Tackling Tactile Intolerance

By Pastor Vinnie MacIsaac

It is more than:

Black and White

Left and Right

Male and Female

Catholic and Protestant

Country and Rock and Roll

Android and Apple

Pepsi and Coke

McDonald’s and Burger King

Star Wars and Star Trek

Traditional and Progressive

Pro-Life and Pro-Choice

Creationism and Evolution

Law and Grace

Cats and Dogs[1]

We live in a world where we can debate, disagree, and become polarized on almost anything. And it is not even about if the things on this list or any list is really important to us. It is about how we treat each other, when we disagree, in both big and small stuff.

“Reach out and touch someone” was a famous AT&T slogan in the 70-80’s, when I was growing up; promoting long distance phone calls as a method of being emotionally tactile with people too far removed, geographically, to be physically tactile with in everyday life. The idea was that, through words, we could connect with each other in ways and spaces that might not be in person. The promise was that distance no longer mattered with telecommunication. Well fast forward 30-40 years, and we have taken all of this to more than the next level. Texting, The Internet, Social Media, not to mention Skype and Facetime and so many more apps have almost realized the promise of long-distance intimacy, relationship, and attachment, more than we could ever dream. Therefore, we should be closer, more bonded, and more unified than ever as a people. Right?

Tactile Intolerance reaches out and touches us, every day. I call it “tactile” because it is about making contact, connecting, even hitting each other with conflict. It is about touching people with the anger of an idea, not just with the literal touch. It is the violence of words and the savage brutality of self-promoted ego-ideas.  It is more than disagreement; it is more than even clashing worldviews and ideology. It is mean selfishness, and pride-driven positioning, which is one of the downside by-products of this information age.

In an age when anyone can Google anything, and no one needs to even barely read a full book, let alone, get a degree in a subject to consider themselves an expert on anything, everyone has an opinion and are most “certain” they are right! And when you dare disagree with the brilliancy of their ability to randomly Google things, they will begin to flood you with links, websites, studies, and search results out- the- wazoo and eagerly await for your response with your out- the- wazoo Google results so they can send their next wave of their out- the- wazoo Google results. And soon we have two people with, possibly,  almost no idea of what they are talking about, entrenched in views they rarely even really understand with any depth, insisting they are experts and that other person is just an “idiot,” “fool,” “stupid,” or my favorite, “just in denial.” And the conclusion is; intolerance breeds intolerance bathed in the ignorance of over saturation of free information. It is shameful, and a dishonest disinterest in “the truth,” because they already have “their truth,” and Google on their side. There is ZERO critical thinking going on! And worst yet, rage will be targeted at those who try to exercise it.

The information age is great, and the ability to fact check anything on the fly essential in this modern world we live in. But the ability to “Google” does not make you an expert on anything. What it does is give you a connection to reasoning done by others who may (or may not) be experts. In a world of alternate facts, you can find a link out there to support any demented idea you have. Use reputable sources, think critically, and for “Pete’s sake” maybe don’t formulate a hard position until you have actually read a full book or more on a key idea.  I have literally watched “Joe Nobodies”[2],  who have no educational background in law,  argue with accomplished constitutional lawyers about the meaning of very fine and nuanced points about the 1^st and 2^nd Amendment to the constitution[3] and declare the other side stupid, ignorant, fools simply because they did not agree with them!

Face it! We live in a world, where everyone is right in their own eyes, and they think they have instant access to proof that their eyes are the only eyes that matters. Face it; you are part of the “everybody” of this world who does this, and so am I. We all are!   It is time to break our addiction to ego, and intolerance, and snap certainty, and start to humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord and listen to each other. If the world wants to behave like prideful fools, that is on them, but when the Church and Christians want to behave like that sadly, that’s on Christ. If we, of all people, demean “truth” with “my truth,” we demean Jesus who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life.”[4]

Moreover, there is no place for intolerance in love;

“Love is patient; love is kind. It does not envy; it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others; it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hope, always perseveres. Love never fails.”[5]

Is your desire to be “right” aka, intolerant, really more important to you than Christ’s command to love one another?[6] And if you can’t truly love a brother who sees abortion issue, or 2^nd amendment issue, or immigration issue differently than you, why, then, should the “Heathen” ever believe you would, or could love, them, when they are not even your brother?  In a world where tactile intolerance is taking over the ideal of Christ, it is getting harder and harder for people of faith to practice Biblical love. Yet, Jesus declared, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”[7]

“Reach Out And Touch Someone,” was the original tactile tech promise.

