Perception and Reality

I was just thinking about - - - -

A saying that "perception is reality" is a fascinating proposition - but - is it true?. It might be more accurate to indicate that - we do not react and respond to reality itself, but to our own - or shared - perception of it. It falls into the Philosophical dilemma with which Plato struggled, namely, that one could never come to know reality itself but merely a distorted shadow of it. His illustration was of a man tied in a chair in a cave facing a wall. Images would pass by a fire and reflect shadows on the wall, and that perception of reality was all that could be known.

In our political climate these days, candidates proclaim loudly their views of the "Change" that's needed in government. In their perception of reality, they blame many of the ills of our nation on the disproportionate amount of wealth. They rant that the "rich" gain at the expense of the poor. But the question is: Is this rant reality, or a distorted shadow that a politician wants the electorate to believe?

An old Radio and Television program was Dragnet. The lead character, Sgt. Joe Webb, would always have the terse comment as he investigated a crime or complaint: "Just the facts! Give me the facts!" With that in mind, what are the facts regarding wealth in our nation? The following is a fact that should be part of the political rhetoric - - - A recent report shows that the tax burden on the wealthy has increased more than their incomes. The National Center for Policy Analysis says that Bush tax cuts actually made the tax code more progressive. It concludes that every major tax change over the past two decades has increased the share of taxes paid by the wealthiest Americans (AKA the evil rich). Michael D. Stroup, a Stephen F. Austin University economist who authored the NCPA report says, "It is politically popular to say that tax cuts benefit the wealthy ... The perception does not match the reality."

"The top 1 percent of income earners pay more than one in every three dollars the IRS collects in taxes. From 1986 to 2004, the total share of the income tax burden paid by the top 1 percent of earners grew from 25.8 percent to 36.9 percent, while the total share of the tax burden paid by the bottom half of earners fell from 6.5 percent to only 3.3 percent. During the same period, the percentage of income the top 1 percent of tax filers paid in federal income taxes rose from 18.3 percent to 19.6 percent. By contrast, the percentage of income the bottom fifth of tax filers paid in federal income taxes dropped from 0.4 percent to zero. The income share of the top 1 percent rose 7.7 percentage points, from 11.3 percent to 19 percent, while their income tax burden rose even more, by 11 percentage points, from 26 percent to 37 percent. If you bring the figures forward from 2004 you'll find that the total income share of the top 1% has fallen somewhat, while the percentage of taxes they pay has risen."

"Politicians know that 99% of Americans have no awareness at all of these figures; and it doesn’t serve the purposes of the media to report factually on this issue."

In a genuine way, greater attention needs to be directed toward the area of the poor in particular and to poverty in general. We would do well to study and implement the words of James 2:1-9...

Show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, You sit here in a good place, while you say to the poor man, You stand over there, or, Sit down at my feet, have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors...

Millions of dollars are being spent on political campaigns – that is a reality! How many hungry and poor could benefit from a good meal or needed medicine if the candidates reached out to them in a personal and positive way? It is alleged that one candidate has considered a 30 second Advertisement during the Super Bowl at a cost of $2,500,000.00 (to promote the personal ambition of the candidate). How many poor could benefit immediately if this was spent on them so they could enjoy a nourishing meal?

Are we influenced by “perception” or “reality”? James 2 should be the reality that motivates and mobilizes us! Is our world-view focused and limited to the "inward" or inclusive of "others"?

Think about it - - -