In Saturday Night Live’s first season, comedian Gilda Radner often played the character of a hard-of-hearing, elderly lady named, “Emily Litella.” During the “Weekend Update” segments, Radner would appear as Litella offering an opposing viewpoint to an editorial she had heard.
Each episode, after learning of her error, Litella would sheepishly say, “Nevermind.”
As a 16-year-old boy, I laughed as Radner’s character railed on about some issue with which she disagreed, but had misunderstood. For example, in one sketch, after a diatribe against “firing the handicapped,” she was interrupted and informed the issue was not “firing the handicapped,” but hiring the handicapped. Each episode, after learning of her error, Litella would sheepishly say, “Nevermind.”
The more upset and outraged Litella was over an issue, the funnier it was to watch her response when she realized she simply misunderstood the editorial. This silly skit allowed us all to laugh at the idea of people who are furious and ready to speak out on an issue but don’t know what they are talking about.
In real life, it is far from funny to see people making outrageous claims and accusations that mislead the public, furthering our nation's divisions and even stoking violence.
In real life, it is far from funny to see people making outrageous claims and accusations that mislead the public, furthering our nation's divisions and even stoking violence. This has been especially reprehensible when the statements are based on lies.
Unfortunately, history is replete with examples of lies, misinformation, and propaganda bringing destruction and death. Only God knows how much heartache has been caused since Adam and Eve believed Satan’s lies in the Garden.
Entire nations believed the delusions, prevarications, and misinformation spoken by their leaders.
Most will find it difficult to comprehend or appreciate the magnitude of suffering inflicted on mankind between 1935 and 1945 in World War II. Like so many other tragedies in our world, it began and was sustained by lies.[1] Entire nations believed the delusions, prevarications, and misinformation spoken by their leaders. Both Hitler and Hirohito’s leadership was based on believing lies. The grandiose commands of Hitler and Hirohito would today be evidence of insanity rather than signs they were geniuses or gods.
One of the saddest and most tragic events ever recorded occurred from June 15 to July 9, 1944, on the northern tip of an island only 12 miles long and 5.6 miles wide in the Marianas named Saipan. In a space of about 45 square miles, there were nearly 43,000 casualties on both sides with 3,426 American Marines and Army soldiers losing their lives and about 24,000 Japanese soldiers being killed.
The Imperial Japanese forces were a stubborn and relentless enemy that would rather die in a Banzai charge or by suicide than admit defeat. When all hope for victory was lost, 4,000 Japanese soldiers, from the strongest to those barely able to walk and unarmed, made a suicide charge against the Americans. Such fanaticism characterized the brave and devoted Imperial Japanese forces throughout the war.
This single lie was the foundation and driving force behind the surprise attack of Pearl Harbor and hundreds of thousands of deaths during the war in the pacific.
Some may ask, “What fueled such blind obedience?”
The Japanese believed Emperor Hirohito to be a god and obeyed him accordingly. This single lie was the foundation and driving force behind the surprise attack of Pearl Harbor and hundreds of thousands of deaths during the war in the pacific.
The bloodshed on Saipan was thought to be over on July 9 when Admiral Kelly Turner declared the island to be under American control. The battle-worn and weary Marines must have thought they had seen the worst of the battle for Saipan. Yet it was afterward that they saw things that would even shock these tough Marines.
As the Americans moved towards the northern tip of the island, they were shocked to find hundreds of Japanese civilians committing suicide by leaping from the high cliffs to the ocean and rocks beneath. Men, women, children, the elderly–entire families were jumping to their deaths despite Japanese civilians pleading with them over loudspeakers telling them they would be treated well if they trusted the Americans. Writer Jay Hemmings said,
“Some chose to surrender after hearing this, but others remained stubbornly steadfast in their fanatical commitment to their emperor and took their own lives – and the lives of their loved ones – regardless.”[2]
Their world was built upon a lie and when the Imperial Japanese Army propaganda told them “They could expect to be raped, tortured to death, or even cannibalized by the savage enemy,” they fully believed it.[3] As a result of believing lies, an estimated 1,000 Japanese civilians committed suicide on Saipan by jumping to their deaths at Mari Point, at places now known as “Suicide” and “Banzai” cliffs.
