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  Things aren't always as they seem.  When it comes to political discussion, the things we hear aren't always what they actually mean.  Although there have always been people with slick ways of speaking and writing to carefully make people believe in ideas; perhaps now, more than any other time in history, political jargon has completely befuddled many fair-minded people.

Jargon is defined by Websters as:

1.	the language, esp. the vocabulary, peculiar to a particular trade, profession, or group: medical jargon.

2.	unintelligible or meaningless talk or writing; gibberish.

3.	any talk or writing that one does not understand.

4.

pidgin.

5.	language that is characterized by uncommon or pretentious vocabulary and convoluted syntax and is often vague in meaning.

  It is the fifth meaning we are interested in for this article. 

  As you watch television and read the newspapers, you may think that the world is a really terrible place.  Most news reporting is based on reporting negative events.  What you may not realize is that things may actually be worse than the news would have you believe if you are able to dig through the jargon used by many special interest groups to get at what they are really saying.

   Now, we're not out to scare you into thinking that reporters and politicians are sugar-coating issues we should have legitimate concerns about.  Jargon goes both directions.  In a single newscast you may have one person overplaying the danger of bird flu and another underplaying the effect of tax cuts.  It all depends on what the editorial staff wants you to think.  We are being manipulated with words and it's time we began to tear down these carefully constructed verbal attacks on our faith and our rights.

  Another word for jargon is spin.  A group of people got together in a room about the whole Bill Clinton mess and decided on a very specific set of "talking Points" based on a set of words to describe the situation in more favorable language so that the public could swallow the fact that he lied to a grand jury instead of being outraged.  By using convoluted misdirection they were able to make it seem as though he had done nothing terribly wrong and anyone might have made the same "minor" errors if placed in a similar situation.  The fact that he put himself in the situation by making serious errors in his ethical and legal choices was ignored and redirected at others.  This spin machine led to one of the most famous jargon sentences ever uttered - "it depends on what your definition of 'is,' is."  If that's not convoluted and vague nothing "is." 

This same kind of spin machine is hard at work right now, in our own state, every day.

  Activist groups have been carefully choosing words to cloak their true intentions for decades about subjects they wish to promote.  We're going to spend some time in these articles helping you to see through the jargon and make decisions and respond to situations according to God's truth, and not because of the brainwashing techniques you are assaulted with in the media.

  What we must come to grips with is that there IS a vast left-wing conspiracy that is hell-bent on tearing down every last strand of moral virtue in the world.  It isn't run by some evil genius in a castle somewhere, but by the members of a number of large and well-organized special interest groups.  Probably the only reason they have not suceeded in driving God completely out of every facet of our lives is that God cannot be killed very easily, and they like to fight each other almost as much as they like to fight againt God himself.  The obstacle that groups such as the Pro Choice, Gay rights and other groups represent may seem unstoppable, but never forget that they are no match for the power of God and prayer.

  The jargon that is used by these and many other groups in the political and other public realms was clearly predicted in the bible.  In Romans chapter 1, verse 32, the Apostle Paul writes "and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."  There are powerful political organizations in our country lobbying for legislation that gives hearty approval to people who practice all of the evil deeds Paul mentions in Romans 1. 

  We have a duty in this world to speak out against these things.  Paul also states in verses 16 and 17 what that duty is to be: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...for in it the righteousness of God is revealed.."  We are to be the light of the world.  We are to stand up against wickedness and call people to the light of the gospel of truth.  With courage and humility, we have to stand up against those who are tearing down the cross of the savior, not to start an argument, but to shine the light into that darkness.

  Pilate asked Jesus, "what is truth?"  Jesus had already answered his question in John 18, verse 3: "For this I have been born, and for this I come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice."  Will you be the voice of Jesus?  Will you speak out in defense of the truth?