and failure to the very people the US Congress pro-ports to represent?”    Each of us as individuals should be asking, “What is my role, and what actions do I take, to proclaim the truth (in this matter and all matters like it)?”

We have at least one opportunity this year to speak.  The November elections are coming up.  If you are not registered to vote, get registered.  Plan to vote, but before voting, seek and discern the truth.  Evil (lying) rings louder in many voices traditionally relied upon for information.  Creating deeper divides among the people in America is one of the intentions of the evil practice of fake news, misinformation, emotional manipulation, and deception practiced commonly by the establishment media.    

   My final comments are directed especially to readers in the Christian faith.  As Pat Robertson on the broadcasts of the 700 Club warns repeatedly, “A house divided cannot stand,” a phrase based on Jesus teaching in Matthew 12:25.   Unity of faith in Jesus and the teachings of Scripture is a powerful force, but we must also keep in mind the powerful forces of “dis”unity.  Disunity is not an option.  Disunity destroys.  The absence of unity places us in the hands of evil.  The Body of Christ must unify around the essentials of the gospel, and not allow the worldly seeds of division grow in our midst.  Political discord, earthly government policy disagreements, and public personality styles, should not be influencing our ability to relate to one another and act as one voice in prioritizing  biblical truth and godly values.  

The way I see it, a divided Church is much more problematic than a divided America.  According to Jesus’ teaching in John 17 and elsewhere in the Bible, Christian unity is the solution for America (or any divided people group).  When Christian unity fails, the world is let down.  

Christian unity begins in the heart of each individual.  Each must cultivate a heart that is undivided, fully devoted, and loving the Lord their God above all else (see Matthew 22:27).  This devotion to God requires transformation of our hearts.   I wrote an article specifically on how the Bible addresses the link between transformation and unity of believers in Christ (see https://authoredhersh.blogspot.com/2019/04/ephisians-4.html ).   

As Christ summed up the 10 commandments into two (see Matthew 22), after loving God is loving people.  We must be unified in our commitment to love.  It must be love defined by God and not be the world’s standards.  Everything Jesus taught and did is motivated by, and demonstrates, God’s love.  He now empowers us through the Holy Spirit to show the world this love.  

Unity also recognizes the common enemy.  The real enemy is not people, and not even people who regularly practice evil (including lying).  The real enemy is the devil and his demonic forces (see Ephesians 6).  The Bible calls the devil the “father of lies.”  The devil is the chief liar.  This is where our real struggle lies.  Each of us must not be hesitant about holding others accountable in speaking truth, and allow others to hold us accountable as well.  We all fall short, and need each other to keep the enemy’s work out of our speech and actions.  We are all prone to self-deception, which is by definition lying to ourselves.  

Sometimes the gullibility of Christians to believe false or mis-appropriated Bible teaching, creates huge and unnecessary lie-based divisions.  If the devil’s tactic is to divide, we must resist by discerning the truth of the Bible and act wisely.  Wisdom only comes from truth, not falsehood.  We must recognize how vulnerable our human nature is to deception, and be intentional about resisting falsehood.  In my view, Christians tolerate way too much evil in such forms as pornography, other addictions like “functional” alcoholism, “work”-o-holism, immorality, yoga, Santeria, and other dark practices.  At best, the vices of this world dull our ability to discern truth, and at worst, their deceptive lure separates us from the salvation God provides through Jesus Christ to escape the fiery judgment of hell.  

Unity also means our relationship with God, and service to Him, is for the purpose of harvest.  God is the harvester of souls and he uses us in the harvest.  Jesus taught that we are salt and light in this world.  Our purpose for being is not to gratify self, but to glorify God.  Truth matters because God’s name is at stake.  Truth is God’s reality.  We are to bring his reality into the realities of our existence in this world wherever possible.  

    In summary, deceit is dividing America.  Lies are a most destructive enemy.  The solution is to commit to truth in our personal lives and our institutions and community life.  God is the supreme absolute Truth.  Understanding and practicing God’s ways is the foundation for discerning truth.  As the Bible teaches, Jesus, “is the Way, the Truth, and the Life”  (John 14:6).  As Christ followers, we must pursue greater transformation to Christ likeness in our personal lives and unify as the Body of Christ for the sake of saving a broken world.   

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Ephesians 4 Unity

Mining the fourth chapter of the book of Ephesians in the Bible has some real treasures for living as a whole person.  