[Marpi Point, Suicide Cliff, trip.com]
The image of men, women, and their families throwing themselves off cliffs is horrific. Equally heartbreaking is that they died because of a lie.
Since Adam and Eve believed Satan’s lies in the Garden, mankind has been under the curse of sin and the blindness that accompanies it.[4]
Since Adam and Eve believed Satan’s lies in the Garden, mankind has been under the curse of sin and the blindness that accompanies it.[4] The Deceiver fooled us and continues to do so.[5] We struggle to distinguish between truth and fiction. We are not only deceived, but worse yet, we deceive ourselves.[6]
So, it should be of no surprise that mankind has always suffered from misunderstandings, disagreements, fraud, misinformation, hoaxes, scams, and lies. I am convinced that the tragic division within our country is largely the result of our inability to discern the truth.
It is one thing to disagree about the weather, favorite teams, restaurants, computer operating systems, and political candidates. Good people have and always will have different tastes and points of view. But when we cannot discern the truth about the most basic matters of life, the differences among us deepen to become a cultural rift and a fault line threatening disaster. I submit the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v. Wade as the most recent example.
On Jun 24, 2022, The United States Supreme Court handed down its decision that the 1973 ruling called “Roe v. Wade,” was unconstitutional.[7]
On Jun 24, 2022, The United States Supreme Court handed down its decision that the 1973 ruling called “Roe v. Wade,” was unconstitutional.[7] Following the announcement, abortion supporters have unleashed a tidal wave of outrage bursting with embellishment, mischaracterization, and blatant falsehoods.
For example, President Biden described the decision as, "a sad day for the court and for the country" and declared that "The health and life of women of our nation are now at risk.” [8]
Really?
A day in which the Supreme Court put the decision about abortion back into the hands of the people is a “sad day”?
And more women are at risk than before Roe? How about the nearly one million women who have been killed in the womb?
As if the President’s remarks were not already inflammatory, on Jul 8, 2022, he went so far as to call the Supreme Court, “extremist,” and “out of control.”
We should have the ability to have a reasonable debate rather than an irrational–and sometimes violent–confrontation. But Americans are being inundated with incomplete and inaccurate information about the Court’s decision.
We should have the ability to have a reasonable debate rather than an irrational–and sometimes violent–confrontation. But Americans are being inundated with incomplete and inaccurate information about the Court’s decision. Instead of reading the Summary of the decision and fact-checking the quotes, the media is repeating false and inflammatory rhetoric, which not only further divides Americans, but also incites anger increasing the potential for violence.
HHS Secretary, Xavier Becerra, described the Court’s decision as “despicable.”[9] In his statement he said,
On Friday, June 24th, five Americans decided to use the vast power bestowed upon them by our democracy and our Constitution to unconscionably put at risk the life and health of millions of their fellow Americans. They chose to unconscionably limit Americans’ established freedom and autonomy to control their own body — decisions usually made in consultation with their doctor, not a politician. And they chose to unconscionably strip away the fundamental health care protections that every American of child-bearing age has known all their lives.[10]
Becerra joins the many misdirected talking points by saying the “life and health of millions” is now at risk and that the Court limited freedom, as well as stripping “away the fundamental health care protections” that Americans have enjoyed. One would not be blamed for presuming someone in his position would stay on the high road by sticking to the facts and avoiding political propaganda, but alas, like so many others, he marches to the beat of the Left.
To no one’s surprise, Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat Speaker of the House, also seized the opportunity to say the sky is falling. Pelosi decried the decision and said,
“Today, the Republican-controlled Supreme Court has achieved the GOP’s dark and extreme goal of ripping away women’s right to make their own reproductive health decisions."[11]
Madam Speaker, the decision of the Court, which I presume you read, was not based on politics, but the law. No doubt, many Republicans who are devoted to protecting the life of unborn children supported justices who voted for the repeal of Roe. But the reason the Court gives for the repeal is not political or even out of concern for the unborn, but because Roe v. Wade was unconstitutional.
