Polls
2013-11-20 - by
The other night Gary and I were invited to dinner with a dozen learned scholars who for some unfathomable reason were curious to hear us trace the roots of the demise of modern politics.
And, of course, it was only a matter of time before I said the word ‘poll’ and as soon as I did one of the learned gentlemen politely but firmly allowed it sure sounded like I was describing an unsavory practice used by sleazy politicians to hoodwink the unsuspecting.
And, of course, he had a point.
But on the other hand, like a bottle of whiskey or a pistol, a poll is only as wicked as the hand of the man holding it.
Now the hard truth is a poll won’t tell you or me or Congressmen a single word about Truth. Not about the Risen Lord. Or Satan. Or the national debt blowing the economy to smithereens.
Like the rest of us sinners, each Congressman or Senator has to find the answers to those questions himself – though prayer is more helpful than most folks dream of.
Then Good Lord willing, after he’s found the answers, when he runs for office a Congressman only needs a poll to tell him one thing – how much Truth other people see so he can carry a torch into the shadows gripped by darkness and confusion.
That’s the theory.
But, of course, we live in a fallen world where politicians and murderers labor under the same curse – so more often than not the moment the pollster says, People want a balanced budget but they don’t want to cut spending on much of anything except foreign aid – temptation whispers.
And right then Truth flies out the window and the aspiring Congressman looks back at the pollster and smiles and says, Well, that’s exactly what I’m for.
Polls
2013-11-20/
The other night Gary and I were invited to dinner with a dozen learned scholars who for some unfathomable reason were curious to hear us trace the roots of the demise of modern politics.
And, of course, it was only a matter of time before I said the word ‘poll’ and as soon as I did one of the learned gentlemen politely but firmly allowed it sure sounded like I was describing an unsavory practice used by sleazy politicians to hoodwink the unsuspecting.
And, of course, he had a point.
But on the other hand, like a bottle of whiskey or a pistol, a poll is only as wicked as the hand of the man holding it.
Now the hard truth is a poll won’t tell you or me or Congressmen a single word about Truth. Not about the Risen Lord. Or Satan. Or the national debt blowing the economy to smithereens.
Like the rest of us sinners, each Congressman or Senator has to find the answers to those questions himself – though prayer is more helpful than most folks dream of.
Then Good Lord willing, after he’s found the answers, when he runs for office a Congressman only needs a poll to tell him one thing – how much Truth other people see so he can carry a torch into the shadows gripped by darkness and confusion.
That’s the theory.
But, of course, we live in a fallen world where politicians and murderers labor under the same curse – so more often than not the moment the pollster says, People want a balanced budget but they don’t want to cut spending on much of anything except foreign aid – temptation whispers.
And right then Truth flies out the window and the aspiring Congressman looks back at the pollster and smiles and says, Well, that’s exactly what I’m for.