White Elephant
A white elephant is a possession someone has that is no longer needed, or at least something that people do not want to be there, yet it remains there.
An elephant in the room is an obvious problem that people want to ignore and that no one wants to discuss or even broach the subject.
I heard a radio talk show where the caller said there was a white elephant in the room, combining the two idioms. My thought then was that perhaps the person was talking about something obvious that people wanted to ignore as well as something people thought they no longer needed. Using that analogy, our Nation is the room the white elephant is in. That white elephant in our room is the Almighty God. Many people think He is no longer needed, and no longer wanted
With all the problems in these United States that are getting more and more serious, we have a monstrous dilemma. Our difficulties have steadily gotten worse and have become extremely problematic with no seeming answer or repairs possible. When I hear discussions on talk radio and in the news media; when I read editorials and nonfiction works about this subject, folks talk or write all around the problem, yet never seem to see that white elephant in the room.
Before I begin to develop my thesis further, I wish to comment on Christians. Many non-Christians see Christians as people who think they are perfect and therefore better than others. Obviously there are some who profess to be Christians who are really like that. Yet that is far from the truth. It is a case of a few bad apples spoiling the lot. Those few Christians (compared to millions) do cause many non-believers to accept the notion that all Christians are the same as those few who feel “holier-than-thou.”
True Christians, those who truly believe that Christ is the Savior of all people that believe on Him, actually love other people and truly care about them. True Christians realize that they are not better than others. They hold to the words of Christ when He told His followers to “love your neighbors as you love yourself.” Jesus went on to explain that our neighbors are all other humans in the world, and not just those who live close to us. People of the entire world are our neighbors. If I love other people as much as I love my self, then I will treat them the way I want to be treated. That is with respect.
True Christians understand that we are to put others first. We believe in the acronym J.O.Y., which means Jesus first; Others second; Yourself last. Unfortunately true Christians lead everyday lives, going to work, raising their children, etc., but they are not the ones that people always see. When non-believers see the “holier-than- thou” sort of Christian, they often see all Christians that way. The “holier-than- thou” Christian is probably not a Christian at all, or at least he or she is not practicing true Christianity.
True Christians are human beings. Like all human beings they have strengths and weaknesses, and virtues and faults. They strive for perfection, but know they will never reach it in this life. True Christians, which the Bible sometimes refers to as saints, actually do sin. Humans are prone to sin, and Christians are no exception. As such, true Christians realize they are not better than others. This causes true practicing Christians not to be self-serving, but desiring to serve others. We Christians want what is best for others.
Nevertheless, that does not motivate us to want to force others to do what we believe is best for them. That is what coercive ideologies (like the Left in the USA) do; they want to force others to do what they believe is best for them. That is tyranny, and true Christians are not tyrannical.
Christianity is based on the love of God, our Creator, the one Who actually knows what is best for us. Yet even God will not force that on us. He allows us to make up our own minds whether we wish to follow His precepts on our own. He gives us that choice, thus true Christians also believe in giving others that choice.
While the Christians may disagree with others about lifestyles, morality, politics, religion, etc., such disagreement is not hate. We do not hate others we disagree with. Energetic political debate and dissent have been an important part of our liberties such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom to peaceably assemble, freedom of conscience, personal safety, etc. Besides, even Christians occasionally disagree with one another but that does not mean they hate each other. We still love others even when we disagree with them.
Again, the white elephant in the room is God, our creator. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; of Moses, David, and Christ’s disciples. He is the God of Jews and Christians. No, He is not Allah. Generally, we Americans seemingly regard Him as not only a White Elephant, but we also regard Him as The Elephant in the Room.
As a rule, we know that God is always there, but we really don’t want Him to be there, thus He is a White Elephant to many Americans. Also, following His precepts is the answer to all of our national problems, yet we don’t want to acknowledge that fact. Thus He is the Elephant in the Room. Those precepts are summed up in the following statements made by Jesus Christ: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind,” and “love others as much as you love yourself” (Mat 22:37 & 39).
Our problems will become repairable if we will do those two things. Things which prompt us to acknowledge that God, our Creator exists and that He is involved in the affairs of men, and wants the best for them, and treat all other human beings as we ourselves wish to be treated. If we Americans will do that, our problems will right themselves. Sounds easy, right? No it is not easy. There will always be those that want to cause problems and will never treat others with love. But the simple fact that we have officially rejected God and removed Him from the public square has exacerbated all of our problems to the point that, without our turning back to God, those problems are intractable and practically unsolvable by humans without God’s influence.
Here are just a few of our intractable problems:
- Factions in the country that are opposed to freedom of speech
- Domestic violence in the streets
- Organizations like ANTIFA that do the opposite of what they claim to do, using violence as their means
- Groups claiming to be against hate, but are the actual purveyors of hate
- Large scale lawlessness
- Governments enforcing the law only against certain disfavored groups, while allowing favored groups to freely break those laws.
- A news media that cannot be trusted to tell the truth.
- Police officers being attacked while trying to uphold the peace
- A Congress and Senate that seemingly work only for their own self-interests to the detriment of our country.
- A weakened military
- Increasing tension in the world
- Increasing prevalence of disease and infirmity
- Lower and lower standards of living
- Costs far outrunning incomes
- Etc., etc., etc.
See my post, Rejected, for more information on this subject
Whenever you hear on TV or on radio, or read in the print media about someone offering solutions to fix such problems in our nation today, and that person skirts around the true answer, which is God, realize that person is avoiding the White Elephant in the Room.
Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior? He is going to return to the world soon. Are you ready? When He does if you do not know Him as your Savior, you will join all those who do not know Him in “Outer Darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Mat 22:13-14).
Mark Oaks, February 1, 2021