Schumer may have taken overstatement and exaggeration to a new low with these statements.
Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer, said in a statement, “Today is one of the darkest days our country has ever seen."[12] He went on to call the Supreme Court, “the extremist MAGA court,” and called abortion a “fundamental right.”[13]
Schumer may have taken overstatement and exaggeration to a new low with these statements. Was the decision to return the decision to the American people really “one of the darkest days our country has ever seen”? This statement is so ridiculous it needs no response.
Never at a loss for hyperbole, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, "People will die because of this decision.”[14] Never mind the fact that there were approximately one million abortions each year between 1975 and 2012 and that an estimated 63,459,781 children have died by abortion since 1973.[15]
Also, isn’t the United States Constitution the framework for our Republic? Shouldn’t our judicial, legislative, and executive branches base their decisions on the Constitution? So, how can the Court be called, “the extremist MAGA court”? One would hope that sticking to the Constitution is one area upon which we could all agree.
Never at a loss for hyperbole, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, "People will die because of this decision.”[14] Never mind the fact that there were approximately one million abortions each year between 1975 and 2012 and that an estimated 63,459,781 children have died by abortion since 1973.[15]
If one did not know better, it would be easy to believe someone was out to kill their children.
Fed in part by the rhetoric of politicians, talk show hosts, and liberal media, countless people appear to have lost their minds since the Court’s ruling. Crazed crowds shout the vilest obscenities, commit violence, destroy property, try to provoke or attack the police, and wage war on pro-life offices.
If one did not know better, it would be easy to believe someone was out to kill their children.
Wait… people are rioting for the right to do just that.
Have any of these outraged people paused long enough to see the Court’s decision rightly placed the decision into the hands of the people and their elected officials?
The reaction of the pro-abortion advocates is not only hatred on display, it is the latest example that many Americans appear to lack the ability to think critically and objectively. Herd instinct, biased sources, and personal emotions appear to be the guiding factors for many today. Truth is relative and almost always defined according to one’s personal views rather than fact. With much of our world appearing to live in make-believe, one wonders how soon it will be before our children’s textbooks declare the earth is flat.
The truth is that the Supreme Court did not outlaw abortion. They rightly and fairly determined abortion is not a Constitutional right, but rather a matter that may be regulated or eliminated depending on the will of the people.
Old film reels capture glimpses of the living nightmare on Saipan in 1944 as nearly 1,000 Japanese jumped to their death. Despite pleas to stop and believe the truth, they died believing a lie.
Tragically, the pitiful souls who jumped to their deaths had been blinded. They trusted and believed the propaganda of their military leaders.
The Japanese people had been living under a lie long before World War II. Since childhood, they had been taught their Emperor was divine–a god. They worshiped a false god who had led them into war believing they should die before surrendering.
There is one lie that needs to be put to rest...
From the Fall of man to Islamic terrorists, to Putin’s excuses for invading Ukraine, countless millions have died because of lies. Even now, with all the information available to us, Americans are misled by lies. But there is one lie that needs to be put to rest and that is the lie that abortion is a good thing and it is only the woman’s body that is affected. It may be medically necessary for certain instances, but even then who would say the death of a child is a good thing? Those who support abortion should at least “go with the science” and admit the truth:
Abortion destroys children.
To say otherwise is a lie.
Other lies we must not believe:
Abortion is unforgivable
Christians do not care about single mothers
Parents who place a child for adoption bear the financial burden
No one cares
The truth we must believe:
The Lord will forgive any sin if we turn to Him, surrender, and ask for forgiveness
The challenges single mothers face are some of the hardest, but some churches and ministries are willing to help
Those who place a child for adoption do not bear the financial burden of the adoption [16]
Many people do care[17]
Above all, Christ cares
It has been said that the truth hurts, and while it may hurt, our motive for using the truth should not be to cause pain. Speaking the truth and defending the truth should be done for the glory of God and the good of others.
