by Tom Bartlett    

In these turbulent times, trust has been touted as a valued commodity. Most, however, are only interested in being trustworthy. Trust, like respect, must be earned and cannot be demanded. Competing voices have been instructing us to “trust the experts,” “follow the science” and warned us to not fall for “fake news.” Misplaced trust can not only take us off-course but end up in devastating consequences.  

 “Wayne and Shuster” was an eponymously named Canadian sketch comedy show that our family watched growing up. Their most memorable episode was a full-length send up of Julius Caesar titled, “Rinse the Blood Off My Toga.” Johnny Wayne played Flavius; a Private Detective hired by Brutus (played by Frank Shuster) to find out who killed Julius Caesar. During their private discussions, Brutus would press Flavius to verify they were alone. Once Flavius confirmed that they were, Brutus would say, “Who’s that standing beside you?” to which Flavius would respond, “That’s you, Brutus.” Brutus would then retort, “Yes, but can I be trusted?” Cue laugh track.

The audience was dialed in to the fact that Brutus had been a trusted ally of Caesar and his betrayal was, in the words of Shakespeare, “the (most) unkindest cut of all.” Christ too was betrayed by someone from his inner circle, but Judas’s duplicity was not a secret to our Lord. The disciples were undoubtedly blindsided by what took place, but not Jesus as he knew Judas’s heart and intentions. When even those closest to us can be disloyal, what should we expect from those who hold us in contempt?

 Recently, CNN’s Technical Director, Charlie Chester, was exposed via a sting operation carried out by “Project Veritas.” The executive boasted about how their station served up propaganda under the guise of journalism in an effort to eject President Trump from office. He crowed that he was 100% certain that without CNN’s deliberate smear campaign, Trump would still be in office. He went on to say that under the Biden administration, they planned to pivot from COVID to stoking anxiety over climate change because “fear sells.” 

 Incidentally, this is the same CNN that ran an ad campaign where they showed a solitary apple and said, “this is an apple.” In their thinly veiled swipe at their competition, they go on to insist that many might try to convince you it is a banana, but it is in fact an apple. The network was routinely mocked by then President Trump as “fake news” and they were pushing back. The ad ended with the slogan, “facts first.” Their devious motives were exposed as they put on a front of feigned journalistic integrity while lying to the public.

But mainstream media are not the only ones with a trust problem. A Gallop poll conducted in 2018 produced some interesting, but not surprising findings about what occupations and institutions were trusted by the public. Journalism came in at #5 – slightly ahead of used car salesmen (4) and underperforming lawyers (9) and high school teachers (15). Medicine also didn’t fare well with doctors coming in at 17 and nurses placing 20th. Police have similarly taken a beating even before George Floyd (14), but lest we get cocky, church leaders came in one position worse at 13.

While I might quibble at some of the specific placements and bemoan the fact that counsellors, my chosen career, did not make the bottom 20; this bespeaks a dilemma when considering what is trustworthy. Unlike the comedy sketch, no one is inviting scrutiny of their intentions. CNN knew they were perpetuating a fraud while also calling for their competition to be eliminated through outright censorship from the public sphere. Those with nothing to hide welcome debate and examination, but we live in a time where unwelcome views are crushed rather than engaged. 

I believe the church has largely surrendered the culture to those spinning a narrative of lies and are trying to find a way to compromise with these deceptive elements. Churches refuse to call out violent, hateful, racist, anti-family, anti-Christian, pro-Marxist groups like antifa and Black Lives Matter while they stoke division and destroy neighbourhoods. Instead of summarily denouncing them as the destructive force they are, we are trying to show that we aren’t as hateful as they indoctrinate our children to believe us to be.

I served on a Pro-life Board during the time where a schism arose nationally within our ranks. This was about strategy, not a compromised view on the rightness of our cause. Some believed in the incremental approach whereby we would seek to achieve whatever legal victories we could to reduce the circumstances where abortions would be permitted and move to the next battle. Given we have no law against abortion, this seemed a reasonable option since some limits are better than none. On the other side were those seeking to end the practise in toto. This was the camp where I have set up my tent.

My rationale was – and remains – that allowing any exception based on trimester, circumstances, rape and incest exceptions, disallowing sex-selective abortion, etc. meant necessarily granting the premise that some babies were expendable. To accede to this would be to compromise with evil and that is not how I roll. In no way am I suggesting that my incrementalism cohorts were sanguine about this prospect, but I could not refute my mental math. Additionally, such efforts often resulted in faux victories – notably, where an exception for the “health” of the mother was so elastic that it could be used to justify any abortion. Finally, mini victories would inevitably impede the momentum since it doesn’t attack the premise about the inherent value of life. Pro-lifers would need to chart a new course while a public raised to see abortions as transactional would question why pro-lifers were trying to further restrict reproductive rights.

