My life is full of preposterous stories, but they really happened. Sometimes I don't even tell a true story because it seems so preposterous. Sometimes I doubt that things really happened because they are so "out there"! However, I don't have to lie. Exceptional things did happen to me!
There is a problem with being around improbable events. People just don't believe that they really happened! I could write a book on the unbelievable, but true, things which have happened to me,
It's really frustrating when a person is being straightforward and honest yet those observing conclude wrong things. That, of course, could be resolved, if they asked followup questions, but it's easier to doubt than it is to believe! People choose the easiest thing to believe. Seeking truth by gathering facts is just too time consuming and strenuous, so it seems.
A recent news story alleged to have giant skeletons photographed alongside normal sized men. These skeletons are of alleged ten-feet men. However, those commenting found it easy to believe that the photographs were "Photo Shopped". It's easier to doubt than it is to believe preposterous things because to accept that these skeletons were of giants required the person doubting to follow-up; to validate the authenticity of the photographs. (Even I have been too occupied to investigate at the present, but I will not form a concrete opinion until I do! That's fair, that's objectivity and that's what those seeking truth do!)
Perhaps those skeletons are real. That's preposterous to some, but entirely possible. The history of civilization form the Bible supports the notion of that giant size once existed. That information for most people is insufficient. They are skeptical, but being skeptical without investigation is laziness. It furthers myths if the hypothesis isn't tested. People most often prefer the myth rather than to put out effort to find the truth.
When I tell a preposterous story the fair person will ask followup questions to either expose the fraud or validate the truth. However, most people stand there with a stone in hand ready to heave it at the "guilty" party. Let's take a look at what Jesus said about this:
John 8:7b Jesus said "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her (the adulterous woman).It's easy to judge others based on false perceptions and never look at oneself in the mirror. Does it occur to those of the myth that they are judging without the facts? I have a motto: "I believe none of what I hear and only half of what I see!" The reason for that is two-fold: 1): what you hear may be gossip or slanted information. People just like to make others look badly! and 2) A person must register and evaluate what they see. Their register may be blinded by things such as emotion. Angry people see what they want to see!
Let me give an example of the latter.
When I was about 22 I saw a wreck. I was the first there, found a tool, ripped open the passenger door and tried to administer aid to the dying young girl who was driving. I failed and still have nightmares!
Later on a lawyer for the person who hit the girl's car called me. He asked me one question: "Were there any cars between you and the accident?' I closed my eyes, recalled what I saw and responded "No, there were no other vehicles between me and the accident". I was certain of that, but other eye-witnesses had already said that some other driver was there, not me. As a result of the false perception of what I saw, I was not a reliable witness. I saw those things on which I focused. I saw a myth and my bad testimony could have ruined it for someone!
Micah 6:8 (ESV) "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"Those who play cards with rigged hand cause others to lose. We must be just! We can never claim that our assumptions as right. That's injustice!
Furthermore, people believe what others spread as truth! A woman at work said "Larry, I hear through the grapevine that you do drugs." I was appalled. I hate drugs and don't even take pain pills when I need them! I'd rather be in pain than spaced out. It was nice of this girl to tell me what she heard, and that's what she should do, but the people who spread that lie did me great injustice! My guess is that many people still believe that I abuse drugs without any evidence at all! They chose to live the myth! It makes them feel better!
I could go on and on, but remember one thing "Reputations take time to develop, but judging unfairly can destroy what it took years to build!"
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