Our Threatened Freedom

Do We Want to Be Lied To

Professor: Dr. R.J. Rushdoony

Subject: Political Studies

Lesson: 20-169

Genre: Conversation

Track: 020

Dictation Name: Vol. B – Part 07 – Do We Want to Be Lied To

Location/Venue: Unknown

Year: 1980’s – 1990’s

[Dr. Rushdoony] Do we want to be lied to? This is R.J. Rushdoony with a report on our threatened freedom.

The Vietnam War has been over for some years, and American troops have returned home and been forgotten.

But one story from that war still remains in my mind. A young Marine, loaded with morphine, was carried into the {?} Marine Hospital. Both his legs were gone, but he did not know it. He became conscious briefly and saw a chaplain standing over him. He asked the chaplain, are my legs okay? Sure, said the chaplain, although he knew better. By the next day, the young Marine knew better, and when the chaplain came by, called him the dirtiest name he could think of.

It’s a hard story to forget.

I thought of it again when I heard someone who manages political campaigns say that the people want to be lied to, and too much truth telling is a good way to lose elections. Very few people, he said, really want to know how bad things are.

Is this true? Do we want to be lied to? Well, all too often I am told, don’t tell Mom that Dad is dying, or don’t tell my parents that my brother is dying, and so on.

A friend of mine, knowing economics, predicted to his relatives what would happen to our economy and their investments. They refused to listen to it.

When Burton turned out to be right, they turned on him, saying, it’s people who talk like you who make bad things happen.

I know several ministers who have lost churches this year, for dealing very biblically and patiently with the sins of the congregation.

One vicious reprobate stood up in a congregational meeting, called to dismiss the pastor, to declare, his preaching doesn’t make me feel good.

Given the flagrant sins of that man, no true preaching would ever make him feel good. All too many people want lies to make them feel good.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of an evil generation which demanded of God’s prophets, speak unto us smooth things, prophecy deceit. Isaiah 30:10.

But lies are the death of truth and freedom. People who want to be lied to are candidates for defeated slavery. Do you want to be lied to, or do you want the truth? Do you shut the door on unpleasant facts and try to put a good front on things?

The Pharisees of old tried to whitewash evil, but it did not work then, nor will it work now. Faith and freedom require of us a love for the truth, and a rejection of lies. There is no comfort in a lie, only bitterness. The chaplain who lied to the Marine did not restore his legs through his lie, he did destroy the trust between them and all future relationships.

This is R.J. Rushdoony on our threatened freedoms.