I Respect Honesty

     Be honest with me and you'll have my respect! I don't expect perfection; I don't even expect friendship. I just want honesty.

Regarding Politics

     One of the things I hate about election time is the use of dishonesty when one is trying to topple another. I think we've seen a lot of that this time around. It's always the case I suppose and, frankly, it's socially acceptable it seems. But to me, it rakes against my consciousness! I don't care if it's a republican or a democrat, although I've come to expect it more from one group than the other, but it grinds me just as much regardless of who the guilty party is. I don't even mind negative ads so long as they're truthful! Now, if a person distorts what another person says, that's being dishonest. I have seen republicans distort some things President Obama has said and I've seen President Obama distort some of the things republicans have said. I've even seen republicans distorting republicans. Now don't get me wrong as I am not saying we must always tell the truth! Sometimes it's better to remain silent. Sometimes, if for instance you wife asks you, "How do I look in this?", you might want to plead the 5th!  I like Newt Gingrich because I believe he's at a place in his life where he says what he thinks. I like Rick Santorum because he sticks to his grounds. I respect both of these men. I like Rush Limbaugh because he says what he thinks and I respect him.

Regarding Hollywood

     I'm proud though when a man or woman stands for what he/she thinks is right. One of the things that peeves me about people is that so many times they don't actually state their belief. In fact, they sometimes state what they don't really believe just to get along. I think Hollywood is a great example. There you have a community of actors who, due to the pressure put on them from the majority of the community, tend to be silent on what they believe. I guess those who tend to live out fantasies as their work have trouble facing reality in real life! When one of them comes out and states what he believes I can respect him/her. I don't like Shaun Penn for instance. But I'm convinced that he actually believes what he says and I respect him for that. I don't like Matt Damon, but I don't respect him because I don't believe he really believes what he says he believes. I don't like Bill Marrs because he's a mean spirited idiot along with Alec Baldwin; these deserve no respect! I like honesty and integrity and it is absent with both of these men. I believe Shaun Penn has both and though I disagree with him I respect him.

Regarding Bible Handlers

     Again, honesty and integrity matter. I am a Calvinist. I don't really like that word because I believe all of Calvin's work on matters of salvation are found to be faithful to the Scriptures. So, I am pretty insistent that one sticks to what the Bible actually teaches and askew what they'd prefer it taught! I believe one MUST be honest when using the Scriptures. If one persists on misusing Scripture because it makes life easier for him or because it suits his own pleasure, he'll get little respect from me!

     Now, I have not always been in that "Calvinist" camp. In fact, for the first 10 years of ministry I was part Armenian and part Calvinist. The cop-out term is "biblicists". To me, the term biblicists applies to anyone who claims to go by the Bible's teachings, but who avoids the hard work of studying and taking a stand. I can have no respect for someone like that!

     Unlike those of Hollywood, when handlers deliberately mishandle, misinterpret, or mislead when teaching the Bible, they are not only unlikeable but they deserve no respect at all. If on the other hand, one who occasionally teaches a Sunday School or a Vacation Bible School or some other type of communication of God's word, and does so incorrectly, he should be corrected. And, if he is sound he will see the error of his ways and repent. If he is not sound he will not. I remember when I was first confronted with the Doctrines of Grace (meaning Calvinism) I had a difficult time absorbing it. Partly it was because none of my associates were Calvinists, I had been taught in Bible School to be a 3 point Calvinist (that's a phrase meaning moderate Armenian). But when I began to study it out I found out that I had been taught wrong. What to do? Stick with my prideful adherence to a system that didn't work? Or bow to God and His Sovereignty? I chose the latter. Dishonesty just did not work for me!

     So you see, honesty and integrity are important to me. I hope the same is true for you. I don't even mind if you disagree with me...just be honest about it!