VACUITY VERBALIZATIONS

I Was Just Thinking About - - - - 

When I first entered Bible College, albeit reluctantly, one class assignment that I felt was useless was to read the Dictionary, at least five new words per week. For one who had to take a Remedial English course, I should not have been critical of the Dictionary assignment. One of the benefits was to realize how few words are used in human discourse. I began to read some editorials that necessitated consulting the dictionary to determine the intent and rationale for the use of particular vocabulary. Early on, I discovered the writing style of William F. Buckley was challenging in that regard. here were several skilled writers along the way whose vocabulary challenged further use of the Dictionary. Currently, George F. Will is gifted in the use of vocabulary to make a point. It was in an Opinion Column by him on September 18, 2015 where he made use of the word “vacuity” when analyzing the address of Pope Francis to the nation of Cuba and his subsequent visit to the United States.

We live in a time when political rhetoric abounds and ensuing meaningful action is scarce or dormant. Vacuity means: “without contents; vacancy; emptiness: absence of thought or intelligence; inanity; blankness:  a time or state of dullness, lacking in mental or physical action or productivity: absence or lack of something specified: something, such as a statement, saying, etc, that is inane or pointless.” George Will used this term to describe: “Pope Francis’ Fact-Free Flamboyance in an address given by the Pope to an audience at The Vatican.” George Will goes on to state: “Pope Francis embodies sanctity but comes trailing clouds of sanctimony. With a convert’s indiscriminate zeal, he embraces ideas impeccably fashionable, demonstrably false and deeply reactionary. They would devastate the poor on whose behalf he purports to speak — if his policy prescriptions were not as implausible as his social diagnoses are shrill. And the earth is becoming “an immense pile of filth”? Hyperbole is a predictable precursor of yet another U.N. Climate Change Conference - the 21st since 1995. Fortunately, rhetorical exhibitionism increases as its effectiveness diminishes.”

Even though there is a degree of verbal sport in “fact-faulting” and “fault-finding” with that which others write or say, the visible Church of the Lord Jesus Christ falls short of representing God’s truth and principles that should be foundational as a world and life view. Confusion, distortion, hyperbole, hypocrisy and bloviation are too common. Many people in the visible Church get all fuzzy-minded and enamored by the outspoken person leading the Republican Polls. He makes claim that the Bible is his favorite book. When pressed about his favorite verse, he was unable to state it. He referenced something that he claimed to be his Bible verse is in the Book of Proverbs: “never bend to envy.” No one has been able to find any such reference. Trying to be charitable towards this candidate, they allow that the closest verses they could find were Proverbs 24:1-2, “Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble.” As a result, the polling estimate for the upcoming primary vote in South Carolina finds that 33% of evangelicals are supportive of the current Number One Candidate. The support is determined by his outspokenness and forthrightness.

In the area of politics and politicians, what determining trait, characteristic and commitment should prevail among the so-called “evangelical” base? A person whom God seeks and through whom He will do His work is described in Proverbs 21:1-4, “In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.” Other passages speak of “the arrogant heart of the king” (Isaiah 10:12) will be punished. The “evangelical” base should be concerned with the execution of Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Enough of the “evangelical” vacuity. The “evangelical” base needs to become more serious about the serious God and His will, purpose and values. Consider these things with me.