Maybe, I am only asking the question; Maybe, our ingrained sense of “rightness” and intolerance with anyone who dares see things differently, is simply a sign, we either don’t belong to Jesus at all, anymore, or our connection is dimming. What do you think? Maybe, it is time, you practice the spiritual disciplines of AT&T and reach out and touch someone again, and that someone is Jesus.

Look, this is a problem for all of us. It is not a “you” or “me” problem. It is a cultural shift problem!  However, people of faith, often are called to be counter-culture. I pray, I just pray, all the time, that my ego will stay buried in the icy water of Romans 6[8] and my old ways give way and let the compassionate, understanding, loving, life of Jesus roar free in me and all my communications. Often, way too often, I, too, fail.  But I seek a life where I care enough about the people whom Jesus loves, to LISTEN to them, to try to hear them, and even understand things I wholeheartedly disagree with. I want that in me!  May Jesus place a heart of fairness, curiosity, creativity, and gentleness that, also at the same time,  has enough “teeth” to snatch people from the fire![9]  We don’t need to be a lame duck, but we also can’t be a quack of a Christian. We, too, can roar like a lion, as long as the lion is The Lion of Judea who commands we love with our roar!

Sometimes, some people, some issues, just won’t let you remain open for long but even when we have to close a door, let’s seek to do it with dignity for self, others, and God. I leave you with the great words of wisdom of the Apostle Paul on this matter;

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”[10]

Reach Out and Touch Someone 70’s commercials. 

Footnotes:

[1] Ok I included that last one for my editor, Vicki’s, sake. There really is no debate! Dogs win hands down! (Ed.note: Believe me, she was about to edit it “differently.” Cats. No debate.)

[2] I don’t mean “Nobody” as a value statement,  only in regards to their qualifications.

[3] Of The United States.

[4] John 14:6

[5] 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

[6] 1 John 3:23

[7] John 14:34,35

[8] See Romans 6:1-11

[9] Jude 1:23

[10] Romans 12:18

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Faith and Fake News: Facing The Facts

By Vinnie MacIsaac

 

It is time to face the facts: Fake News targets Christians[1] and their causes, conspiracies, and fears[2]. It is time to face the music! Our constant side-taking in the ongoing culture wars of our time has made us the effortless ground zero and verdure victims of political fake news outlets who seek to twist and twine our precious Good News into scrupulous fake news.

This is a real Russian FAKE NEWS post that was set up to target Christians. Regardless of who you vote for or your political views we should all agree being manipulated is not right.

What do you do when your Good News is used against you? For years Christians have owned the upper hand in American culture, but that day is long over[3]. We all want to share the Good News of Jesus and His salvation but our ever enfeebled world culture is in rebellion to the Word of God, which can often leave certain fractions of the Christian faith feeling uncertain, unheard, or even threatened, thus making them easy prey for misinformation that reaffirms their worst fears. From Google ads to Facebook news stories, to Cambridge Analytica deep mining and Russian Twitter bots Christians are purposely misled, confused, and tricked into thinking doom is at the door. Our faith, our heart, and soul, our deepest convictions about the world and eternity, are being data mined, repackaged, and direct- targeted back to us in the form of Fake News that we just can’t seem to get enough of. We are duped into to hitting share, or retweet, without even thinking because fake news stories are designed to affirm our worst nightmares and vivify us into outrage and action!

It does not matter if you’re a Christian on the right or the left, there is enough fake news for both! I have heard everything from a certain politician talking to the dead in order to make deals with Satan to kill unborn babies, to another having secret meetings in the White House with the KKK to plot a race war to declare martial law and set up a dictatorship. Both sides have fake news and both sides attack each other’s legit news outlets calling them fake. Ironically, it is pluralism at it’s worst. The concept of a lie has become anything that does not fit “our truth” and the cause of Christ, the mission of the church, or just sets off our fears, nightmares, of eschatological doomsday theories.

The word of God and the Ten Commandments demand Christians be above spreading false news. “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”[4] Understand, clicking share, or retweet, in outrage, fear, and without due diligence, is actually sin and rebellion against God’s law. Willfully, or by just refusing to check, spreading Fake News, even for what you think are Godly reasons is blatant unabashed, rebellion against the Kingdom of God, His truth, and the Holiness of His Name. It does not just reflect poorly on you as a credible source, but because you represent Him in this world, your spreading of Fake News makes Jesus Christ a laughing stock of your newsfeed.

