Weinstein, Spacey, Franken, Moore … and ME

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America’s predominant worldviews, whether conservative church-going republicans, or liberal Hollywood executives, is being revealed through all of the recent revelations of men exploiting women. We apparently are either a culture of sin-cover uppers, sin deniers, or both.

There is nothing new in these positions, historically speaking, they have always been with us. But, the brave victim’s voices of these recent “wrong doings” gives us cause to ponder an alternative to these equally damning options.

A culture of sin-cover uppers

Recall with me a story about a man who used his position of power to sleep with a woman who was not his wife, and then attempted to cover up what he had done once she became pregnant. After two failed attempts to cover up his own sin, the adulterous man had the woman’s husband secretly killed and took the pregnant widow as his own wife. Sound familiar?

This story reflects the injustice found in news as of late, and it is the story of King David, who in this historical event was a sin cover-upper.

Aculture of sin-deniers

Ok, sure, sin-cover uppers have always been with us, but what about people who deny absolute truth entirely? In the 1st Century there was a Roman leader responsible for resolving a legal accusation made against a man who claimed to be the son of God (a claim for which he died) by a group of people who defined themselves as the people of God. The self-professing “son of God” told the Roman leader his purpose on earth was to “bear witness to the truth.”

To which the Roman leader replied, “What is truth?” Where there was no belief in absolute truth by the highest leaders in the land, there was no clear distinguishing between right and wrong. What was right in one person’s eyes could be wrong in another person’s eyes.

The determining factor for what gets decided is whatever the masses decide. This worldview is good if the masses get it right (like not tolerating sexual harassment in the workplace), but we can all agree it is beyond terrible when they get it wrong (see Germany circa 1930s.)

The future of America

But, what will happen to a culture that either covers up sin or denies its existence entirely? The cover-uppers may look like they are living on the outside, but always worried about being “found out.” The truth/sin denier’s will grow more and more narcissistic while their regard for human life and dignity diminishes.

Hope-filled alternative

All of mankind, like David, and the Roman Leader, need saving from a life of hiding our sin, and denying the truth. Jesus came, as the truth, to save sin cover-uppers and sin-deniers by taking away the end result of sin, death. Trusting that Jesus died to cover all of my sins, means that I don’t need to work to cover up my sins, but can confess them freely and openly before they grow into headlines.

Do you believe that truth exists? Are you working each day to hide things you’ve done? Does collective cultural opinion determine what is right and wrong? Do you really think this is how life was meant to be lived?

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By Joey Turner

Joey Turner is the pastor of student ministries at Patterson Park Church in Beavercreek.

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