Bearing False Witness

I read Mr. Heise’s fascinating opinion piece “Warren County Republicans are looking for a few good people.” I’m all for a good debate with anyone wishing to engage in civil discourse. Sadly, Mr. Heise seems to be of the opinion that anyone who doesn’t agree with his perceived scare tactics, and bizarre interpretation of the Word of God, is a “Marxist, CRT advocate, hates our Founding Fathers, and thinks that evil is actually good” (taken directly from Mr. Heise’s comments). This common Republican approach from Mr. Heise (and others) to try and monopolize and dictate who is a conservative is one thing. Making a mockery out of my faith for political gain (some would even suggest the “true” God of some, certainly not all, within the Republican Party, itself) is not gonna fly! Let the tables in the temple fly, Jesus – I’ll forget about my poor back to help you, personally!!!!!!

Let’s start with Mr. Heise’s impression that the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans advocates that anyone who disagrees with Paul is an “evil person attempting to sway others.” I guess this would make the Jewish Carpenter from Nazareth (you know, that dude named Yeshua “Jesus”) a Marxist, Socialist, and evil person as well, given the gaggle of evil he surrounded himself with in his initial twelve disciples (murderers, thieves, etc.), not to mention the prostitutes. The thought that my saviour would take these twelve (and countless others, to include myself) and help them become beautiful human beings to preach love, kindness, forgiveness, and (yes) accountability was indicative of a real man, who led by example, not just hollow words. Instead of “bearing false witness against his neighbor” (Exodus 20:16), Jesus chose to “Do Unto Others, as he would have done unto himself” (Luke 6:31). What a cool dude!!

To state that the Warren County School Board has only one true conservative is laughable. The Republican Party of Warren County endorsed lifelong Warren County resident, Conservative (and lifelong educator) Dr. Antoinette Funk in the last election, only to see far-right extremist advocates endorse their own candidate, as (apparently) Dr. Funk was not far enough right (or religious) for them, and would not allow herself to be dictated to by these far-right extremists (WAY TO GO, DR. FUNK!!!!).

The Word of God clearly states (in both Exodus (20:2) and Deuteronomy (5:6): “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.” The great author C. S. Lewis opined (Screwtape Letters): “There are two equal, yet opposite errors into which we fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, yet possess an unhealthy interest in them.” I would strongly advise my fellow Conservatives (especially my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ) to flee the God of politics, political parties, divisiveness, and even your church – if they are using their building and/or leaders as a means for political persuasion – as it is way too easy and convenient to allow an ideal in a building forwarded by the loudest people within said building, and even (dare I say) a religion, itself, to become your true God, as opposed to the life example of a humble and simple man. A man who wore tattered clothing (not suits and ties), sandals (not expensive shiny shoes), stood on a hillside and said: “Hey, who’s hungry?!; died for our sins, and encouraged us to “search the scriptures” (John 5:39), do our own homework, and follow the words of the apostle Paul himself (2 Timothy 4:3): “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

Beware, citizens of Warren County – those sample ballots are coming your way!!!!

Michael S. Williams
Front Royal, VA