Month: May 2021

Independent Fact-Checking Fact-Checkers

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Vain Jangling
Independent fact-checkers are non-partisan fact-checkers.

If one has watched the news, listened to talk radio, or used social media, they have at least heard the term fact-checker and have probably seen the fact-checked disclaimer. Did it stop you from reading, believing, or sharing it? For some it did. For others, not so much.

What is interesting is the vain jangling [un]necessary use of terms like “independent” or “non-partisan” added to the term fact-check[er]. A fact is a fact because it is true. It is a fact, a truth whether it is liked or not, whether it is held by a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian— Christian, Muslim, Atheist—those who agree or those who disagree.

The trouble is when platforms (party, media, social media) claim to use “independent/non-partisan” persons or companies (or bots created by such) who they know agree with them or will conform to agree with them, merely to help maintain or encourage a set narrative. That is called manipulation. Fact.

This is not meant to say their are no honest fact-checkers performing honest fact-checks. There are. The problem comes when persons, parties, or platforms use “facts” for personal gain rather than truth.

Consider this the next time the “fact-check[er]” shows up.

— Facts that are true, obvious, undeniable, easily verified.
— Facts mixed with lies, slander, to make it seem (partially) false.
— Facts conveyed, manipulated, to fit a narrative or viewpoint.

There might just be a bit of vain jangling when something is fact-checked false today but true tomorrow (or vice versa) when it fits an “independent/non-partisan” narrative, but not the other guy’s.

We Need Accountability

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Vain Jangling
We need accountability for every war crime committed.

It is a truth, we do need accountability. Accountability means we are accountable to someone, to something. Being accountable to ourselves (an internal set of high, moral standards) is good, but we can easily deceive ourselves and sear our conscience to allow us more liberty than we might give to others. Having someone else who can hold us accountable to good, fair, clear—godly, moral—instruction and standards is even better. Things we may can easily dismiss in ourselves are harder to ignore when face-to-face with those given the permission or authority to hold us accountable. Especially if/when we are in clear violation of the known, understood, agreed upon principles or actions.

However, when it comes to the political arena, to hold someone accountable usually means to hold one’s opponent or an opposing view accountable to a set of rules, laws, etc. that they have no intent on administering equally or consistently to themselves or those of whom they are friends, colleagues, or agree. This is when the rhetoric becomes merely vain jangling. Especially when the hypocrisy is open to everyone to see, but the media or bedfellows refuse to acknowledge, discuss, or hold each other to the same degree of accountability.

To speak of accountability, one must first acknowledge and submit to being accountable themselves.

Personal Truth

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Vain Jangling
My truth. I believe. I feel.

Personal or relative truth is an interesting canard, and too vast to cover in its entirety here. So, we will take a gander at the lightweight version just to give us something to think about.

Personal or relative truth has its foundation or basis in the individual or individuals who choose to believe it. However, belief—by person or persons or even society as a whole—alone does not prove or make something true. It may very well be based on ignorance, stupidity, misunderstanding, or outright rejection or rebellion against truth.

How about we use a simple example: 2 + 2 = 4

There may be an individual who has never formally learned numbers or basic math, so they created their own system to live by.

There may be an individual who has a disability or special needs that hinders them from fully understanding the concept of math.

There may be an individual who rejects the idea, because they feel or believe (for various reasons) 2 + 2 should = or can also = 5.

The first can be taught, the second can be helped, but the third is lost unless they repent (turn away from) their personal or relative truth which opposes absolute truth. In this case, mathematical truth. For the third to demand the rest entertain, accept, or approve of the lie (they claim to be a personal truth) is absurd, and for anyone to do so is folly.

Number of Migrant Children at the Border

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Vain Jangling
The number of migrant children at the border.

To anyone watching, listening, or reading the news (or articles) concerning the border, there is the mentioning of children. This could be children who have crossed or tried to cross the border with or without family. So they end up in Border Patrol facilities.

Recently, it was noted that the number of children being held in Border Patrol facilities went down from more than 5,000 to 600 since March, 2021. On the surface, this news sounds good, given the recent pictures of overcrowded Border Patrol facilities.

