Author: vainjanglings

Vaccination and Masks

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Vain Jangling
If you are fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask.

In May 2021, Americans were told by the CDC and Biden that “they have concluded that fully vaccinated people are at a very, very low risk of getting COVID-19. Therefore, if you’ve been vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask.” From the White House transcript, where Biden states, “Let me repeat: If you are fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask.” [source]

In July 2021, Americans were told by the CDC that it “recommends you wear a mask when you’re in public and indoors, like work and in a grocery store. That’s true for both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. Why? Because even if you’ve been fully vaccinated and protected from severe illness from COVID-19, you could have the Delta variant in your system and spread it to someone who isn’t vaccinated.” [source]

The vain jangling is not in the possibility of spreading COVID mentioned by the CDC, but rather the initial promise that once vaccinated you would no longer need to wear a mask. The reality is, both vaccinated and unvaccinated are getting COVID; therefore, both vaccinated and unvaccinated can be carriers (and thus spreaders) of COVID. It may be argued “We didn’t know” or “We were hopeful” because “we are learning” or “now we have a variant”, but the fact is these are professionals who are supposed to know or at least not make promises when they do not know. It only creates mistrust and more vain janglings.

My Body My Choice

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Vain Jangling
It is my body, my choice.

Most gladly, even eagerly, claim ownership of their body. We eat what we want, we drink what we want, we wear what we want. We pierce and color, cut and conform ourselves how we see fit. In many ways, for countless reasons, we assume the role of potter over our own clay.

Few consider the concept of a Creator. One who has formed mankind from the womb [Jeremiah 1:5], in his image [Genesis 1:27]. Nor do many Christians live submitted to the fact that they have been bought with great price, and therefore should glorify God in body and spirit, which are his [1 Corinthians 6:20].

The vain jangling of “My body, my choice,” stands against the humility found in “God’s body, God’s choice,” through our obedience to him. It denies the person within our body, who is there—most often—by our choice. It fails to reconcile the consequences for our actions and hold us personally responsible. It sets us up as an idol god, which everyone and everything must please, for the sake of our own happiness.

We are Called to Love

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Vain Jangling
We are called to love.

At face value, this is a worthy sentiment. We should genuinely love people; for we are all made in the image of God. [Genesis 1:27]

We have the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” More specifically, we are told (via Scripture) to “love thy neighbour” [Matthew 5:44] and even to “love thy enemy” [Matthew 22:39]. In fact, one is not merely to love in thought or word, but in deed, such as blessing, doing good, and praying for others.

The vain jangling seems to appear when it is expressed that loving someone is somehow synonymous with not judging, disapproving, or correcting a person. That love is not only supposed to acknowledge a person for who they are or claim to be, but must also accept and even approve of their thoughts, words, and deeds—even if they are contrary to scripture, science, or logic.

Scripture declares God’s love for man in confronting the sin of man, to draw man to repentance, faith, and a restoration of fellowship. This is clearly shown from Adam and Eve through all of scripture. We learn that God chastens—those in disobedience—because of his love for us. [Hebrews 12:3-17; Revelation 3:19]

In the Word of God, one finds that we are to love fellow believers—if they are found in a fault, in a sin—by seeking to encourage them to repent and return to obedience to God. [Matthew 18:15] We are to love our neighbors, even our enemies—to warn them of sin and the wrath to come—by compelling them turn from their wicked ways, to repent and put faith in Jesus Christ. [Ezekiel 33:8-9; Matthew 28:19-20; John 3:16]

It has been said, “Love the sinner, hate the sin.” However, to truly love the sinner—or anyone, and everyone, for we are all sinners—must include encouraging them to reject, repent, turn away from sin, and to live by (godly, moral) truth and to live in (biblical, spiritual) Truth (i.e. Christ). Today, tomorrow, and all eternity.

We are not called to accept, encourage, support sinful, unbiblical, immoral, irrational, illogical, or otherwise untrue, harmful thoughts, words, deeds, ideology of persons to show we care about them. That is not love. That is vain jangling that will have eternal consequences; whereby, we and they will wish we truly had loved them.

I Surrender All

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Vain Jangling
I surrender all.

There is a hymn Christians sing, entitled, “I Surrender All.”
It starts with, “All to Jesus I surrender. All to him I freely give.”

We promise to love and trust him, in his presence daily.
We promise to forsake all worldly pleasure.

We ask him to make us wholly his, and to fill us with the Spirit.
That we may know his power, as we surrender all to him.

The vain jangling comes in when the voices sing hollow words, and walk out having surrendered nothing but maybe an hour of their week.

I Identify As

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Vain Jangling
I identify as someone or something I neither am nor can be.

Today’s society is very much concerned with self-identity.
Who am I? What do I aspire to be? How do others see me?

There is discussion about finding oneself, seeking self awareness, being true to oneself. Often these can be discovered and lived out by true self examination, self discipline, and self sacrifice to pursue dreams and hoped for accomplishments.

However, there is a limit to the thought:
“You can be whatever you want to be when you grow up.”

Sometimes the term identify is used to look outside of oneself. One may try to identify with the person they are trying to minister to. One might try to identify with the victim or suspect in a case. This is not to become that person, but rather is meant to try to understand another person or situation. A “put yourself in their shoes” mentality, not in actuality.

Sometimes the term identify can be used by actors and actresses. They will spend time and energy studying a script and the who or what they are to portray. Sometimes the character is real, other times they may be fictional, but in either case, neither the actor nor actress ever truly become the other person, place, or thing. They are merely acting like.

However, today, some wish to identify as—not to understand or to play the part, but rather to become—what they neither are nor can be. Procedures, no matter how minute or extensive, may change the outward appearance, but no amount of medication, surgery, or rhetoric can make someone what they are not. It is merely vain jangling to appease a soul with such unbiblical (and unscientific) ideals, when it is in direct conflict with truth. Especially, when limits are still set—for who can identify as who or what—in this alternate reality.

I Am Tolerant

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Vain Jangling
You are intolerant.

This is a common thread: You are so—or You are just being—intolerant.

We never see ourselves as intolerant. And why should we? We are proudly tolerant of everyone else’s lifestyles, beliefs. They can be who they want to be, love who they want to love, believe what they want to believe, identify how they want to identify. We really do not have a problem with any of it. We support their right—their freedom—to be true to themselves in voice and deed. Who am I to condemn or judge them?

However, when it comes to Christians—those who hold to some antiquated moral code, found in a book they believe is authoritative, which lends them a differing worldview—tolerance seems less absolute, less important, less relevant, less practiced. It is okay to silence them, ridicule them, punish them, even hate them, their words, their views. Truth and morals may be relative within the world, but they must not be inclusive or tolerant of the truth and morals of Christianity.

Tolerance—by definition—is the fair, objective, permissive attitude toward those who have different opinions, beliefs, practices, etc. than oneself. This is not the same as accepting, approving, or making such opinions, beliefs, practices, etc. one’s own. The vain jangling comes in when those who claim tolerance are found to be most intolerant of the Word of God and the message of Jesus Christ. And thus, all who proclaim it.

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.