The testimony of a veteran of a hidden war

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For this testimony I will break from my general rule. My journalism training taught me to speak neutrally, and preferably in the third person. Since this is my testimony  I will break from that standard.

There is a war going on out there. I say this as if anyone doesn’t know it already. It is a war against moral order – against the notion of recognizing that there is right and that there is wrong. This war is best illustrated by today’s catch phrase “don’t judge”.

Seriously? If one is not allowed to judge, over time one cannot understand right from from wrong.

When you hear “don’t judge me”, you can be sure the person saying it wants to be absolved of what he or she doesn’t want to be judged for. That being said, as Christians we know that we are called upon to “just not, lest ye be judged.” What this means is that if we must judge – if the situation requires moral  judgment –  we best be sure we have our moral house in order. “Judge not, lest ye be judged” is not a call to abandon judgment, but to recognize people are sinful and should be given the opportunity to correct themselves. If the situation demands moral judgment we judge knowing that our eye better not have a rafter in it. We will be judged by the same standard that we are applying to others.

On with the testimony.

This is only the second time I’ve given testimony. The first time I didn’t even realize I was doing it!

I do not like to speak publicly in personal matters, I’m a private person. While I honor those who gather in Church to speak and to listen,  I believe Christ meant it when he said we should come to God in private. As the intellectual father of the Revolution, Thomas Paine, said:  “my own mind is my own Church.”

There comes a time, though, when one must give one’s testimony. If we want to be understood – if we will allow ourselves to be open for judgment and perhaps for forgiveness – we must let others know the things we bring to our Creator and the things that brought us to Him.