Truth AND Consequences
Young whipper snappers may not remember the TV game show Truth or Consequences, but I do. Actually, I didn’t watch the show which began in the early 1950s. In my youthful years, I preferred Looney Tunes cartoons.
Neither Becky nor I are big fans of game shows. However, years ago I attended a medical conference in Los Angeles and Becky accompanied me. She had time to attend the filming of the game show Card Sharks. Months later they called and asked her to compete, so we flew back for the taping. That cost me plenty because all she won was a consolation prize of Rice-A-Roni which unfortunately was infiltrated with moths. We threw away the rice, but it took months to get rid of the little boogers in our pantry.
With the recent show-trial of President Trump and the conviction of Hunter Biden for actual crimes, I’ve been thinking about truth AND consequences. What is truth and how is it discovered? And should there be consequences for our actions? Democrats, you better be careful what you ask for. Since Fat Albert (Bragg) prosecuted Trump for election interference, the 51 intelligence agents, social media Tech Lords like Zuckerberg and most of the media are open to prosecution for the same charge of election interference in 2020 by suppressing the now-verified Hunter Biden laptop.
Every day brings new revelations that we have been lied to repeatedly. Examples include Fauci and the CDC’s lies during Covid and, more recently, Nancy Pelosi admitting that she declined National Guard troops on Jan. 6th and that she “looked forward” to Trump supporters on Capitol grounds. The American people would like to know why security was so lax and we’d like a straight answer from the shifty FBI Director Christopher Wray. Did the FBI have assets in the crowd that fateful day?
Hopefully, we teach our children that there are consequences for disobeying or being disrespectful. It galls me when people are caught in lies or inappropriate behavior and all they have to do is go on the Oprah Show, cry and supposedly all is forgiven. I suspect Hunter Biden will soon learn differently with his conviction on federal gun charges. But more important is Hunter’s bio listing him as a “lawyer and lobbyist.” To represent foreign entities, he had to register as a lobbyist with FARA, Foreign Agents Registration Act. He did not. And his upcoming trial for tax evasion in September will open the door to the dark connections between the Biden family enterprise and a host of shady international actors and countries like Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan and China. Joe Biden and Obama may be required to testify as witnesses if not future plaintiffs.
Another thing that galls me are the lies the media spins as they try to cover up Ol’ Joe’s dementia and feebleness. As an example, I offer the Bezos Washington Post ruse that “Democracy dies in the dark.” Actually, “democracy dies when they keep their readers in the dark.” I can’t help my schadenfreude-ian smile from the consequences of their dishonesty and wokeness. The Washington Post has lost upwards of $100 million and 50% of its readership since 2020. Bezos has plenty of money to waste, but his newspaper now has fewer readers to twist with lies. As Jerry Seinfeld might sarcastically say, “That’s a shame.”
Now that I’m retired, I have more time for study and reflection. Socrates said, “A life of contemplation is the best life.” Without patient care responsibilities, I also have more time for my “egghead” book club and the two Bible studies I attend each week. And I have more time to write this column and work on the concluding novel of my Stellar Trilogy.
I gave a talk last week to a service club about the notion of purpose. I was blessed to find a penchant for writing as a second career. It gives me a creative outlet, purpose and, hopefully, benefits others who read my column. To date, there have been no adverse consequences for writing the truth.
Recently, one of my groups studied the familiar David and Bathsheba story chronicled in 2 Samuel. After slaying the Philistine giant Goliath, the youthful David grew up and ultimately replaced Saul as King of Israel around 1000 BC. The Bathsheba story begins in chapter 11 with, “In the spring, at the time kings go off to war…” Well, King David didn’t go. He sent his army off against the Ammonites, but he stayed in Jerusalem. Then, the King saw Bathsheba bathing, so he sent for her. Kings have the power of life and death (as well as lawfare) and cannot be refused. Lord Acton said, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Bathsheba became pregnant and to cover up his adultery, King David conspired to have Bathsheba’s husband killed.
I believe the Bible presents stories that should be thoughtfully considered as teaching tools. Because David wasn’t where he should have been, he succumbed to temptation, adultery and then murder. The ultimate truth came out and consequences unfolded. David and Bathsheba’s young son tragically died. David’s lament in Psalm 51 demonstrates the pain of deceit and separation from God.
So, why was David not struck down for his sins? Why do evil men go unpunished? The answer to God’s forgiveness is contrition. However, David was NOT spared consequences because his oldest son, Absolom, rebelled against the king and died fighting against his father. I can’t imagine the pain of losing a single child, let alone, children.
David would later marry Bathsheba and their next son was Solomon, allegedly the smartest man to live. Solomon would build the temple whose Wailing Wall still stands. And he was the probable writer of the Song of Solomon as a young man, many of the Proverbs in his middle age and Ecclesiastes as a “seasoned citizen.”
The ancient Greeks, Hebrews and the founders of our country believed history is a great teacher. The destructive truths of the last four years are obvious. And it is my prayer that we learn from this history, change course and let the consequences come. American philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
I pray we don’t forget that a vote for Biden is a vote for unelected bureaucrats to continue running the country and function as placeholders for a Kamala Harris presidency.