This text is part of a letter sent from a prison in the first century by the Apostle Paul.  Chapter 4 begins by  identifying some target virtuous behaviors.  He sets the bar high up front so the reader knows what to shoot for.  Then at the end of the chapter, he lists behaviors to avoid so the contrast is clear.  In the center of the chapter, Paul reveals the inner person change that is necessary for achieving the good (and godly) life.  As individuals’ hearts are surrendered to God, he casts a vision for how they work together to transform the world in which they live.  Their good deeds are not meant for the purpose of patting themselves on the back, but to offer hope for a lost world.   

Looking a little deeper, there are six paragraphs of thought in the chapter.  Let’s briefly pull out the key point of each.  

  The first 6 verses emphasize how Christians should conduct themselves in recognizing “one God and Father of all, who is overall and through all and in all”(v6).   Our perspective of God influences everything else about us.  Seeing God as the sovereign Creator he is, builds our trust in his ability to work things out even when circumstances look rather hopeless.  The evidence of yeilding control to God, and not selfishly demanding our own way, then allows us to practice the things Paul tells us here to be.  Be humble, gentle, patient, loving, unified, and peaceful.  

In the second paragraph (verses 7-13) Paul emphasizes the central role of Jesus Christ.  Paul quotes a Psalm written about one thousand years before this time, to show how God keeps his promises and extends his grace to the whole human race.  The Good News of Christ’s saving grace is the most unifying message known to mankind.  Paul uses the illustration of a human body with many body parts working together, to describe how people work together in the Church to function as the “Body of Christ.”  No Christian is an “island” unto himself.  Our behavior is part of the image of the entire Body.  

Then the third section (verses 14-16) gives a strong encouragement to “no longer be infants” in our manner of maturity.  Christ is the Head of the Body.  We are all to work together with Christ Jesus as the Head.  Christ is who we follow.  We must guard against fads, factions, and falsehoods.  The imagery of a growing body speaks of process.  The body grows as its parts grow.  As each part (individual) is submitted to the Head, the whole body (unified Christ followers) is submitted to the Head.  The process of personal growth as a Christ follower is called sanctification.  This brings us to the core theme of Paul’s message.  

Verses 17-19 state, “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.  They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.  Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.” This paragraph literally gets to the heart of the matter.  Paul addresses changing thinking patterns, belief systems, and holding Truth in high value.  The reason for all brokenness and pain in our human condition is summed up in these words,  “separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.”  Stinking thinking comes from “hardness of heart.”   A transformed heart (inner being) renews the mind, and a renewed mind restores behaviors to line up with Truth.  Softness to God and his ways is the foundation for growth. We must examine our inner attitudes and motivations as a first step to any positive change.     

This reminds me of the contrite heart spoken of in Psalm 51.  Calling out to God it  says, “You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom” (Psalm 51:6; NASB).  Repentance (turning around) begins with recognizing that only God can change the heart, which changes the mind, which together changes the behaviors.  Surrendering more and more of our heart to God each day is the core of the process.   This sanctifying work is necessary for becoming a whole person.  As each individual changes more into who God created them to be, the whole Body changes to reflect more of God’s glory.   Inner heart change of the individuals fuel the inner heart change of the Body.  The degree to which the Body is unified is dependant on the degree of inner heart change of each disciple.  Unity of the Body should not be measured merely by how well Chrisitans are doing things together, but by how well their being is surrendered to Jesus.  

The next 5 verses further define what it looks like for us to allow our hearts to be softened by God.  It says, “put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;  to be made new in the attitude of your minds”(Ephesians 4:22b-23). Again, becoming a more devoted follower of Christ (new self) is a process to nurture daily.  Without God’s intervention we are often not even able to recognize the depth to which we deceive ourselves into thinking our current patterns are left well enough alone.  Our minds and hearts are like the software of a computer.  Constant upgrades are necessary to make applications function optimally, and also to prevent the hacker of our soul to plant a virus that destroys everything.  

Finally, the last 9 verses of this chapter are preceded with the word “therefore,” which is there for a reason.  What is said to this point is now expected to create the following results.   Read the text in the Bible since space doesn’t allow me to mention them all here.  They all have to do with how we treat other people.  Relating well with others depends on the “heart work” of preparing your personal inner being.  Anger is discussed as a means for recognizing the impact of bitterness and resentment.  An embittered heart is always at the root of broken relationships.  The very last words of the chapter are, “forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  Forgiveness is the foundation for healing.  Understanding and practicing forgiveness is the substance of the inner person change explained above.  Properly understanding and regularly practicing forgiveness is essential for growing in followership of Jesus. As part of my seminary studies, I devoted about 3 years to reading just about everything I could find on the topic of forgiveness.   My research on the topic of forgiveness is recorded in a book called Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart.  I continue to learn and apply forgiveness in new ways.  The topic is inexhaustable.  

