Mark Twain once wrote, “the most outrageous lies that can be invented will
find believers if a person only tells them with all his might.” Around a group
of women, we call it gossip, to men it is bench racing, but to an unsuspecting
public, or even suspecting, they are known as urban legends. Things so
unbelievable, but that sound so true, they must be true, and are never tested
for veracity. Like the old telephone game we played as kids, the message that
starts it often is not the message that the last person gets. And the very best
ones make the truth sound boring and more like a lie. Go figure. They are
often stories not based on fact, but sound good, and rumors passed on to others,
that keep getting passed to others. We cannot live without them, and there are
some pretty good ones out there, for instance, the one told to us in Jersey
growing up. And they always start....
“I know a guy whose mother used to work with the uncle of a guy whose aunt
played bridge with his second cousin for awhile, before she was arrested for
insider trading, so you know the source is reliable.” Never heard first hand,
always passed down via someone else. And this urban legend is about a couple
dating, then parking in a remote area. Warned of a madman on the loose, they
lock the doors and lose track of time. When they go to leave, they find they
are out of gas, and he volunteers to go get some, his date remaining locked in
the car. While gone, she hears scratching and horrible noises, but stays in the
car. Her date never returns, but at daylight a police officer does, and has her
get out of the car. Where her date is found hanging from a tree branch above
the car, the noise she heard last night. Variations on the theme are good for
Boy Scout campouts, parents warning their kids about parking, and telling ghost
stories. Unverified, it is common lore in New Jersey, each state has its
own.....
But my favorite is buried anonymously among Jersey State Police legends, a
man and his friend are going to pick up his friend’s girlfriend at the hospital
where she works. Trying out his new car to see if it will do 100, the are doing
the ton when a grey, unmarked police cruiser pulls up next to them, holding up a
sign that says “STATE POLICE.” Pulling over the officer in grey mechanics
clothes, tells them they were doing 100, but forgot his ticket book, and will
bring the ticket to his work or home tonight. Asking “why were you going so
fast, were you on the way to the hospital?” the answer is yes, and the officer
can barely keep from breaking out laughing. They go on to pick up the
girlfriend, who is mad, and the man is trembling, he will lose his license, his
parents will take his car, and he worries all through work that night, and all
night sleeplessly at home. But no ticket nor police officer ever shows up, it
was a mechanic on a test drive, and you almost busted him with the hospital
answer. Funny now, but back then I was terrified, as I was the driver! And
Lance can verify my story, as can his girlfriend. I can only imagine the
mechanic telling the story, “when he said hospital, I could barely keep it
together!” My parents still don’t know.....
But for some reason Christians seem to think they need to improve on God’s
word and the story of Jesus. Years ago TBN, the Christian equivalent of CNN’s
fake news, reported how a drilling team in Siberia had drilled deep enough, 14
kilometers, and an intense heat came out. They could smell sulfur and
brimstone, and reportedly heard voices in agony screaming out for release from a
microphone inserted in the hole. Terrified they abandon the project, it never
happened. But was good enough for TBN....
Around the turn of the century 1900, a story came out of a man swallowed by
a whale in the Mediterranean, and lived in it three days and then washed up on
shore. Meant to duplicate and prove the story of Jonah, it too was proved
false. For one thing Jonah got swallowed by a giant fish, God should know the
difference, whales are not common in that part of the Mediterranean, and his
wife can explain his whereabouts that day. He was in England at the time. It
never happened....if Jesus quoted the story in his New Testament, why do we need
to add something false to help prove it? Even Cassie Bernal, a shooting victim
at Columbine is treated to fiction, supposedly saying she believed in God and
shot rather than being spared. Witnesses on the scene deny any interaction
between her and the shooter. From playing Stairway to Heaven backwards, found
on Youtube, to Proctor and Gamble’s trademark supposedly being Satanic, we
should have enough truth to prove our point. Which is the spirit’s job anyway.
Yet from the Seven Sons of Sceva being misled, and paying the price, we find
many burned their books and divinations, nearly $1 million in todays’ money. If
not for the Sceva’s we would have no Acts 19, yet the evil spirit that drove
them is still alive and well misleading many in churches today. Interesting
when the demons addressed them, they said they knew Jesus, a personal knowing,
and heard of Paul, an inquisitive knowledge. Are the demons smarter than the
guy next to you in church? We are to be as wise as serpents,but gentle as
lambs....
The Bible tells us to let every matter be established. 2 Peter 1:16 tells
us “we did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you of the power
and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The truth can stand on it own without
our help. Remember that next time you forward a story on your email, you may be
a Sceva in disguise and not know it. But like Agent Mulder used to tell us, the
truth is out there, and one final test.
Do you know that there once was a neighborhood, or group of neighborhoods
under Dodger Stadium? Going by the name of Chavez Ravine, these five ravines
were home to LA’s poorest, until the 1950’s, when they used imminent domain to
claim the land and chase them off. Later when the Dodgers came to town, using
it to build the stadium. Razing the five tall hills around the valley, they
filled it in, and a two story school house is buried beneath it. Many shows
from that time period were filmed there, a fact only the old Angelino’s know
about. But it really happened, today Chavez Ravine being the home of the
Dodgers. Just a piece of history to good to be true that really is....the
truth, Jesus Christ will set you free. Are you living your life based on
hearsay, or what Jesus says? There is a difference...and for those who must, we
have an autographed picture of him, for only $4.95, shipping and handling, which
will add to the décor of any room. Or would you like a picture of the man
escaping from the whale? Me, I’m just glad I didn’t get the ticket!
And in the news, dateline Las Vegas, Elvis declares his candidacy for
President....
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com