(Pastor Doug Johnson & Robert - The Alamo - November 2005)

     Christians should be the most truthful people on the planet.  We follow the One who identified Himself as "The Truth."  He promised us truth that would set us free.  Why then does it seem we are often the first to pass on a lie?  Whether it comes in the guise of a "prayer request" that is nothing more than a juicy tidbit of gossip or an e-mail forward admonishing us to take it out on some godless corporation, Christ-followers have no business playing nursemaid to the devil's children!  (John 8:44b)

     I recall the first time I realized I was duped into perpetuating such a lie.  In the early 80's, a rumor circulated among the churches of Alabama that the Procter and Gamble Company was in league with the devil.  According to knowledgeable sources, the makers of soap had made a deal with Satan.  The moon and stars of their logo supposedly bore flagrant testimony to their shameless alliance with Lucifer.  Pastors called on their congregations to boycott.  I jumped on the bandwagon and purged our cabinets with a vengeance.  I perused every label of every product before it was allowed to enter our shopping cart.  A month and a half  later, the boycott was repealed.  The knowledgeable sources recanted, declaring the libeled company as pure as Ivory Soap.  Ironically, I worked for a P&G company while attending seminary.  A Christian executive co-worker told me how that particular rumor resurfaces every five to six years.

     Isn't it amazing how the seeds of falsehood find fertile soil in the greenhouse of faith?  This past year I have been encouraged several times to boycott Pepsi Cola because they omitted the words "under God" on their "Pledge of Allegiance" cola can.  No such can ever existed!  I have received countless e-mails asking me to sign a petition against Petition 2493 because of the late Madalyn Murray O'Hair's attempt to remove Christian broadcasting from radio and television.  The latest batch of bunk attaches Dr. James Dobson's name to Beelzebub's bouncing babe!  It took me all of three minutes on the internet to discover the truth - Petition 2493 never existed!

     And then there are the occasional diatribes I receive denouncing some well known personality like Hanoi Jane.  By her own confession, Jane Fonda is my sister-in-Christ!  Yes, what she did thirty years ago was reprehensible.  So was the sin we just committed this week.  But she should no more be labeled Hanoi Jane than Peter should still be known as Courtyard Simon or the Apostle Paul should still be known as Sanhedrin Saul.  Several years ago she became a new creation in Christ.  Her sins were forgiven.  To continue to hold any person's past over them after that past has been set free by the truth and blood of Christ is an attempt to reduce God's wondrous grace to no grace at all.

     Christians should be the most truthful people on the planet!  And we should be the most wise and well-informed!  We have the mind of Christ!  Misguided zeal is poor excuse for speaking the devil's native tongue, especially in this day and age when the truth can usually be found just a few clicks away.  (I often go to www.truthorfiction.com to substantiate or dismantle e-rumors.)  If you know my heart, hopefully you will understand that I have attempted to speak the truth in love.  As followers of Jesus we are commanded to take a stand for truth.  To the world, that makes us fools for Christ's sake.  But to take a stand for that which is false just renders us stupid for no good reason at all - and unfortunately the lost have seen enough of that among our ranks.