For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. – Romans 10:2

 Today's Scripture Reading (April 25, 2024):  Romans 10

"Can you believe some people think we have actually gone to the moon? They believe that the Space Shuttle program existed and that the Columbia exploded in the skies over Earth. What it must be like to live life and be so gullible." I want to say that the conversation was typical until this point, but it wasn't. But now, a turn had been taken; it was never coming back.

The conversation had started okay, but I knew there was a problem with my new friend when we wandered into the area of politics. The first warning sign was when he started to complain about the fixing of the 2020 American election against conservatives. My friend strongly believed there was a worldwide agenda that intended to take votes away from conservative politicians. The height of this process, at least so far, was stealing the 2020 election away from Donald Trump. I smiled and commented that Conservatives didn't need any help; they seemed to be able to snatch failure from every victory. He looked at me. I think he was trying to comprehend what I believed, and then he moved on to other subjects. And now we were talking about space.

The first time I had had a conversation with someone like my new friend was over the Sandy Hook school shooting. Then, I was taken aback when someone attacked me over my foolish belief that the mass murder was real and not a drama dreamed up and pulled over on us for purposes unknown. But just the thought that someone as educated as I seem to be would believe in what he called the Sandy Hook Hoax was appalling. I needed to know the truth.

But here is the truth. I believe that we have been to the moon. The first moon landing happened when I was nine years old. It was a formational moment in my life. I believe that twenty-six people died at Sandy Hook Elementary School in an unnecessary tragedy fueled by our love for guns. And I believe that Joe Biden won the 2020 election fair and square. Call me gullible, it's okay.

I am not the first, and I won't be the last. It is a phenomenon that has been around from the beginning. And it is still with us. We are zealous for God, but our zeal is often not based on knowledge. It is based more on feelings, false teachings, emotions, cultural understanding, and conspiracy theories than it is on Scripture and God. And in many arguments in the church, emotions and cultural understanding beat knowledge every time.

Apparently, that was also true in Paul's day. The people were zealous, but Paul knew their truths. They were zealously chasing after things that were not of God, and they were not willing to hear the truth, regardless of where that truth might come from. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Romans 11