The hint of jangling comes when one is made aware that the children were merely moved from the Border Patrol facilities to the Department of Health and Human Services. This explains why the Border Patrol facilities are no longer pictured overcrowded, but also why they are having to use tents (some say right near the same location) and military bases to “handle the continuing surge in unaccompanied children.”

To give fair credit—to, no doubt, an overwhelming job—it has been said that they have perfected the processing of children (thus, the hold time in Border Patrol facilities) from 131 hours down to 30 hours.

However, the vain jangling really comes into view when this only “hides” the problem at the border. (1) We still have the large number of children in DHHS and (2) we still have children crossing the border and being processed through BPF, so even though the BPF may no longer look overcrowded (i.e. picture sharing—or exposing—the influx of immigrants or migrants illegally crossing the border), the reality is we still have a problem at the border. So, is it merely semantics: a political narrative to give an appearance of being resolved, while in reality the number of unaccompanied children in custody remains high?

Woke

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Vain Jangling
Woke.

In today’s society, there is so much that could be said about one simple word: Woke. “Are you woke?” “They aren’t woke enough.” “That business is too woke.” “Stay woke.” What is your wokeness?

By standard definition, woke means: awake, as in, “I woke up.”

Of course, who really goes by standard definitions today? We like to redefine terms at will—usually to our own liking, to fit our own narrative—which ultimately makes discussion regarding a topic or topics somewhat difficult or virtually impossible. Why? Because we can be using the same word or words, having totally different meanings, thus speaking past or around, over or under one another, with nothing being understood or settled, since our arguments never really meet on the same plain, with single, understood, agreed upon terminology. (Well, that was an unexpected mouth full.)

In the Christian sense: Woke could express the idea that one has been awakened to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (i.e. new life, salvation) One having ears that hear, eyes that see, verses one still spiritually dead. However, the term woke is usually not used.

In the Social sense: Woke may refer to an awareness of social and racial justice—or injustice. It has been noted that the term is slang from a dialect called AAVE (African American Vernacular English), with “Stay woke” being a statement for those (in the black community) who are self-aware of injustice or racial tension, along with a call to action (namely with BLM, Black Lives Matter).

The vain jangling of the term “woke” comes in because of the varying world views and narratives used in today’s world. What is usually meant by “woke” is, “Are you woke (in agreement) to my view?” Woke to the gospel, woke to systematic racism, woke to the liberal or conservative platform, and the list could go on. Whether one is considered awakened to the modern Woke narrative or awakened from it. Then comes the name calling, backbiting, shaming, slandering, silencing, rioting, etc. often based on vain janglings, not truth.

Defund the Police

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Vain Jangling
Defund the police.

The word “defund” is defined as [to prevent from continuing to receive funds] and thus illogical when the implications of defunding the police are considered. Although some suggest by defund they do not mean to “completely” defund the police, this only muddies the argument by trying to play with or redefine words. To defund the police would be to withdraw all funds from the police, thus instantly (or slowly) make the police extinct.

John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Honestly consider the crime in America with police and then imagine it without police. If there are those who still ignore and fight against the (good) laws of the nation today (which there are), to remove what stands in their way (i.e. the police) will not somehow convert or conform the lawless. They, along with the whole of society, will only get worse. For if the lawless could govern themselves, they would.

To defund the police—the individuals and institutions tasked and paid to ensure the safety of all persons, places, and things—will not stop the loss of life. It would only increase it. Even the “partial” defunding [some claim to call for] would lead (even if inadvertently) to less necessary training, gear, and the best individuals to have a safe, fair, trained police force. To defund the police would deprive moral citizens of an institution God purposed for protecting the innocent and punishing the evil doer.

Make Jesus Lord of Your Life

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Vain Jangling
Make Jesus Lord of your life.

Sometimes we might hear or read such a statement without considering much of the meaning. Perhaps it is in reference to encouraging someone to “Ask Jesus into [their] heart” or to “Put faith in Jesus Christ”.

However, here is the issue with such a statement:
We (i.e. you and I) do not make Jesus Christ Lord of anything.

Jesus Christ is sovereign over our lives whether we accept or reject, serve or rebel his lordship over us. For this same Jesus is “Lord of lords, and King of kings.” (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14) He is God and “all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1-3) For it is written: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11) Thus the should shall (will) come to pass. (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11)