I discovered that very few Christians actually understand and practice forgiveness that Christ Jesus (the Head) teaches them to follow. Forgiveness is the foundation for salvation and deliverance. God is the author and finisher of forgiveness.  As long as there is breath in our body, we have need to allow God to finish His work of forgiveness in us (which requires our ongoing intentional cooperation).  In some ways, I think the last phrase (forgiving each other, just as God in Christ forgave you) sums up the entire chapter.  Forgiving is the fruit of an inner being softened by, and surrendered to, God.  Forgiving hinges on first recognizing when an offense creates hardness of heart (see Hebrews f12:15).  When we fail to own our offenses, we fail to give forgineness opportunity to work the inner change God desires for us to experience.  Unresolved offenses are the most common virus the hacker of our soul uses to keep us from the unity described as the focus of this chapter.  

              Praying and working for unity is a good thing.  But for better results maybe we have some adjustments to make in our hearts.  Should we first be praying like David in Psalms,  “Search me, God, and know my heart;  test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me,  and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24)?  Are we genuinely seeking the answer to this prayer?  We need to let God show us where we have been an offense to other people. But often, the more difficult thing is to stop harboring anger and bitterness we think we are entitled to because of the hurt someone inflicted on us.  When we hold an offense (real of perceived) that someone commits against us, we in turn offend God by not yielding to Christ’s work of forgiveness to wash away the sin.  Is there a strained relationship in your life right now where your condemning judgment may have taken root in your heart?  Are you willing to take the steps necessary to root out, and remain clean from, the frustrations, annoyances, irritations, aggrevations, or vexations hiding behind anger and an embittered heart?  It is for this freedom that Christ has set us free.  Freedom comes at the price of our willingness to submit to inner person change.  Our Father God provides it.   Christ’s work through the Cross and Resurrection accomplishes it (and deserves worshipful surrender).  The Holy Spirit empowers it.  And unity of believers commands it    

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Taming Ethnic Tensions

            Seems like just about every conflict between people is being spun by the popular media in America as "racist."  To read more about abuses of the media to propagandize so-called "race" relations, read the book called Mugged: Racist Demagoguery from the Seventies to Obama by Ann Coulter.  One of the fallouts of this propaganda is the emboldening of some individuals who truly harbor hatred in their hearts based on skin color and ethnic background.  The gunman at the A.M.E. church in Charleston, SC two weeks ago seems to be one of these persons.  His actions left nine people dead and grieving families and community members for a lifetime.  Relatively few people allow their hatred to be expressed to this extreme, but it is however, very common for most people to critically prejudge and misjudge people of differing culture and ethnic background. 

            Or is it that only people of ethnic groups other than your own have problems with prejudice?  Is it okay to talk about cultural differences as long as your own cultural beliefs are not challenged as undesirable?  Most people believe they are more open to cultural and ethnic differences than they really are.  The reason is that core beliefs are so rooted in our psyche that we cannot even imagine life different from what is already familiar to us.   An example of two views of the world finding it difficult to communicate would be like an Amish person who never left the family farm in Lancaster, PA understanding the world of a New York City dweller depending on modern technology and street-wise mobility. 

            Many obstacles exist to overcoming cultural and ethnic differences and tensions.  If we somehow overcome the first obstacle of identifying and owning a view of the world that is different from our own, we immediately butt against a second obstacle.  That is, comparing in order to make value judgments.  We elevate our human judgments to supreme authority rather than yielding to the supremacy of God Almighty.  

            From a Christian world view, the God as known in the Bible is the ultimate Judge and supreme authority.  He is all-powerful, yet all-personal, creating each individual human being to bear his image and unique expression of personhood.  Each person is responsible to find and fulfill the innate meaning he or she uniquely contributes to the universe.  God places individuals in families, and families in communities, and communities in a global interdependence. 

