A Lie is Still a Lie

Have I mentioned before that I come from an extended family that is slightly more Conservative than I am? My sisters and I all lean left, but my father's entire family is way over there on the right. (Oh my poor father, not only outnumbered 5 to 1 in gender, but also on the political spectrum.) As I swing between friends and family of many political leanings, I've learned a few things.

First, everybody thinks religion is on "their side."  I know Catholics who can convince themselves that it's the "liberal media," not the Vatican, who stood against the Iraq war.  I also know Catholics who oppose the death penalty, but not abortion, with the same strong conviction. Both sides can wrap the religion around their politics, rather than letting the faith inform their politics.

Second, everybody lies. The left, the right, the green party, even Dennis Kucinich. They may not be lying on purpose, they may only "bend" the truth, but all sides get busy spreading half-truths and rumors this time of year. And of these lies and rumor mills, none is so deadly as the forwarded email.

I've bumped into MoveOn.org's poignant, but inaccurate, ad about McCain's "100 Years" comment. Then there's the one about Obama being rude to the servicemen that was quickly retracted by its author. And an anti-McCain email that uses a British article to pan him on his divorce.  And who can forget the legions of inter-netters who think that Obama is the anti-christ?

Seriously?

Obama has problems. McCain has problems. They are both flawed people like the rest of us. But to demonize one while exalting the other as a savior is little more than idolatry. What we, practicing religious people, sometimes forget is that forwarding hearsay and factually incorrect information is still gossip. It is still slander. It is still lying. (9th Commandment, anyone?) The internet does not absolve us of culpability, and our desire for something to be true does not make it true.

I've gotten my fair share of crap from my family and friends because I research and respond to most of the lies being sent around. (At least the ones that aren't so moronic and feature such poor biblical scholarship that I don't think they need a rebuttal.) I encourage you to do the same. Before you hit the forward button, dig around the internet a bit to make sure that you aren't perpetuating the lies, gossip, and half-truths that not only poison our political system, but damage our own virtue.

On a happier note, I was delighted to see the fairly even-handed candidate interviews over at the evangelical Saddleback Church. (Did you hear the applause for gay marriage? Wowie!) McCain's clear-cut answers seemed to go over better than Obama's qualified responses, but that's the state of affairs today, I suppose.

Also, be sure to stop by factcheck.org to see their responses to the fact and fiction of these interviews. There's also a very helpful clarifying article about the "abortions go down or up based on the presidency" statistic that's so prevalent in the abortion discourse.

Alright. I'm getting off my soapbox now. If elected president, I promise more funny and less preachy.

Comments

[Mel]

Just wanted to say that I have been reading your blog for a bit and LOVE it. Happy to know that there are more Catholics out there like me : ) Anyway just wanted to say how much I enjoy it.

Happy Wednesday.

Mel(anie) in Savannah

[Meredith Gould]

You're beautiful when you're preachy. Gorgeous when you're funny!