Lie Detectors
How can you tell when a politician is lying? When his lips are moving.
Okay, so it's an old joke. The sad thing is that it's not so funny any more. We all know that there are politicians to whom the above does not apply, but their numbers seem to be diminishing. Our first inclination is to say shame, shame, on those nasty politicians, but maybe we should be saying shame on us. As a classically trained economist, I can tell you that liars in positions of power are a basic function of supply and demand: They lie because many Americans will simply not stand for the truth.
This should not surprise us. When we were five, we did not want to hear that we could not have dessert until we finished our tuna casserole and vegetables. When fifteen, we did not want to hear that we could not go to the party on Friday because there might be alcohol or drugs present. Then, when we became adults, many just did not want to hear that we could not have the things we wanted without first saving up for them. So we elect politicians who will say that the laws of economics have been repealed - that we can have our desserts and our parties and our favorite programs at no cost to us - financial or moral.
A small voice in the very back of our brain tells us that we cannot have those things that we cannot afford, nor those things that are not good for us. But, the candy-eating party animal in us says, "Why not?" And we vote for the one who will tell us the prettiest lie. Perhaps we need a new lie detector - one that will let us know when we are lying to ourselves. If we want politicians who will not run our nation into bankruptcy, or claim that unborn babies are not really babies, or proclaim that God's standards when spoken out loud are somehow hate speech, then we will have to stop fooling ourselves and grow up and vote for principle.
It will be hard. It will take sacrifice. It will take a renewed commitment to God. But, it can be done. We have a nation that is worth saving, but we will have to start that process soon. It will start with us.
If a liar and deceiver comes and says, "I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer", he would be just the prophet for this people.
Micah 2:11, NIV
If you hold to my teaching, you really are my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
John 8:31-32, NIV