Under the Harper “conservative” government, an M.P. from Kitchener presented a bill I fully backed to revisit the antiquated 400-year-old definition of “personhood” from which springs the current definition of a human being: “A child becomes a human being…when it has completely proceeded, in a living state, from the body of its mother.” The premise of the proposed bill was that scientific insights have vastly improved our understanding of the intricacies of human life. The bill sponsor stated, “When the rights of two people conflict it is never acceptable to deny that one of them is a human being deserving recognition as a human being.”(1)

This was not a frivolous exercise as our rights are derived from our status as people; thus, explaining the poor treatment historically of certain people groups. A thinking person might question the motives of “progressives” who insist we need to “follow the science” would so oppose this bill; but oppose it they did and with great vehemence. 

There was bi-partisan opposition to the bill which was soundly defeated by the parties on the left and a majority of the ruling conservatives. Harper split the baby by using an argument well known in pro-life circles; insisting he was personally pro-life but would not seek to restrict access to abortion. He took a hands-off approach while telegraphing his disapproval of the legislation. I don’t believe many needed to be prodded as the bill was soundly defeated by all parties including a majority of the ruling conservatives.

For those who either, like me, admire the nuance and chutzpah of striking a blow at access to abortion or even those who saw this as an unwelcome attempt to deny “choice,” the rationale is the same. Everyone knows that abortion is the unjust taking of innocent human life and this bill would put that reality in the spotlight. Nowhere is abortion even mentioned as the motivation or endgame. I couldn’t help but wonder where Stephen Harper and other “pro-life conservatives” were to state the obvious. This bill was nothing short of a confession that abortion is the slaughter of innocent human life and a call to let the we should let the butchery continue. 

The activist left is in charge of the language, our institutions, our values, our freedoms and the terms of the debate. They have even been permitted to define their opponents as hateful, intolerant, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, misogynist, and bigoted. We have permitted ourselves to be subjected to the “When did you stop beating your wife?” trope while begging our adversaries not to hate us. They have mandated the unthinkable and forbidden the reasonable while the church has held their tunics. 

Many Christians and church leaders have come to believe it is virtuous to stay away from social media to avoid being pulled into conspiracies and fallacies. There are several problems with this. First, the majority of those that they hope to reach (either inside or outside the church) are taking in social media anyway so this only means there is no point of reference or way to deter false beliefs. Secondly, mainstream sources (as addressed above) are so corrupted that they are selling a narrative and simply propagating for their side, so they are not avoiding the problem, only choosing their pre-packaged messaging. Thirdly, social media allows for a far greater array of voices including ways to research the accuracy of what is being said; but this requires finding reliable sources and evidentiary support. Finally, all media sources are blocking specifically those with Christian and conservative values, so while social media is choking out unwelcome information, it is even more important to find those voices that are being silenced.

Here are a handful of the premises being peddled as irrefutable with absolutely no evidentiary support:

• Affirming those who claim a gender different from their biological reality and allowing hormone blockers and surgery will decrease the astoundingly high suicide rates – roughly 19 times higher than the general population.

• The high rates of mental health, substance abuse, and relationship break-ups among homosexuals as well as shortened lifespan will be improved through greater acceptance and same-sex marriage.

• Children do better socially by being in daycare and preschool than being raised by a stay-at-home parent.

• One’s skin colour and biological sex determines whether one is privileged or a victim and not their circumstances and these cannot change.

• Only whites can be racist.

• All men are potential rapists.

• Children are atheists by nature and need to be indoctrinated in order to believe in God.

• Tolerance means affirmation while dissent means hate.

• Coexistence requires conformity under the values of the secular left.

In a video released by libertarian social media personality, Bill Whittle, he discussed a concept from a book he’d read about how many of the Jews eagerly donned the star of David based on a principle known as anticipatory compliance. Having undergone lesser persecution, many became convinced that making this concession would garner favour with the Nazis and entice them to back off their vendetta. I believe this is the delusion much of the church is currently living under. 

Even if Christians aren’t taking the time to research what they are being told, they need to insist on evidence for what is being reported and not assume it to be true. As someone who does take the time, I can categorically state that the deception runs deep. That said, I am not asking you to trust me, but I have a few essential obligations that are incumbent on all believers.

1. Ask questions of anyone making truth claims. Have them direct you to their sources and research for yourself. This is especially important on matters that impact your church (i.e., the necessity of COVID restrictions).

2. Speak to those known to be discerning and attuned to what is happening and those able to recognise trends.

3. Address from the pulpit those matters that are leading the church astray and call them out boldly instead of simply giving ear-tickling sermons.

4. Go back to the scriptures. If something sounds convincing, look up what the Bible has to say before going along.

     Most people have memorised this passage, but we need to take seriously what it says:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 

 (1) https://www.ctvnews.ca/harper-says-he-ll-vote-against-abortion-motion-1.801761