Here are some tools to help prevent you from being the victim of Fake News:

Avoid The Sensational

If a headline is crazy sensational, it is suspect and needs to be investigated before you hit share, no matter how much it fits your worldview. No, Hilary Clinton did not hire a hit man on the FBI agent investigating her emails. No, the Pope did not endorse Donald Trump for President. And no, Pizzagate was not real. There was no such thing as a Democrat pedophile sex-ring being run out of various D.C. public restaurants. Sandy Hook was not staged, and the Parkland students are not actors playing a part hired by liberals to take down the NRA. The very sensational and absurd nature of these stories, you’d think would stop reasonable Christians from sharing but sadly these were all widely shared, believed, and viciously defended; making us look like total fools.

Avoid News Outlets That Are Not Real

If you have never heard of a media outlet, and can’t easily “Google” them and find out who they are, or notice their name or URL is slightly misspelled or added to, then they likely are fake outlets peddling fake news. For example, ABCnews.com.co[5] may look like ABCNews.com; but it is not. It is a crazy fake news site that I use to see folks on social Media duped by all the time. Likewise, American News[6] is a fake conservative news site with massive racial click bait, claiming Democrats are secret white- power insiders, and that Denzel Washington endorsed Donald Trump. The Boston Tribune is a complete fake newspaper that sounded so real it sent hundreds of fake political news stories flying around the internet and millions believed were from a reputable print news source but were really from a newspaper that does not even exist. There is no end to legit sounding outlets that are completely fake (ie, cnn-trending.com, CountyNewsroom.info, Globalresearch.ca, Liberty Writers News, Liberal Society, Now8News.com, NewsWatch33, UndergroundNewsReport.com, usatoday.com.co, etc)[7].

Avoid Disregarding The Merit Of A Story Based On Normal Bias

Mrs. Wray, my 10^th grade English teacher, drilled into our minds that, “everyone has a bias; those who claim no bias, are liars. The job of the reader is to find the bias and weigh it out.”

All legit news outlets have biases, but bias does not make them fake. It is the reader’s job to see the bias, filter it, and at the same time not disregard the facts in the reporting. I don’t care if it is CNN, FOX News, The BBC, NPR, or MSNBC all have normal bias and spin the news towards those who are their core audience. Bias does not equal fake. Bias has true facts, colored by ideology; fake new has lies, not facts. Learn to sort bias. Avoid getting all our news from one type of bias to ensure you are balanced and practicing listening for bias.

Avoid Discrediting Fact Checkers

Mrs. Wray was right, everyone has a bias but the Fact Checkers job is to filter out the bias and check the facts. Yes, of course, they may have their own bias but they would not last long in the business if were blatantly biased. They make bread and butter by being the least biased that they can possibly be.

So, if someone busts your Pizzagate story by fact-checking with Snopes.com you can’t just decry, Snopes is liberally biased, ergo Pizzagate stands. No, Pizzagate is fake news of the worst kind, and Snopes is a credible fact-checker with a low bias meter.

The following Fact Checkers are generally considered credible; Politifact, FactCheck.org, Snopes.com, and opensecrets.org.

Avoid Sloganeering News You Don’t Like As Fake

Stop it, just stop it, you’re dumbing down the world, yourself, and being a horrible witness to the truth when you call any old news you don’t like, don’t want, or does not fit your narrative Fake News. News is fake, not because you don’t like it, or you don’t like the outlet or the reporter. News is only fake, when the facts are not real, cannot be supported, and the story is based on a lie. No, Donald Trump, CNN is not fake news and No, Hillary Clinton, people voting for Trump are not all Deplorable. Sloganeering, like, “Sleepy Eyed Chuck Todd,” “Nasty Women,” “Deplorables,” “Snow Flakes,” or “Ideologue” are a sure fire way of knowing the person you are listening to or reading engages in dispensing fake news tendencies.

Don’t Trust Your Eyes

We use to say a picture is worth a thousand words, but, these days a photo-shopped image is worth a thousand likes on Instagram. We put images in articles to re-enforce an idea, concept or reported fact. Images, in this day and age, are no longer proof of anything other than the existence of Photoshop. A condemning picture does not excuse you from making sure the story is true. Also, please beware pictures are strategically placed to keep you reading and processing the story. In a normal story that is not a bad thing, but in a fake story placement is used for emotional manipulation.

What Now?

