As the divisions in these Fifty States continue to be deepened and spread wider, every form of propaganda, intimidation, actual acts of violence, retribution, and more is seen. And seen more and more frequently. We’ve discussed propaganda especially as it relates to the war in Ukraine, and here at home in the States before. Let us talk about who is perverting the truth.

Both the so-called conservatives and so-called liberals are doing this. Whether they are the woke of the left or the alt-right, they see the stakes are enormous. So great that the ends of defeating their enemies fully justify any means. Of course, in doing so, they become more and more like each other.

We see this in how they spin, twist, and pervert the truth. Any truth. Regardless of its source. Whether it comes from their allies (and kindred) in the past or present. Or their enemies now and in the past. Or the scientists. Or religion – especially the Bible and the christian faith. (For readers who are not religious, please read on – this commentary is about more than just religion.)

Today we have an excellent example – a sickening example – of such perversion in the form of billboards a California political organization (promoting re-election of its woke governor) has posted in various States.

The Washington Times writes about this odd string of billboards. “Need an abortion?” billboards in Mississippi and Oklahoma ask. “California is ready to help.” The billboards contain Mark 12:31 that reads, “Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these.” The implication, of course, is that abortion is somehow an act of love – or, at the least, California sees itself as compassionately offering a “service” to non-resident women from the evil States that believe abortion itself is evil.

The WT writer points out the hypocrisy and irony of those who decry the mingling of Church and State but whom use a Bible verse to sell their position. Indeed.

The WT writer also tells us this effort to pervert Biblical truth “reaches a newfound level of immorality” in our ongoing political-religious war at home.

In this, sadly, he is wrong. Both here in the States and throughout much of the last two thousand years – in Roman and then Western Civilization, this has been a frequent tool of those who want to (and often do) deny life and liberty to others. And far too often, this tactic has succeeded.

Especially when used by those who actually claim (or pretend) to be followers of Christ Jesus.

Keep in mind it is not only biblical truth that is so perverted, so misused. Fundamental truths of economics, of political science (such as it is), and of science are also so used. In human history, propaganda does not entire consist of lies.

Examples abound. In the Fifty States, the (presumably accurate and true) statistics regarding incarceration rates and murder rates are frequently cited to condemn the FedGov and various States as racist – particularly anti-black racists. We have no reason to doubt that the number of black people in prisons and jails is a far greater percentage than the percentage black people make up of the population in the Fifty States or individual States. In a similar way, in South Dakota, the number of Lakota who are killed, who kill others, and whom are imprisoned is far greater than the percentage of Lakota in the general population.

But those who rally and protest against this inherent racism usually fail to (and even refuse to) recognize it is not racism that results in these statistics: it is because that is the way it is! More black people are killed and convicting of killing others (more often than not black victims). Because they do so, and because they are victims! Yes, there are miscarriages of justice: people wrongly accused and convicted of something they did not do. And no doubt there may be people who get away with murder because of who or what they are, where investigations and courts (judges and juries) are biased. But one fact is ignored while another is pushed. And why are there more black people in prison? While it might be due somewhat to unfair, biased sentencing or even plea-barginning, they are in prison because it is fairly evident that they committed the crimes.

The numbers we have to live with may be due to many defects in society, in families, and of course, in individuals. But to declare the numbers are all the result of racism is to pervert the truth.

So-called Christians have done this just as much as any atheist, any woke activist (many of which are also claiming christianity), or any politically-connected scientist. Starting with the Orthodox and Roman Catholic hierarchies, for centuries. As in the past socialists and communists and national socialists and radical republicans and climate scientists and evolutionary biologists – and all too often, creationists and states-rights activists and rebels of all sorts.

Lovers of liberty, too, have been guilty of perverting the truth – it is an equal-opportunity temptation. We must always seek to find and state the truth, and not to twist and change or try to force interpretations of facts to fit our needs in promoting liberty and freedom. Otherwise, are we really different from our opponents?