            God is the giver of life.  All human life is created equal thus there is only one human race.    Life's deepest meaning is found in honoring God, and other human beings.  Because the first sin of Adam and Eve broke their perfect relationship with God, every person is born since then with a skewed perception of God, himself, and other people.  Like orphaned children the identity and protection of Father's love has been removed.  The default nature of each person born into the human race is sinful and motivated by shame and guilt.  Mankind is helpless and this condition can only be corrected by God himself.  God our Father restores us to son or daughter status only through His very own Son Jesus Christ.  By believing in Jesus we are born again into a new life with our guilt forgiven  and shame washed away. 

            This new life does not mean perfection or a pain-free life.  If means we have begun a process of becoming a son or daughter of a perfect God of justice and mercy.  This process involves change of both our mind and heart.  Our fundamental makeup as a human being does not change, but we must surrender to Father our perceptions of God, ourselves and other people to be changed.  God is our most valuable resource to be able to better see the value in cultures and ethnicity different from our own.  We need God's help (through his Holy Spirit) to recover our God-given identity and purpose for being.

            God also created in each individual a need to relate to other individuals for completion of their identity and purpose.  This need to relate extends to families, communities, and entire race of human beings.  No man, family, or community (culture or ethnicity) is an "island."   The Bible speaks of followers of Jesus as a Body.  Even more so than other people groups, Christ's Body should model diversity of ethnicity working together as one body for the betterment of all parts. 

            So how does a person see past their own cultural blinders and wrestle with their value system to know how to change?  A person's well-intentioned beliefs and values  do not automatically produce  actions that line up with those values.  This is where many people get stuck.  They know and want to do what is right, but for a variety of reasons (too numerous to discuss here), fail to follow through.  Treating others with dignity and equality requires a motivation of love.  Peter in the Bible writes, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).  But as noted above, we must contend with our default negative human responses.  Love does not come natural, but takes a lot of effort to practice.  A primary enemy of love is critical judgment.  whether a person is a Christian or not, critically judging and condemning others (done by individuals or groups is the single most destructive force behind cultural and ethnic conflict).

            Critical judgment surfaces through one of three main forms--complaining, blaming, and justifying.  Examples of complaining are complaining of other people seemingly enjoying a better lifestyle than you, easier access to opportunity, or a privileged status of perceived superiority.   Blaming might include labeling another group as trouble makers, not taking responsibility for your own part in causing strained relations, or repeatedly pointing out others' faults without admitting your own.  Justifying may include holding bitterness and resentment instead of forgiving, requiring someone else to change before you consider changing your own behavior, or making excuses for your own prideful or vengeful actions toward others.  Instead of allowing ourselves to complain, blame, or justify, we should take steps to get the facts, assess what can or cannot be done about a problem, and do our best to stay focused on positive change.

            Ethnic tensions are tamed when individuals are willing to look at the roots of their critical judgments.  A most important question becomes, "What core values, beliefs, and assumptions are unconsciously driving your  thoughts, feelings, and behavior?"  If the default direction is toward the negative (as discussed  above), it takes a heart transformation to reverse the patterns.  The root of all ethnic conflict can be traced to the condition of the hearts of the individual people in the groups.  All mankind has the same heart tendencies irregardless of skin color, cultural background, physical distinctives/ limitations, or ethnic preferences.

            OR, since the heart condition is the core issue, another way of  looking at ethnic tensions, is that it's not about the ethnicity at all. It's just about people differences. Ethnicity becomes just one of those differences to complain about, blame someone for, or justify away a fundamental poor heart condition.  Yes, ethnicity (parent's background) is the strongest influencer of who we are in terms of personality, socio-economic status, and outlook on the future.  That's why it's become popular in the media to propagandize so-called racial tensions.  They are messing with peoples' emotions, because they understand the heart tendency to complain, blame, and justify.   Hopefully after reading this you won't be fooled by them any more!  

            Especially during the last 15 years of my life, I have made a special effort to develop some significant relationships with people other than my own skin color and ethnic background.  My experiences with these people have been very enlightening and rewarding. I've discovered as much, and perhaps more, about myself and my own biases as I have discovered those of other people.  Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying, "The only way to have a friend is to be one."  May I leave you with a challenge not to merely tolerate people different than you are, but befriend them! 

                Note:   The book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart discusses themes of dealing with disappointments, offense and finding freedom in forgiveness.  This book is designed to help people (especially in the Christian faith)  to discover and dislodge things in life that lead to defeat. Don't miss out on your chance to use this book as a helpful tool in discovering Refuge in Christ. It can be purchased by clicking here: http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm . If you get anywhere near Pennsylvania for vacation or on business, be sure to look us up for lodging at  http://bluerockbnb.com 

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry