“Speak truth to stupid”.
This is actually a line from the pilot of Aaron Sorkin’s, “Newroom” that
inspired this art piece. It was intended
to be a triptych typography piece, but I later turned it into this short video
you see here. The first panel reads,
“Evil Makes You Stupid”, which is a personal quote of mine. Having worked in ministry and seen how people
make the same mistakes over and over (I’ve seen this repeatedly) when you tell
people the truth about something and they are not ready to receive it or
change, they look at you with glazed-over eyes, as if you’re speaking another
language and go… “uh… no, that’s not it”.
That is stupid! Why? Not because
they didn’t have access to the knowledge they needed. They did.
You told them… or someone else told them… or life repeatedly has told
them, and yet they can’t receive it because they have rejected knowledge… they’ve
rejected truth.
This is actually a line from the pilot of Aaron Sorkin’s, “Newroom” that
inspired this art piece. It was intended
to be a triptych typography piece, but I later turned it into this short video
you see here. The first panel reads,
“Evil Makes You Stupid”, which is a personal quote of mine. Having worked in ministry and seen how people
make the same mistakes over and over (I’ve seen this repeatedly) when you tell
people the truth about something and they are not ready to receive it or
change, they look at you with glazed-over eyes, as if you’re speaking another
language and go… “uh… no, that’s not it”.
That is stupid! Why? Not because
they didn’t have access to the knowledge they needed. They did.
You told them… or someone else told them… or life repeatedly has told
them, and yet they can’t receive it because they have rejected knowledge… they’ve
rejected truth.
Now I know that it is not exactly PC (politically correct)
to use the word “stupid” with relation to people due to its negative
connotations, but let’s take a look at what the word “stupid” actually
means. According to Merrian Webster’s
dictionary, “stupid” is defined as, “not intelligent: having or showing a
lack of ability to learn and understand things.
Not sensible or logical. Not able
to think normally because you are drunk, tired, etc. Dulled in feeling or sensation”. Based on the actual definition of the word, I
think that we can all attest to having done stupid things in the past, myself
included. Times when we didn’t think
things through or ignored the preverbal “handwriting on the wall”, but this is
not an acceptable way of life, especially not for a believer. The part of this definition that is the most
troubling to me is “having or showing a lack of ability to learn or understand
things” which is why some people make the same mistakes repeatedly and never
seem to acknowledge their responsibility in what has taken place. They have, either consciously or unconsciously,
rejected knowledge… or rather truth and to reject truth isn’t just stupid
because when we reject truth or the Spirit of Truth, we’ve rejected God. For
God is the spirit of Truth [John. 14:17, 16:13]. Evil causes us to reject truth every
time. It blinds us to the truth of the
things that are before us. Speaking
truth to someone who rejects knowledge is like speaking a foreign language to a
person who has no knowledge of that language.
The words that are coming out of your mouth make absolutely no sense to
them. Why? Because evil has blinded them
to truth.
to use the word “stupid” with relation to people due to its negative
connotations, but let’s take a look at what the word “stupid” actually
means. According to Merrian Webster’s
dictionary, “stupid” is defined as, “not intelligent: having or showing a
lack of ability to learn and understand things.
Not sensible or logical. Not able
to think normally because you are drunk, tired, etc. Dulled in feeling or sensation”. Based on the actual definition of the word, I
think that we can all attest to having done stupid things in the past, myself
included. Times when we didn’t think
things through or ignored the preverbal “handwriting on the wall”, but this is
not an acceptable way of life, especially not for a believer. The part of this definition that is the most
troubling to me is “having or showing a lack of ability to learn or understand
things” which is why some people make the same mistakes repeatedly and never
seem to acknowledge their responsibility in what has taken place. They have, either consciously or unconsciously,
rejected knowledge… or rather truth and to reject truth isn’t just stupid
because when we reject truth or the Spirit of Truth, we’ve rejected God. For
God is the spirit of Truth [John. 14:17, 16:13]. Evil causes us to reject truth every
time. It blinds us to the truth of the
things that are before us. Speaking
truth to someone who rejects knowledge is like speaking a foreign language to a
person who has no knowledge of that language.
The words that are coming out of your mouth make absolutely no sense to
them. Why? Because evil has blinded them
to truth.
The second panel of the triptych is, “Speak Truth To
Stupid”. There’s a beautiful speech
given by MacKenzie McHale (played by Emily Mortimer), Will McAvoy’s executive
producer and former lover, where MacKenzie states that you have to “speak truth
to stupid”. MacKenzie wants Will to be
the jouralist he used to be and not pander to the network executives and the
public for ratings. She wants Will to
treat his viewing public intelligently and “speak truth to stupid”… which she
sees as the inflammatory tabloid journalism that out there, filled with opinion
and sensationalism and very little fact or thoughtful commentary. The only way to combat the “stupid” that’s
out there is to speak truth… and she’s right.
Stupid”. There’s a beautiful speech
given by MacKenzie McHale (played by Emily Mortimer), Will McAvoy’s executive
producer and former lover, where MacKenzie states that you have to “speak truth
to stupid”. MacKenzie wants Will to be
the jouralist he used to be and not pander to the network executives and the
public for ratings. She wants Will to
treat his viewing public intelligently and “speak truth to stupid”… which she
sees as the inflammatory tabloid journalism that out there, filled with opinion
and sensationalism and very little fact or thoughtful commentary. The only way to combat the “stupid” that’s
out there is to speak truth… and she’s right.
As believers, we have to speak truth to stupid. It allows those of us who are merely having a
stupid moment the opportunity to change or correct our thinking and get back on
course. As believers, we have the
responsibility to speak truth, God’s truth as it has been revealed to us by the
Holy Spirit because we are saved by the blood of the Lamb and the words of our
testimony [Rev. 12:11], to share the Good News to “Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth.” [Acts 1:8] “If anyone has an ear, let him hear”. [Matthew
11:15] When God’s people, those who believe, hear truth it resonates with us on
a very deep level. It may not even make
any sense at the time, but the person will have an understanding that what they
are hearing is, in fact true, and nothing else will be needed. It sticks.
Truth is powerful! Truth is God!
stupid moment the opportunity to change or correct our thinking and get back on
course. As believers, we have the
responsibility to speak truth, God’s truth as it has been revealed to us by the
Holy Spirit because we are saved by the blood of the Lamb and the words of our
testimony [Rev. 12:11], to share the Good News to “Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth.” [Acts 1:8] “If anyone has an ear, let him hear”. [Matthew
11:15] When God’s people, those who believe, hear truth it resonates with us on
a very deep level. It may not even make
any sense at the time, but the person will have an understanding that what they
are hearing is, in fact true, and nothing else will be needed. It sticks.
Truth is powerful! Truth is God!
Now the reason we have to speak truth to stupid is the third
panel, “Truth Makes You Free”. John 8:32
states, “… and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”, and
it does because it makes us free to choose.
God gives us the freedom to accept or reject the truth… which means we
have the freedom to accept or reject Him.
This is what free will is all about, and he has given each person on
earth the freedom to choose.
panel, “Truth Makes You Free”. John 8:32
states, “… and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”, and
it does because it makes us free to choose.
God gives us the freedom to accept or reject the truth… which means we
have the freedom to accept or reject Him.
This is what free will is all about, and he has given each person on
earth the freedom to choose.
I thank God that He has given us the freedom to choose… that
our worship is not forced… that instead… His love draws us… woos us, so that we
as believers (the Church) may truly become the bride of Christ. [Ephesian 5:26-27]
our worship is not forced… that instead… His love draws us… woos us, so that we
as believers (the Church) may truly become the bride of Christ. [Ephesian 5:26-27]