PRETENTIOUSNESS

From My Perspective - - - 

Pretentiousness is a descriptive term (adjective) that has the following usages: “one who is full of pretense; one who makes an exaggerated outward show; one who is ostentatious (One who tries to attract attention; an effort to impress others); an assumption of exaggerated or undeserved self-importance.” The synonyms include the description of one who is: “pompous, bombastic or showy.” Generally, it represents one who goes through life pretending to be what he is not (and likely will never be). In secular terms, he is a phony and one who attempts to fake it. In religious terms, it is one who presents himself to be what he is not and is classified as one who is a hypocrite. 

Details about the Affordable Care Act and what it was designed to accomplish is becoming more apparent with each passing day. The Wall Street Journal for November 14, 2014 contained these comments regarding the candor of Jonathan Gruber: “As a rule, Americans don’t like to be called stupid, as Jonathan Gruber is discovering. Whatever his academic contempt for voters, the Obama-Care architect and Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist deserves the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his candor about the corruption of the federal budget process. In his now-infamous talk at the University of Pennsylvania last year, Professor Gruber argued that the Affordable Care Act would not have passed had Democrats been honest about the income-redistribution policies embedded in its insurance regulations. But the more instructive moment is his admission that this bill was written in a tortured way to make sure Congressional Budget Office did not score the mandate as taxes. If CBO scored the mandate as taxes, the bill dies.” At the very least, this is a display of blatant pretentiousness and an abandonment of integrity in a most raw form. It is a classic display of doing what ever one has to do to accomplish a goal and objective regardless of truth and honest representation. In other words, it allows for the end desired being attained by any means necessary. Government is able to function in this manner when people have allowed themselves to  become gullible, indifferent, ignorant and dependent on largesse (distribution of free stuff) from the government that is following a course of being disingenuous (lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity).

Why does an elected government decide to go down the path of deceit and recklessness? It is due to the personal character of the elected and appointed individuals who have jettisoned their scruples and their regard for for the citizenry. Those who lie are clearly identified by Jesus in John 8:43-44 (NASB), “"Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” This may sound harsh but it is factual. Our leaders lie because they are given to the practice of deception by the father of all lies. the devil. 

Why have people become lazy and government-dependent? The Bible addresses the subject of man and his work ethic. In II Thessalonians 3:7-12 is a basic principle for personal application. The Message paraphrase words it bluntly: “Don't you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? If you don't work, you don't eat. And now we're getting reports that a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings are taking advantage of you. This must not be tolerated. We command them to get to work immediately - no excuses, no arguments - and earn their own keep…don’t slack off in doing your duty. If anyone refuses to obey our clear command written in this letter, don't let him get by with it. Point out such a person and refuse to subsidize his freeloading. Maybe then he'll think twice.” Rather than becoming the objects of shame, we have allowed a large portion of the culture to become dependent. The culture represents them to be people who deserve pity, compassion and recipients of that for which others have diligently worked to attain. Proverbs 28:19 (NIV) should be remembered and implemented: “Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.” Consider these things with me!