A Paper In Denial

Articles

Michael John McCrae

A Paper In Denial
Dec 11, 2003

The editorial staff of the “Honolulu Advertiser” is in denial. On Monday last, they published an editorial concerning life being “paradoxical”. The editorial begins by slamming Christianity in a effort to claim the Christian faith considers itself “compelled to assert moral superiority in the wake of the Sept 11 attacks…”. It uses the examples of the fight over the display of the 10 Commandments in Alabama, and the words of General Boykin when he explained the God of the Christians was greater than the God of radical Islam. (Which, of course, happens to be a very true statement).

Anyway, the editorial chose to assert that Christians would do much better in the world by holding to a set of “Paradoxical Commandments” set out in the 1960’s by a then 19 year old brain full of liberal mush belonging to one Kent M. Keith. The editorial states: “As far as we’re concerned, his “Paradoxical Commandments” would be appropriate in any courthouse. Here they are:” (1) People are illogical, unreasonable and self- centered. Love them anyway. (2) If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway. (3) If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. (4) The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. (5) Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. (6) The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway. (7) People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway. (8) What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. (9) People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway. (10) Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

So this is the “alternative code” to God’s 10 Commandments that the editorial staff of the “Advertiser” thinks is “worth reviewing” and would be “appropriate” for a courthouse.

Wait a minute! Wait just a doggone minute! I think Mr. Kieth was reading his Hebrew/Christian Bible. Don’t you?

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also, And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven…” (MT.5:38-45)

These words of Jesus were an explanation of the law as given to Moses by God. It is part of what Christians know as the “Sermon on the Mount” This is all quite “paradoxical” in that we Christians are to love and pray for our persecutors and those who, like the editorial staff of the “Advertiser”, despise us. You know, the world and the “Advertiser” are very fortunate Jesus spoke these things.

It turns out that the “alternate code” is also out of the pages of Holy Scripture. I’m sorry world, you cannot develop any type of moral code that is not already rooted in what the True God of Heaven has inbred within all of humanity. That’s right. God has placed this code of morality in every life he has permitted breath to.

Note to the “Advertiser”: If the 10 Commandments should not be permitted public display, then there is no room for any other types of commandments either, “paradoxical” or otherwise.

I am not going to “Love them anyway.” I am going to “Love them as myself”. I am not going to “Give the world the best [I] have anyway.” When everything I have and everything I am belongs to God. If I ensure it all works for him then I am doing my part as the “light of the world” and the “salt of the earth”.

Mr. Keith’s “commandments” are rooted in Christian morality. I think the editorial staff of the “Honolulu Advertiser” needs to brush up on their scriptures.

------------

About the Author: Independent, Conservative, Christian. Married 29 years with 5 children raised and one grandson being raised. 30 year Army Veteran and published poet with www.poetry.com since Y2K. Email Michael John McCrae: michael.mccrae@us.army.mil

Comment on this column in the forum.

Tell a friend about this site!

------------