Rev. Chism's Weekly Message

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

What is your theology and understanding of who God is? Have you built a strong case for what you believe? I highly recommend doing this in the Post-Truth Era we live in today. We need to know who we are with solid foundational information more than ever.

The Church has really botched it up when it comes to truth. Did you know that the Church taught many years ago that the earth is flat? I'm sure you do. It was actually considered heretical if you believed otherwise. Scientific data proved our home is and has always been a sphere. Still today, however, people believe that the earth is flat. They have a bunch of pseudoscience to try and prove that the earth is more like a pancake. To me their argument falls flat.

I love to watch a Ted Talk video every once in a while. You get a lot of good information and ideas. Just recently I was watching a talk by Charles Sykes. Sykes has contributed to several of our news channels we watch. Up until 2016 Mr. Sykes hosted a top-rated conservative talk show in Milwaukee. He is also the co-founder of The Bulwark, a right of center site. Mediabiasfactcheck.com gives them a high rating for factual reporting. They can back up their ideology with solid thought even if you disagree with them.

(Please do not discount Mr. Sykes if your ideology is in a different realm. I think Mr. Sykes is very adept at explaining the issues we face in what many are calling the Post-Truth Era. You can watch his Ted Talk on YouTube. It is titled, "Navigating a Post Truth World.")

There are people in our world that do not believe in absolute truth. They lean toward what THEY think. It makes truth based on the individual...not on a solid verifiable factual data. Things like this make a scientist cringe in agony.

Many people today do not believe experts of some category for example. Maybe they have felt let down in the past by a truth that did not offer them an explanation or comfort. So like many today they go and do a Google search to find someone to confirm their personal truth. I have fallen victim to this trap.

Over the years I have been criticized, when leading a book discussion or study, because a person felt I was leaning too heavily on a Christian author. Usually the criticism comes from their perception that the author is "too liberal" or "too conservative." I like to share with participants that the book is to facilitate discussion. We are not required to believe everything they say.

One time I received criticism from a person that led their own study. What was interesting was the study they were leading was based on an author they agreed with because it fit their theology. We can all do this you know. It's Post-Truth heroics. You can always find a person that fits YOUR truth.

Mr. Sykes, in his description of the Post-Truth Era, talks about a book by Hannah Arendt, "The Origins of Totalitarianism", in his Ted Talk. The topic was about a society where the possibility of everything was believed. The people also believed there was no truth. They could not discern between fact or fiction. This is true in countries that have authoritarian type governments. These are places where the flow of ideas and different understandings are discouraged and can often lead to punishment.

Does that sound concerning and dangerous to you? I think Jesus gives us great examples on how to journey through this era.

Jesus challenged the pseudo-truth being taught during His ministry. To Him those in authority were selling a false dichotomy about God and beliefs. He challenged their unnecessary rules for a person to be considered holy and loved by God. Removing barriers of judgment toward "sinners" and affirming people were important to Him. He basically said, "Hey folks...you are doing it wrong." He gave people a different way of discerning truth.

For us Christians Jesus gave us the foundation of understanding truth through His teachings.

His ministry teaches us the true nature of God. Jesus taught truth, the way for us, and about abundant life. He was these things because He lived it. Yes, Christians are divided on how we interpret Jesus and His teachings. But Jesus is the foundational basis for how we seek truth in our life.

We know God because we know Jesus. That was one of the things He was teaching the Disciples in the bible verse we celebrate today. Whenever Jesus shared truth He did it in kindness and love. Enjoy a good debate with a friend or someone you don't know.

I may get a few emails after this is read. So be it. Let the good times roll. I'll practice Proverbs 27:17...iron sharpens iron. And maybe we will find some truth together.

Stay Safe,

Rev. Baxter