After more than four
decades of preaching and interacting with people from varied backgrounds and
religious beliefs, I am come to the conclusion that once a person is determined
to believe in something there is little you can do to change their mind. It seems
that the more bizarre a belief, the more people are willing to embrace it. If
you doubt that, take a close look at the tenants of Mormonism and the
astonishing number of people who have embraced that false theory of religion.
The belief that God was once a human like us, and that we, through some kind of
spiritual progression can someday be like God, is just one example of the
doctrine of Joseph Smith. Yet there are millions who subscribe to that theory,
along with baptism for the dead, eternal marriages, and modern day revelation.
I'll say it again, when someone is determined to believe in something, no
matter how strange that belief might be, there is little you can do to change
their mind. Did you know that there are thousands who subscribe to the belief
that this world is flat? Really! They belong to the "International Flat
Earth Research Society of America." It was founded by an Englishman named
Samuel Shenton in 1956, and later led by an American named Charles Johnson,
based in Lancaster, California. After Johnson's death in 2001 it seems to have
dropped off the radar until a self-proclaimed successor, Daniel Shenton
revitalized the society. It is assumed that he took the name Shenton in memory
of the original founder, but this new leader is a man claiming to live in Hong
Kong. While he was still alive, Charles Johnson, the president of the
organization during the later part of the last century, said this: "I've
been a flat-earther all my life. When I saw the globe in school, I didn't
accept it. To me it was illogical." In spite of overwhelming evidence that
the earth is round, there are evidently some who refuse to accept the evidence
and life a life in belief of a lie and a deception.
The Bible calls for men to
use sound reasoning when seeking divine truth. We are to "prove all
things, hold fast to that which is good" (1 Thess. 5:21-22). We are to be
able to "give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the
hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15). God called
on Israel of old, "Come now, and let us reason together" (Isa. 1:18).
Luke tells us that when Paul "reasoned of righteousness, and self-control,
and the judgment to come" (Acts 24:25), that his sound logic was so
convincing that "Felix was terrified, and answered, Go thy way for this
time; and when I have a convenient season, I will call thee unto me" (Acts
24:25b).
Logophobia is the fear and/or
rejection of the role of valid reasoning in arriving at truth. Terry Hightower
has pointed out that "religious liberals and legalists have been known to
criticize logic even to the point of referring to syllogisms as 'silly-gisms.' The fact remains that a
good dose of logic is just what such ignorant individuals need, because logic
is the study of the principles which determine whether inferences are justified
or unjustified." When men reject logic and good-old common sense, they
find themselves in quite a predicament. Lord Halifax is credited with having
said, "Nothing has an uglier look to us than reason, when it is not on our
side."
Most people engage the
mind when it comes to secular matters, and draw certain conclusions based upon
sound principles of logic. They may not realize they are using logic, but they
do so just the same. When we exercise the mind so as to reason properly we are
exercising prudence. Now there is word that we don't hear much in today's
vernacular. The "Free Dictionary on Line" defines prudence as:
"Careful or wise in handling practical matters; exercising good judgment
or common sense." Jesus once called for His disciples to humble themselves
and become as little children. I have no doubt that two of the character traits
our Lord encouraged us to pursue was that of being forgiving and teachable. But
children also have a knack at using simple common sense in doing the things
they are really interested in. Solomon tells his son to "understand
prudence" (Pro. 8:5). He also tells us, "smite a scoffer, and the
simple will learn prudence" (Pro. 19:25). Paul tells us that God gave us
His Son to redeem us "according to the riches of his grace, which he made
to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence" (Eph. 1:8).
Thomas Edison is credited
with having said, "The three great essentials to achieve anything
worthwhile are: Hard work, stick-to-itiveness, and common sense." Someone
once suggested that common sense is the same thing as wisdom. If not the same,
at least they are first cousins. Even the renowned atheist Robert Owens was
aware of the importance of common sense when he wrote, "It is a thousand times
better to have common sense without education than to have education without
common sense." It seems to be that the further our nation gets away from
God the more it loses the ability to exercise plain old common sense. Does it
seem that way to you? Consider the following parody (which I used in last
week's sermon). It is a tongue-in-cheek look at the loss of plain common sense
that comes as a result of rejecting God and His divine will in our lives. I do
not know the author:
A
Eulogy for Common Sense
Today we mourn the passing
of a beloved old friend, Mr. Common Sense.
Mr. Sense had been with us
for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records
were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having
cultivated such value lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why
the early bird gets the worm and that life isn't always fair. Common Sense
lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and
reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge).
His health began to
rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set
in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for
kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after
lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened
his condition.
Mr. Sense declined even
further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer
aspirin to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became
pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Finally, Common Sense lost
the will to live, as the churches became businesses, and criminals received
better treatment than their victims. Common Sense finally gave up the ghost
after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, she
spilled a bit in her lap, and was awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded
in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion, his daughter,
Responsibility, and his son, Reason. Two stepbrothers, My Rights and Ima
Whiner, survive him. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he
was gone.
--By Tom Wacaster
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