Tag Archives: Rational lies

Rational Lies

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I confess, I have long been a fan of dry humor and witty puns and homonyms. The cleverest of puns still tickle me because of the unexpected twist that causes my mind to quickly think in a different way.

I discovered one such example years ago when I was contemplating the way I would sometimes “rationalize” things that weren’t true. Have you ever done that? Act or think in a wrong way yet ‘rationalize’ that you are actually right? It is pride’s attempt to excuse the need to look at oneself or a situation through eyes filtered by truth.

Saying the word “rationalize” out loud over and over and ever so slowly, I heard the words “rational lies.” And it occurred to me that while I was trying to rationalize/justify my behavior and thoughts, I was actually telling myself lies that my pride wanted to make rational: hence, rational lies.

Rationality is defined as “the quality or state of being reasonable. (It) implies the conformity of one’s beliefs with one’s reasons to believe, or of one’s actions with one’s reasons for action. A rational decision is one that is not just reasoned, but is also optimal for achieving a goal or solving a problem.”

One problem with human rationality is that our ‘reason’ is often twisted by our desire to solve a problem our own way and to our benefit. We perceive facts and situations through our own filters, not always as they really are. And when our “rationalizing” is based on our internalized and often misguided filtering, believing in “rational lies” is really an irrational behavior…”irrational rationality.”

I gave one example in an earlier blog post when as a small child, I rationalized that my mother had abandoned me in a large department store. After all, I suddenly found myself all alone, frightened and angry. So instead of dealing with the real truth that it was I who had strayed, I ‘rationalized’ that she had left me. With such rationalization, didn’t I have a ‘right’ be angry?

Isn’t it sometimes that way in our relationship with God? We begin to forget God’s presence in our lives, we turn away from His direction and go our own way. Suddenly, we find ourselves in a desperate situation and wonder why God abandoned us. But in reality, we were the ones who abandoned Him.

The way to deal with ‘rational lies’ is to bring them in comparison with Truth. It is the same way bankers examine potentially counterfeit bills; they compare them side by side with the real ones. Consider what ‘rational lies’ you sometimes believe and bring them to the One True God today. Let Him help you compare them to His truth.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

Facing the enemy

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Walt Kelly’s Pogo cartoon was a favorite of mine when I was a teen. Often political and satire in nature, this strip about a possum living in Okefenoki Swamp, often hit on important life truths. This one features Pogo’s most famous quote, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” While the focus of this cartoon was environmental pollution, it speaks another truth to me. That is, when our minds consider the image of enemies, we might do well to look at ourselves first. Why?

We often are to blame for making up our enemies. We are so adept at categorizing people who look, think, talk, and act differently from us, we have this tendency to put a label on them and to regard their interests as opposed and threatening to ours. We put up defensive fences to keep them distant. In our minds they become ‘enemies.’ Quite the opposite, learning to understand each other helps us to learn from each other. It is a very small circle that includes only those who agree with you in every way. It seems to me we encounter enough real foes in life that we needn’t imagine more just because we find ourselves different from one another.

Another reason we become our own enemies is that we are so good at looking at what we see and then conjuring up irrational thoughts about it. Say the word very slowly and you find that “rationalize” sounds a lot like “rationale lies.” What rational lies have you told yourself over and over again. The truths in life often aren’t readily perceived by the eyes, but by the heart and mind. You have one image of yourself and likely, God has another. I think we are best off seeing ourselves as the one who created us sees us. Whenever you hear one of those negative inner voices, answer it with the promises of God over your life and your future. As the old saying goes, “When fear comes knocking, let faith answer the door.”

Another reason we become our own enemy is that we don’t dress properly. To go outside in this -25 degree weather without a coat and gloves would be asking for trouble. Likewise to go swimming with all your winter clothes on is just as dangerous. The bible tells us that when we strive against each other we are really facing a battle of spiritual forces. It tells us to “dress” properly each day with the spiritual armor of God: the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the boots of peace, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and the helmet of salvation. If we don’t, our vulnerability is our own doing. And notice that the armor of God doesn’t come with any protection for your back, so don’t run from attacks from the enemy. Just make sure the enemy you face isn’t yourself.

Follow Your Heart?

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Have you ever received or maybe even given this advice? You’re facing a difficult decision, fraught with anxiety and not sure which direction to turn, and someone comes up and says, “Just follow your heart.” Is this good advice?

If we trust our hearts to be good and just and wise, we may consider this to be a good alternative to the confusion of following our minds. After all, there is this thing called “irrational rationality” that is created when we think and think and finally convince ourselves something is right when it is not. Say the word ‘rationalize’ really slowly and you will come to hear “rational lies” that we and others tell us. So in that context, listening to our heart may seem a good alternative. But what does God say about that?

Jeremiah 17:9 says “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Acting out of passion is zealous but not always wise. Can you remember times when you or a loved one acted out of the passion of their heart and regretted the outcome? I have done this, even sometimes when doing a good thing, but rashly and not getting God’s counsel on the matter first. And I have followed my heart to bad things too.

Psalm 139:23 offers a measured approach: “Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.” The one who created us, knows our thoughts when we rise and when we lay down. He knows the condition of our hearts and He alone can reveal to us and convict us of our innermost thoughts and motivations. His point of view clarifies truth when all around there seems to be confusion. He brings peace to our heart when it seems at war. He stills us and leads us when we feel like we are being rushed and pushed in different directions, He calms us when we are obsessed, and convicts us of both the wrong and the right in our hearts.

Isn’t it GOD’s heart we need to pursue and not our own? After all, His heart pursues us! We were on His mind when He laid the foundations of the earth, He created us and knit us together in our mother’s womb, He sent His son to rescue us while we were still sinners. There is no getting our act together and THEN coming to God. He came out running after us while we were still astray. God has a heart that loves us more than we can imagine and His love never fails. His heart has good plans for us, plans for real hope and a good future.

Don’t follow your heart; follow God’s heart.

“You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with ALL your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13