I read a fine prayer composed by Billy Graham when he was 95 years old. Now whether you are a Christian or not made little difference to the main topic of his prayer. I suppose I could copy and paste this prayer into this blog but I only want to talk about his main point. The main focus, as I read it, was his observation about changing the names of things. I have spoken myself of semantics and the use of words. I was not able to put it quite as clearly as Billy Graham did however. The jest of what I heard him say is, you can call it anything you like, but it doesn't change the object. It also does not change the action. Billy Graham was, as expected, speaking of sin. Yes, it is a Christian concept, this sin business. When we say the word sin, what is the implication ? Wrongdoing followed by punishment. I think that is a fair statement.
Mr Graham pointed out the tendency man has to rename an action to justify it. Take the word abortion for instance. What does it mean ? The dictionary says : the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy. Consider the word terminate, what does that mean ? To end. To kill. Those in support of abortion do not think of it as ending a life however, it is terminating a pregnancy. I fail to see the difference. That is what Billy Graham is talking about. Whether you agree with terminating a life that is either unwanted or unplanned is the moral decision, it does not alter the fact.
I was thinking about these little distinctions when I was listening to the news. They were talking about the flood of illegal aliens coming across the border. One group was calling them, undocumented immigrants. Further in the editorial another group referred to them as refugees. What are they ? All of the above ? Depends upon your position doesn't it ? The thing is they are here illegally. No matter the title you apply, that fact remains unaltered.
The point I am trying to make, in my stumbling way, is the same as Billy Graham. You can change the name but it doesn't change the action. Changing the name does not make a wrong action right ! The act of legally allowing a certain behavior also does not make that action right. You may fabricate any justification for doing something that you know to be wrong, but that justification will not validate that action.
There is no such thing as a little right, or a little wrong ! It is either right or wrong !
Mr Graham pointed out the tendency man has to rename an action to justify it. Take the word abortion for instance. What does it mean ? The dictionary says : the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy. Consider the word terminate, what does that mean ? To end. To kill. Those in support of abortion do not think of it as ending a life however, it is terminating a pregnancy. I fail to see the difference. That is what Billy Graham is talking about. Whether you agree with terminating a life that is either unwanted or unplanned is the moral decision, it does not alter the fact.
I was thinking about these little distinctions when I was listening to the news. They were talking about the flood of illegal aliens coming across the border. One group was calling them, undocumented immigrants. Further in the editorial another group referred to them as refugees. What are they ? All of the above ? Depends upon your position doesn't it ? The thing is they are here illegally. No matter the title you apply, that fact remains unaltered.
The point I am trying to make, in my stumbling way, is the same as Billy Graham. You can change the name but it doesn't change the action. Changing the name does not make a wrong action right ! The act of legally allowing a certain behavior also does not make that action right. You may fabricate any justification for doing something that you know to be wrong, but that justification will not validate that action.
There is no such thing as a little right, or a little wrong ! It is either right or wrong !
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