The truth is that the issue of abortion is ultimately about the life of a child. The sanctity of life is a value we should all hold dear and defend. The One Who claimed to be the Truth (John 14:6) said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Lk. 18:16).
Those who stand for truth should be sure they stand for all truth.
Those who stand for truth should be sure they stand for all truth. There is no doubt, that God loves people--beginning with the little children in the womb. He even loves people who do not love Him or believe the truth. I'll go even further and say He loves those of us who are His children, even though we disobey Him.
So, we should not be surprised the Lord Jesus quoted Leviticus 19:18 and said, "love your neighbor as yourself" (Mt. 19:19), or that He said we should love our enemies and do good to them (Lk. 6:35). This is not possible if we hold anger or even hatred in our hearts towards those with whom we disagree.
Ultimately, the lies and misinformation that hurts and divide us originate with the one the Lord Jesus described as “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44b).
Finally, please understand there is a difference between someone who knowingly hides, distorts, or denies the truth and those who sincerely believe something to be true that is false. As Christ-followers, we must first make sure what we believe is true and not just a political talking point. Then we must speak the truth "in love" (Eph. 4:15).
Devotedly,
[1] Christopher Klein. History.com, August 30, 2021, “German chancellor Adolf Hitler had rattled his saber at Poland for months. As he had done prior to the occupation of other countries, Hitler claimed that ethnic Germans were being persecuted inside Poland. Addressing the nation hours after the firing of the first shots, Hitler said he acted strictly in justifiable self-defense in response to Polish attacks on German soil the night before. Those attacks were not launched by Poland, however, but were carefully choreographed operations stage-managed by the Nazi propaganda machine as a pretext for an invasion. In the border town of Gleiwitz, S.S. operatives donned Polish military uniforms and seized one of Germany’s own radio stations and broadcast an anti-Nazi message in Polish. Prisoners from the Dachau concentration camp were dressed in Polish uniforms, brought to the radio station and shot to make it appear as if they were casualties of the firefight.” https://www.history.com/news/world-war-ii-begins-german-invasion-poland-1939.
[2] Jay Hemmings. War History Online, “Battle Of Saipan Suicides: The Largest Banzai Charge of the Entire War, 4000 Japanese Troops,” February 21, 2019, https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/the-horrific-mass-suicides.html
[3] Hemmings.
[4] C.f. Gen. 3:1-4; Ro. 5:12; 2 Cor. 4:3-4.
[5] C.f. 2 Cor. 11:3.
[6] C.f. Ro. 16:18; 1 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 6:3.
[7] Supreme Court of the United States. “Thomas E. Dobbs, State Health Officer of the Mississippi Department of Health, et. al., Petitioners v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, et. al.,” 19-1392, https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf.
[8] Ximena Bustillo. NPR, “Following Roe's reversal, Biden calls it 'a sad day' for the court and the U.S.,” Jun 24, 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/06/24/1107360710/biden-suprume-court-overturn-roe-v-wade-abortion.
[9] Xavier Becerra. “Remarks by Secretary Xavier Becerra at the Press Conference in Response to President Biden's Directive following Overturning of Roe v. Wade,” Jun 28, 2022, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/06/28/remarks-by-secretary-xavier-becerra-at-the-press-conference-in-response-to-president-bidens-directive-following-overturning-of-roe-v-wade.html.
[10] Becerra.
[11] Jacob Knutson. “Democrats condemn Supreme Court's abortion ruling,” Axios, Jun 24, 2022, https://www.axios.com/2022/06/24/roe-wade-overturned-obama-pelosi-democrats.
[12] Knutson.
[13] Knutson.
[14] Knutson.
[15] Kyle Morris. Fox News, May 4, 2022, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/abortions-since-roe-v-wade.
[16] For information on adopting a child or placing a child for adoption, I highly recommend Quiver-Full Adoptions, www.quiverfulladoptions.com.
[17] Reach out to your local church. For suggestions, email us.