A lot of self-identified Christians believe that it is right and "Christian" to give institutions and powerful persons "the benefit of the doubt" when they claim good motivations. Or even when they espouse bad intentions.
This is assumed to be good in principle or at least harmless.
Not so, because when an institution i corrupt, untruthful, net-evil, then to fail to discern such reality, to support it; is to join with the side that opposes God, divine creation, and The Good - and thereby oneself to become spiritually corrupted.
Surely we ought to support Good not evil? How can it be right to lend spiritual (maybe material) aid to Satan?
Why not set-aside manipulative and self-annihilating propaganda that tends to ur damnation. We should instead discern, and keep learning - and when we err, we should repent.
2 comments:
For me, it is more like this: I do not know enough to make such judgments. And, if the situation were reversed, how would I want people to handle me (i.e. the Golden Rule)?
I give people the benefit of the doubt, but I do not offer the same to the ideas they express. Is that not right and proper?
@Derek - "Is that not right and proper?"
No, and especially not when it comes to those in leadership/ managerial etc positions - who are almost all corrupted in their motivations and values. To give "the new boss" the benefit of the doubt wrt motivation is a mistake, nearly all of the time - and merely lets them do their wicked business unquestioned and unopposed.
To regard people as on the side of good until the opposite is proven is simply foolish in 2025; although this was nothing like so much the case (in my circles) in 1985.
What you then Do about this evaluation is another matter. We live in the world. Plus, we need to be able to change our evaluations after more experience.
The watchword is to be realistic, truthful, make the best judgments we can - and we must therefore DO make judgements, All The Time. It's absolutely unavoidable. Best to admit the fact explicitly.
Rules of thumb like "giving the benefit of the doubt" are evil manipulations, and (of course) have absolutely nothing to do with being a Christian!
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