Think before you click. Think more before you get upset. Think even more before you buy into the emotional hook of a fake story. And think best before you share because it is not your name you embarrass, it is the credibility of those bearing the Gospel that is a stake. Don’t be duped into doing the devil’s deeds. Sharing Fake News is something we all have done in a moment of weakness, or by error, but we all must work to do better. Bearing false witness is a sin against both your brother and your God. Stop passively violating His Holy law and Governance as if it was no big deal. The world is laughing at how duped into rage and distrust Christians are. Let’s work with Jesus, and clean up that image, and be the witness of the light, and good news we were called to be.

“If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” [8]

Footnotes:

[1] Russia’s Fake Facebook Ads Targeted Christians, Kate Shellnutt

November 03, 2017: https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2017/november/russia-fake-facebook-election-ads-targeted-christian-voters.html

[2] See the fake Facebook ads Russians ran on Clinton, guns, race, Christianity, Mike Snider, USA TODAY Published 5:23 p.m. ET Nov. 1, 2017, | Updated 9:51 p.m. ET Nov. 1, 2017, https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/11/01/see-fake-facebook-ads-russians-ran-clinton-guns-race-christianity/822406001/

[3] Christianity faces sharp decline as Americans are becoming even less affiliated with religion; By Sarah Pulliam Bailey May 12, 2015, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/05/12/christianity-faces-sharp-decline-as-americans-are-becoming-even-less-affiliated-with-religion/?utm_term=.9d0e34930ab3

[4] Exodus 20:16 NIV

[5] Now defunct since the owner died.

[6] https://americannews.com/

[7] A detailed list can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fake_news_websites#cite_note-mnt-13

[8] 1 John 1:6-7 ESV

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The Problem With Tabloid Prophecy

By Vinnie MacIsaac

It is easy to make a prophetic prediction which states that there will be snow on the ground in the morning if you look outside tonight and see it snowing, but that, by far, does not mean you have divine powers of reason nor insight. During the recent economic crash (2010) I was bombarded by inquiries and even outright declarations that this recession is somehow a part of some massive global strategy to bring about national apostasy here in the United States. The real question I had is where the biblical prophecy for such an accusation is? Is this not just more headline hunting prophecy? Is this not more of the prophetic methodology of the National Inquirer?

We need to be “people of the Book” and not people of media overload, speculation, and 24-hour news networks.

The problem with headline hunting and tabloid prophecy is that you could be right or you could be wrong, and we would never know which one is the case until after the fact. But the good news is that as a people we are better than that. We have a clear understanding of prophecy from both the books of Daniel, Revelation, and the Spirit of Prophecy. We don’t need to depend on CNN or FOX News to know the future we face (regardless of how much we may agree or disagree with either of them).

Jesus will return. The Bible says it is real.

Recently I responded to an online blog of a trusted friend and fellow theologian who was asking the question, “What role does Islam play in Revelation?” I was ever so encouraged when one of my fellow colleagues correctly pointed out that the whole point of the book of Revelation seems to be more “concerned with the false Christian religion (the compromising Jezebel) than it is with non-Christian religions.”

But even more to the point is why was the question of Islam even raised in the context of the book of Revelation in this blog in the first place? The answer seems simple – we live in a culture now fixated on terrorism, and thus Islam, since 9/11. It is on everyone’s mind. Thus the Bible must have something to say about it. And therein we find the huge mistake so commonly being made today; the Bible does not exist to clarify what is on our mind, the Bible exists to tell us what should be on our mind! Ours is not

Tabloid prophecy is cheap and misleading to millions!

to examine all the problems in the world today and try to find out how they weave into the Bible and prophecy, ours is to know what the Bible says about the prophecy and the true religion of Jesus so that we will see error clearly when it is before us. I am reminded of the age-old illustration for truth and error that our evangelists have used for decades now, “The US Government Federal Currency Agents don’t examine counterfeit money to learn how to identify it in the field, rather they study in a great deal the exact likeness of the real currency so that when they see the false they know it right away.” We likewise must do the same. Thus I call on Christians everywhere to know the Bible, to know their beliefs from the Bible, and to know the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation inside out. I call upon us to be ready as Paul said, “In season, and out of season…” to give an account of our faith.

Jesus said we can know the truth, and the truth will set us free, and He said His word is the truth! We don’t need the National Inquirer, Cable Networks, Hollywood movies of the world, sensationalized headlines, or world trends and fears to tell us the future. We have the sure word of God and can stand up like Daniel of old and say, “There is a God is Heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made it known…” (Dan 2:27).

One thing is certain: there has never been a time in all history where it was more important to know what we believe and why… How well do you know your faith? How well have you studied it? How well can you defend your faith using the Word, not the world?

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