Speak the truth in love
June 27, 2008 (Friday)
Now that we know who the candidates from the two major parties are, we can count on a lot of “spin” from all sides and from the press as well. In an online encyclopedia, the word, “spin” has nine different definitions. Number 8 in the list is: “a heavily biased portrayal of an event or situation.” That’s what we will be hearing.
“Bias” is a fact of life. We all have it. No matter how objective we may attempt to be, we still have our own way of thinking that includes some ideas we never intend to change. That’s not bad. It’s just the way we are. How could we function otherwise? If we give different answers every time we are asked the same question, can anyone believe us? In fact, one of the virtues of historical personalities whom we admire is that they stood by what they believed, no matter what.
We have come way too far in adjusting what we say to the end we would like to attain. “But if you say that, then thus and so will happen.” We hear that and say it a lot. We have come a long way in our society from the days when people just simply spoke the truth as they saw it, and “let the chips fall where they may.”
So, remain aware of the “spin” as you decide how you are going to vote, and become aware of it as you yourself speak. Just speak the truth in love. We senior citizens need to be especially careful to speak the absolute truth because it’s getting too hard for us to remember anything else.
Oh, I forgot to mention that it’s not always necessary to speak at all, if the truth is going to hurt somebody.